Student's Video Shows Sports, Music Lost When School Budget Fails

RIVERHEAD, NY —A sophomore at Riverhead High School, devastated after the community voted down the district's budget for the second time — effectively slashing all sports, music and theater programs, among others, for the coming year — has created a heartbreaking video chronicling all that was lost.

"This Is Why We Play," created by Andrew MacGray, 15, was originally a plea to the Board of Education, to find funds so that programs including sports, theater, music and clubs could continue.

"This is why we play," the video said. "We play to exercise, to spend time with friends, to stay healthy, to stay physically fit, to improve our moods, to bring wins home to Riverhead, to sleep better — to be happy."

Parents, educators, and students joined forces, hoping to find answers that ultimately did not come.

"I was so disappointed, so mad that I couldn’t even get sad and cry — I just know I had to do something and the rally wasn’t enough," MacGray said.

Students tried valiantly to help the budget pass the second time: Waving signs that said "Blue Waves" and "Vote Yes!" students rallied at the traffic circle, imploring residents to vote "yes."

The video, which includes photos and videos of sports, cheer, theater and music, took Andrew about four days to complete.

But, he said, it took a proverbial village. "I couldn't have made it without the community sending me videos and pictures," he said.

"It's hard to get up when you are down"

The video was created, Andrew said, to show the BOE "why we need sports, clubs and academics. This is so hurtful." He expressed concerns that the budget might fail again next year. "It's hard to get up when you are down," he said.

The video, he said, was meant to "show the community why they should have voted 'yes,'" he said. "It would have cost each family only $110 for the year; it wasn't going to be a lot." While he said there may have been issues in the district that kept parents from voting, it was students who ultimately lost. "They shouldn't take it out on the kids," he said.

Still, Andrew believes. He has hope for next year and said he won't give up.

"Riverhead as a whole is a family. It's so big but everyone knows each other. That's how loving and caring everyone is," he said.

As for the budget and restoring programs, Andrew said he has ideas and plans. "I'm going to keep on trying, to stir up ideas. Hopefully, next year, everyone will vote 'yes.'"

Andrew's mother Roberta MacGray, a parent who also teaches in the district, said the failed budget saddens her deeply. "Our kids lost so much this past school year and now there is nothing to look forward to this year."

Still, she said, her family is proud of her son's efforts, his "perseverance and dedication, to stand up to try and make a difference in the community. He is not giving up and has plans to create another video to try and gain the community's support for the 2021- 2022 school budget vote. When Andrew sets his mind to something, he will not stop until he is satisfied with the results," she said. "He is a true leader."

As it stands, all clubs are gone for the 2020 - 2021 school year except for National Honor Society, student government, senior class and junior class clubs and yearbook. The Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps, or NJROTC, is not affected.

The Riverhead Central School District's 2020 to 2021 budget was rejected a second time by residents by a vote of 2,108 to 2,049 — the budget failed for the first time in June. The district will continue to operate under a $144,831,131 contingency budget that represents a 0.27 percent budget-to-budget increase, which was guided by education law, the district said.

The budget includes a freeze on equipment purchases and salary increases for individually contracted staff. The athletics program ($963,978), clubs, musical performances ($186,006) and after-school buses ($317,947) have been eliminated.

Other areas slashed include computer technology ($100,000), high school electives ($151,108), the science program ($135,122), the elementary literacy program ($148,459), and auto and building maintenance ($121,839), the district said.

A group of parents both heartbroken and furious have refused to give up on their children's dreams: They've come together to find ways to provide students with the sports and electives slashed from the district's contingency budget, creating a "Riverhead Strong — Saving Sports and Music" Facebook page to share ideas and strategize solutions.

Incensed parents took to social media to sound off on their fury.

"Difficult to stomach this. Just getting rid of electives is a devastating thought. I know people seem to be focused on sports but there is so much," one woman wrote. "How can we let educational classes be removed?"

In the end, it is the cry of the students, all agree, that has sounded the call for parents to come together.

Andrew, who organized the July 25 rally at the Riverhead traffic school, participates in JV football, varsity wrestling and the cooking club. When the budget failed, he said: "I was devastated and so in disbelief. I was so sad that our community gave up on us."

Virginia Scudder said all parents want what is best for their kids and the district. "Too much blame has been placed on teachers and the schools. We want to get together to raise funds, try and save programs, and show our solidarity as community members and parents amid so many crisis globally and locally. How can we turn our backs on our children today or ever?"

Mom Cynthia Redmond told Patch she has two sons, one in middle school and one entering high school. "Like so many of their friends, they are high achieving students, are passionate about playing sports, and enjoy the many clubs and programs has to offer," she said. "To use the word 'devastated' is a serious understatement. COVID has been bad enough but at least they had the hope of something to look forward to."

Ever since the budget failed, many have explored options, including moving out of the district altogether, attending private school, fundraising and even sending students to live in other districts with relatives. "None of us ever thought we would be in the position of being the only district to defeat its budget during a global pandemic. What a travesty. I am stunned that the community I love has so callously abandoned its children," she said.

Monica Pilon said her kids are very involved with the sports and music programs at Riverhead High School and middle school. The programs, she said, are essential to the education process.

"Being on a team or in a club brings together kids of all backgrounds to work together, trust each other and learn from each other. Knowing you have an after-school activity to attend makes school more enjoyable," she said.

And, said Kristi Pekar, many think of sports as a bonus or an extra, but she feels kids need sports and other programs.

Her daughter, she said, is starting her senior year and has been playing soccer since she was four; she's been on the Riverhead High School varsity soccer team since freshman year.

Sports has been an incentive to do well in school and "also taught her how to be a team player, how to honor commitment and even has taught her self discipline."

Pekar, who graduated from Riverhead High School herself in 1993, said she is "heartbroken. It's one blow after another. My eldest child went through the pandemic in his senior year and now this for my youngest."

Pekar said she is also frustrated with the board of education, the district, and the "community, for taking it out on the children."

This article originally appeared on the Riverhead Patch