Participation numbers are down for Mexico Public Schools’ activities and administrators are trying to think of ways to reverse the trend.

Mexico Public Schools’ Activities Director Brandon Schafer gave a presentation to the Mexico Public Schools’ Board of Education (BOE) at their Dec. 19, 2023 meeting. For the seven fall sports, the district had 170 students participate. For music programs 145 students participated while 19 participated in cheerleading, 21 participated in scholar bowl, and another 25 students participated in speech and debate. That’s down about 18 students from the previous fall. Schafer said students who participate in activities have a higher GPA.

“That’s a problem I would like to pursue and try and  improve on by getting more students participating in our sports,” Schafer told BOE members. “Research shows that students who are participating in these come to school more often.”

One area the district wants to get better at is making sure kids stick to sports when they get to high school. Schafer said this past year 36 boys participated in basketball at the eighth grade level. However, when that class gets to high school the next year only about a third of those kids sign up for basketball. Schafer said they need to do a better job at getting more kids to stick.

“I want to see all of those boys coming back out,” Schafer said.

Mexico High School Principal Brad Ellebracht said one of the biggest issues in keeping kids in sports is resources. He said more and more kids are facing barriers to access to things like transportation.

“We’ve got to continue to look at ways to get kids in that pipeline and those activities younger,” Ellebracht said.

Some students are also facing academic barriers as well. Schafer said student-athletes are accessed at the end of September and if a student has two F’s they are put into a study hall. Schafer said 13 students this fall fell into that category and nine were able to get back on track. The other four had their seasons end.

BOE Member Jessica Ekern was a little surprised by the policy and thought it might take a lot less to get some attention. 

“I’m just surprised a student can participate if they have an F,” Ekern said. “I’m sort of appalled by that. I also understand we have lower numbers so it’s a different situation but it’s a privilege to play sports. I’m not trying to be judgemental but I’m just saying I’m a little surprised.”

Ellebracht said the district not only follows the Missouri State High School Activities Association  (MSHSAA) guidelines but goes a little further.

“This program supports and holds kids to kind of a little bit higher level,” Elebracht said.

Ekern said she wasn’t trying to attack the staff but thinks the community as a whole can do better.

“If the bar is low then that’s what they’re going to achieve,” Ekern said. “When the bar is higher those kids can achieve a higher level and I think we do a disservice by not making those bars higher. I understand the poverty and I understand not having support from parents but I think as a community we can come together and support these kids. I think you’re doing a great job, I’m not trying to attack anybody but I just feel like we need to strive.”