My life was dramatically shaped by my experience with middle school sports. It was through these programs that I developed crucial social skills, gained invaluable confidence and formed the precious bonds of lifelong friendships. Like me, numerous students in our community are deeply impacted by the opportunities that middle school sports provide. It's an essential aspect of their educational journey.

Unfortunately, the East Brunswick Board of Education is currently considering eliminating middle school/8th grade sports (such as baseball, softball, basketball, etc.) as a cost-saving measure. This could have detrimental effects on the holistic development of our youth. According to a study from the University of Michigan, participation in school sports during adolescence has been associated with a slew of benefits apart from physical health, including better grades, school engagement, and ambition (University of Michigan, 2019).

Eliminating these opportunities points to a short-term financial solution with long-reaching and deleterious effects on our community's future generations. Rather than depriving students of these essential life-building experiences, we must collectively work towards finding different solutions to these budget constraints.

Thus, our plea is simple: we urge the Board of Education not to eliminate middle school sports, to keep the kids' spirits high and protect their mental health. Sign this petition to show your support and protect middle school sports from budget cuts.