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Monthly Middle Schooler Stories

Our monthly Storyboard newsletter is full of middle schooler stories, ways to get involved, and highlights from our programs.

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Maureen "Mo" Ater is a powerhouse of creativity, l

Maureen "Mo" Ater is a powerhouse of creativity, leadership, and community spirit—so it’s no surprise she’s stepping in as a Community Champion at our May fundraiser, the Feast of Ideas! With a knack for storytelling and a heart for connection, Mo will be interviewing our middle school guests of honor (to be announced soon 👀), shining a well-deserved spotlight on their incredible ideas.

As the President and CEO of ArtsinStark, Mo leads the charge in bringing public art, grantmaking, and cultural events to life across Stark County. She also oversees the Cultural Center for the Arts and the region’s annual Campaign for the Arts, ensuring that creativity continues to thrive in our community.

Mo’s journey began with a Bachelor’s in Journalism and English from Ashland University, followed by a Master’s from West Virginia University’s College of Creative Arts and Media. Her career has been just as colorful as the art she champions—she’s held executive leadership roles at Goodwill Industries, The Canton Repository, and United Way of Greater Stark County.

Beyond her professional work, Mo is all about giving back. She serves on boards for the YMCA of Central Stark County, Stark Education Partnership, Visit Canton, Downtown Canton Partnership, and My Community Health Clinic. Her impact hasn’t gone unnoticed—she’s racked up honors like the Canton Jaycees Distinguished Service Award, 20 Under 40 Award, NSME Outstanding Executive Award, and a spot in the YWCA Stark County Women’s Hall of Fame.

We’re thrilled to have Mo bring her passion, wit, and deep love for storytelling to the stage at our event. Get ready for a night of inspiring conversations and middle school brilliance—hosted by one of Stark County’s finest!

Get your ticket now at tomtodideas.org/feast or the link in our bio! 🎟

Summer Job Alert! 🚀☀️ TomTod's summer camp

Summer Job Alert! 🚀☀️

TomTod's summer camps are packed with big ideas, bold adventures, and middle schoolers making a real impact - and we need an awesome team to make the magic happen!

We're hiring summer staff to help lead engaging experiences, spark creativity, and empower students to bring their ideas to life. If you love working with middle schoolers, believe in the power of possibility, and want to spend your summer making a difference (while having a blast!), we'd love to hear from you!

Share this post with a friend who'd be a great fit, or check it out for yourself!

Learn more and apply today at the link in our bio!

One of our What If You Could teams, Pininit Akron,

One of our What If You Could teams, Pininit Akron, officially has their first product printed thanks to @justadadfromakron 🤩📍

This neighborhood celebration project is a student-driven business that will launch at the @northsidemarketplace featuring T shirts celebrating Akron’s neighborhoods.

Created by 12 Akron middle schoolers, Pininit Akron was started to “put a pin in” the neighborhoods of Akron that deserve to be celebrated!

With the generous support of both @northsidemarketplace and @justadadfromakron, their products are well underway, and a launch party is being planned!

If you want to hear more updates on this project, subscribe to our storyboard at tomtodideas.org/subscribe for monthly middle schoolers stories.

Congrats to Louisville Middle School for winning t

Congrats to Louisville Middle School for winning the Stark Idea Quest competition at @kentstatestark today! 🥳

Stay tuned for a blog post all about the day, but long story short, we’re so grateful for another day where we saw what we know to be true: middle schoolers are leaders TODAY! And our community believes it too!

4 teams of middle schoolers spent 8 weeks researching the needs of their communities and creating ideas to help their community thrive. They prepared and practiced their idea pitches, then presented them today in front of 7 community judges and dozens of other community members. With $500 at stake, these middle schoolers came ready to win!

After a half hour of deliberating and a close vote, Louisville Middle School won the day with their idea of Shine Bright Bands, an innovative idea to help encourage and visually recognize positive behavior in fellow students!

Thank you to all our judges, and to our partners for this collaborative community event. We’re grateful for a community that believes in middle schoolers!

🌟 Partners 🌟
Stark County Educational Service Center
Kent State University at Stark
Community Building Partnership of Stark County
The OSU Extension

🌟 Community Judge Organizations 🌟
The Legacy Project of Stark
Strengthening Stark
Community Building Partnership
Stark County ESC
CSE Federal Credit Union
Stark Education Partnership
OSU Extension

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