Public school districts are rarely without any financial woes, but the economic conditions of the past several years have left many in dire straits. Districts across the country have been forced to close schools, and programs and services that could be considered nonessential have been cut in a great number of those that remain open. Faced with the possibility of having to eliminate recreation and sports programs, administrators at many schools and colleges have found that partnering with other entities has allowed them to continue or even improve their offerings to students.

Like many others across the country, the Midland, MI, Public Schools district in recent years has faced severe funding cuts, which threatened its ability to offer a range of elective and after-school programs. This summer, when the district announced that financial issues would force it to close the pools and eliminate after-school sports at its middle schools, the nonprofit Greater Midland Community Centers (GMCC), Midland, MI, proposed that it could take over the district’s sports and recreation programming.

“School sports is a pretty vibrant piece of middle school social life for a lot of kids,” says Chris Tointon, president and CEO of the organization. “It gives them a chance to be engaged outside of school hours and to be active and healthy.”

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