The Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA), the governing body of athletic and non-athletic activities at the middle/jr. high school level, has launched a fundraiser to stay afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The organization’s operating funds come from operating funds are the result of attendance at the state series events, not state funds.
“As those events have been cancelled because of the pandemic, the Association has been crippled by the revenue loss,” their website says. “No championships were held for volleyball, wrestling, and track and field in the spring of 2020 which resulted in a loss of $440,000. There were no golf, baseball, softball, cross country, and girls basketball championships in the fall of 2020 and as of this writing it does not appear as though championships in any sport will be held for the remainder of the 2020-21 school year. That will cause a nearly 1.5-million-dollar deficit to the Association’s budget.”
Without incoming revenues, the organization is currently operating on reserves, which are expected to run out by April.
“Once they are gone, so too will the very Association that has been providing opportunities for middle school and junior high school students for 90 years,” the organization wrote.
They hope to raise $500,000 to stay afloat.
While every state has a high school association, the IESA is the only organization throughout all 50 states that is set-up to exclusively govern and administer athletic and non-athletic activities at the middle/jr. high school level.
Today the IESA consists of 900 schools. Membership provides state tournament opportunities in 46 team champions in 9 different athletic tournaments: boys and girls basketball, track and field, cross country, bowling and golf, boys wrestling and baseball, and girls softball and volleyball.
The IESA also oversees junior high and middle school cheerleading, scholastic bowl, speech, chess, solo and ensemble and fine arts activities to name a few.
“By providing these opportunities, students become involved with their school, they learn about sportsmanship, rules, maintain higher grade point averages, and become better citizens. In addition, lifetime memories are made and cherished,” the IESA wrote.
“School administrators, who have the responsibility to make sure their schools abide by the rules and regulations of the IESA, are the backbone of the Association. Without their willingness to have their school become an IESA member school, students would not have these opportunities.”
To donate visit the IESA Go Fund Me page at https://charity.gofundme.com/donate/project/the-campaign-to-save-iesa/iesa.
