Buckeye cuts pay to participate fees for 2025-26 school year

YORK TWP. — The Buckeye Schools board of education on Tuesday approved a pay-to-participate fee schedule for the 2025-26 school year, which is about half as much as it was last school year. The 2025-26 pay-to-participate fee schedule is as follows: $150 per sport or activity at the high school. $75 per sport or activity at the junior high school. Family maximum is $750 per year. Superintendent Jeff Stanton said the fee schedule is something the district has been working on for at least a year. Buckeye was able to develop the fee schedule based on the support of athletic director John Myers, high school Principal Adam Snook and Treasurer Mark Donnelly. Last year, the cost to participate at the high school level was $345 for the first activity, $245 for a second activity and $145 for a third activity. At the junior high, the cost was $270 for the first activity, $170 for a second activity and $70 for a third activity. The family maximum was $1,500. Board member Seth Kujat said the district has been fiscally conservative, which puts Buckeye in the position to make this change. "This is a huge win for any child that is on the fence of playing," he said. "Hopefully their parents can no longer look at them and say we just don't have the funds to allow you to play." Stanton said Buckeye had higher pay-to-participate fees than other districts in the region. He believes there probably were some kids who did not participate in activities because of cost. "To be able to eliminate one potential barrier for a kid who's going into their freshman year who is maybe on the cusp of not playing because, man, I don't want to make my parents spend ($345), I think is a gigantic win," Kujat said. Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.