Youngstown school board welcomes Inspiring Minds

By Denise Dick

denise_dick@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

A 9-year-old program aimed at motivating and providing opportunities for young people is moving into the city.

Inspiring Minds, which has been active in Warren for several years, will offer summer and after-school programming beginning this summer. Inspiring Minds was started by Deryk Toles, a former NFL player who grew up in Warren.

The Youngstown program will be led by Tim Frost, executive director and a Youngstown East graduate, and Simon Arias, board chairman and a graduate of Ursuline High School.

Both men told city school board members Tuesday that they wanted to return to the city to help the community where they grew up.

Toles, who played in the NFL before being injured, said his program isn’t intended to change curriculum in the city schools.

“We want to be a piece of the solution,” he said.

The summer program combines academics, athletics and nutrition with cultural and other fun activities to combat the summer backslide of learning. It runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The after-school program runs from 3 to 6 p.m. weekdays and focuses on improving classroom performance and increasing college and career readiness.

Visits to college campuses are part of the program, Toles said.

The school district plans to use two grants, totaling $600,000 over three years, to help fund the program. Fundraising by the program itself also helps pay.

But Toles said he expects Inspiring Minds to be in the city for the long haul.

“We’re not here for three years but for the life of the student,” he said.

The fundraising involves a commitment from the students and their families as well. Each student must raise $250 for each trip in which they participate. That involves candy and merchandise sales, sponsorships and incentives.

The program will involve students at Harding Elementary School, the Discovery Program at East High School and Wilson Programs of Promises. No location has been identified.

There is no charge to students or their families and it is for students in third through 12th grades.

Students are accepted into the program on a first-come, first-served basis. The Warren program has a waiting list.

School-board members approved a motion showing their support for Inspiring Minds bringing its program to the city schools.

In other business, board members recognized members of the seventh- and eighth-grade boys basketball teams for their winning seasons.