Maddie Prater
eSomethin Staff
A group of Perrysburg High School students stood in front of the Commodore Perry statue downtown with handmade signs of October 9. The mission: to let people know about the consequences of a failed levy.
Delilah Torio is a freshman at Perrysburg High school; she’s the mind behind the students’ rally.
“I knew I had to do something as soon as I saw the consequences”, she said.
Failing the levy would cut almost, if not all, extracurriculars. This includes music programs, sports, clubs, and more.
With gaining pressure about the cuts and pressure on the school board, members of student body wanted to do something.
Starting a rally is hard work. Planning out details, spreading the word, getting people to participate. This is a daunting task, but the students are driven.
“I’ve received almost overwhelming enthusiasm” Torio says.
Torio started out by telling her friends and getting them to spread the word. “Then we printed out little cards. . . people started posting on social media” she said. “I thought it would be harder than it was, it kind of snowballed”.
Torio shared that at first she was a little nervous about getting into trouble, but that it faded after doing her research. “We are well within our First Amendment rights” she said.
Another rally participant was Mabel Sperling, who shared that the levy instilled a lot of fear in the student body.
“I’m scared for the levy,” she said.
Many families come to Perrysburg because of the abundance of opportunities it holds, particularly in the school system.
“I’ll move schools,” Sperling said of the levy’s potential failure.
This theme is common amongst students. Many believe moving schools would host more opportunity – or at least replace the ones lost in Perrysburg.
What is at stake
Students and community members have been advocating for the levy for months. A glimpse at the consequences of a failed levy were released by the school system in September, 2025.
Perrysburg Schools 2025 Levy Information
The quantity of potential cuts and programs prompted panic from students and parents who came to Perrysburg for the abundant opportunities.
Over the past couple years, Perrysburg has struggled in multiple ways.
Last year, an an 8-year, $2 million incremental operating levy failed in November of 2024.
Budget cuts of around $6 million dollars resulted in the scrapping of school programs, clubs, and sports.
This year, the district is proposing a 7.83-mill emergency operating levy. Voting will be held November 4.
Perrysburg Schools and students pride themselves on Yellow Jacket spirit; riding on the surplus of hope and opportunity that is given to us by these programs.
Determined to keep buzzing, these Perrysburg students “won’t stop fighting” until they get what they want.
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