Students and parents press East Penn board to fund and sanction girls wrestling

A string of students and parents used the East Penn School District public-comment period on April 22 to urge sustained funding and formal sanctioning for girls wrestling at the middle- and high-school levels.

Students from middle and high school described the program’s benefits: life skills, improved mental health, belonging and competitive success. Jenna Kennedy, an eighth grader, said wrestling became “one of my favorite sports” because of supportive coaches and teammates; Brynn Kobberlein, a freshman and member of the varsity team, noted the program taught discipline and confidence and cited a third-place finish at the EPC tournament. Several parents, including Chris Korberline, invoked Title IX and asked the board to ensure equity in funding and resources as the program grows.

Why it matters: Trustees said they appreciated the students’ courage in speaking, and several board members publicly praised the program. Multiple speakers requested that the board treat girls wrestling as a sanctioned sport with dedicated funding so the program can sustain and expand. The board acknowledged the testimony and indicated administration would be responsive to follow-up inquiries.

Next steps: Commenters said they will return to future meetings with proposals; the board and administration said they will review the program’s status and funding within the budget and ongoing discussions about priorities.