By Sue Kiesewetter
Enquirer contributor

TRENTON - Lou Ann Stamper worries that her son won't be able to pursue his passions at Edgewood High School next fall: football and playing guitar for show choir.

Parent Missy Guyton said if there are no sports at Franklin High School, she will move to another school district so that her son can play basketball and football.

With the March 2 defeat of money issues in those two districts and several others in Southwest Ohio, educators are saying the extras, including sports, school clubs and even busing, will have to go until levies pass.

But in at least three districts, some residents are saying those "extras" are worth fighting for and have formed groups to bring back after-school programs.

"The thought of our children not having the opportunity of participating in extracurriculars ... it broke my heart," said Stamper. "They gain so much from extracurriculars that are educational as well (as fun)."

Parents in the Edgewood, Franklin and Fairfield school districts are trying to save after-school programs through participation fees and fund-raising. In Lakota, team fees will increase from $65 per sport to $115. Reading school officials also plan to increase fees.

Although Batavia voters passed a levy, some reserve and junior high sports are being eliminated unless boosters or community groups agree to fund them. In Williamsburg, boosters have agreed to pay for reserve baseball and softball teams that were eliminated in previous budget cuts.

At the Three Rivers district, where the athletic budget is proposed to be cut in half, officials plan to increase pay-to-play fees and ask boosters for donations.

"If they do the pay-to-participate we will stay. If they don't, I don't feel we can wait until August for a levy,'' said Guyton, whose son, Ben Jones, plays football and basketball for Franklin.

"I don't want to move. My son is devastated," she said. "But I'm a single, working mom and we're depending on him getting a scholarship for college. Without athletics the scouts can't see him."

Concerned Parents for the Future of Franklin Athletics will present its final proposal to the school board today. On April 5, the Fairfield Board of Education will discuss a plan by group called Promoting Activities for a Complete Education.

In Edgewood, the Edgewood Parent Activity Committee for our Kids' proposal will be discussed April 7.

All the groups say that besides fund-raising they plan to work toward passage of the next levy.

"Our goal is to convince the board that we are serious about a pay-to-participate program should the levy fail," said Hugh Pace, a member of Fairfield's Promoting Activities for a Complete Education.

"However, we are committed to ... passing a levy, including stepping forward with three members to co-chair the levy committee."

Both Edgewood and Franklin are planning August levies but have not finalized details yet. Fairfield has not decided if it will put an issue on the August or November ballot.

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