Seniors Shine

This month, we are celebrating an extraordinary group of graduating seniors. These students have led with compassion, served with humility, and shown us what it looks like to care deeply for others. As they step into the next chapter of their lives, I have no doubt they are going to change the world.

When my children were young, one of their preschool teachers shared a lesson that has stayed with me for years. She said that every day, as parents, teachers, mentors, and community members, we are helping pack a child’s “suitcase” for life. Of course, we fill it with academics, knowledge, and skills…but we also fill it with lessons about character, kindness, resilience, faith, and how to love and serve others well.

As I reflect on our seniors, I am incredibly grateful that part of what they are leaving CAST with in their suitcase are the values of compassion, service, and empathy. Through their involvement with CAST, they have learned that showing up for others matters, that small acts of kindness can make a lasting impact, and that serving others changes not only the person receiving help, but the person giving it as well.

What has surprised me most is how much I have learned from them. Their willingness to step forward, their authenticity, and their care for others have been an example to me and to so many around them. They remind us that this next generation is thoughtful, courageous, and deeply capable of making a difference.

To our graduating seniors: thank you for the ways you have shaped CAST and our community. We are so proud of you, and we cannot wait to see all the good you will bring into the world.

With gratitude,

Sonja White

Executive Director

Iris Pena is a standout senior from this year’s graduating class! Having moved from New York to Canton at the start of her senior year, we have only spent about nine months getting to know this impressive young lady, and we are incredibly proud of who she is and everything she has accomplished.

Reflecting on her move from New York to Canton, Iris laughed as she recalled all the "silly" things that felt so different compared to life back home. Her first McKinley-Massillon Spirit Week was memorable, to say the least, drive-through grocery stores felt entirely foreign, and "Yondr bags" (the locking pouches students use for their phones during the school day) were a shocking change to the school rules she was used to. Combining these everyday adjustments with major shifts—like increased graduation requirements, mandatory volunteer hours, and figuring out how to continue her Career Technical Education (CTE)—could have felt like impossible hurdles for the average student. But Iris took the challenge head-on and never skipped a beat.

Iris first began her CTE coursework in New York and was able to seamlessly transfer into the program at McKinley. However, she wasn't expecting the state of Ohio to have so many extra items on the graduation checklist. Iris explained that she had to log 30 successful blood draws to obtain her phlebotomy license, complete volunteer hours for her CTE certificate, and earn specific graduation seals. These were milestones her McKinley peers had four years to achieve; Iris had to accomplish them in just one.

Fortunately, she was soon connected to a wealth of resources and met Mrs. Snell, the McKinley main campus student CAST liaison. Iris expressed just how special her relationship with Mrs. Snell became over the school year, and she is incredibly grateful for the support she received from her, her McKinley teachers, and the entire CAST community.

After volunteering for the first time with CAST, Iris learned about another unique McKinley High School tradition: graduation cords, which signify that a student has gone above and beyond. That very Saturday morning, Iris decided she would earn her CAST graduation cords by the end of her senior year. We are thrilled to share that Iris did exactly that, completing the required 50 CAST volunteer hours!

Volunteering 50 hours in a single school year is a massive commitment, but Iris crushed her goal with infectious energy, a full heart, and a newfound love for service. The culture of volunteerism here in Stark County is quite different from what she experienced in New York. What could have felt like just another overwhelming box to check quickly became something Iris found immense value in.

Iris shared that her life has been deeply impacted by her time volunteering this year, particularly her first experience serving at the Refuge of Hope alongside CAST. She fell in love with the personal joy of something as simple as handing someone a meal and seeing their grateful smiles. Through CAST, she was able to build deep connections and friendships in just a few short months, learning firsthand that when people come together, they can make a massive impact on the world.

If you ask Iris where her favorite place to volunteer has been, get ready to hear her rave about her first time visiting Whispering Grace Horses with all her friends. Being around horses—cleaning stalls, brushing them, and moving sawdust—was a completely new experience for her. She loved being able to lend a hand in an environment so wonderfully different from the one she grew up in.

Moving right before your senior year is no easy feat, but Iris embraced every single challenge. Looking back, she is incredibly grateful for the friends she made through CAST, spanning both McKinley main campus and Early College, even though she spent most of her school days with her fellow CTE seniors. She shared that these friendships have truly helped move her forward in life, teaching her that bringing joy to others brings joy to herself. She fondly reflects on celebrating major milestones with them—like attending Prom this past May as a reward for all their hard work.

Having officially graduated with both her CAST cords and her phlebotomy license, Iris is currently looking for summer work opportunities to gain experience in the medical field. At the same time, she’s looking forward to enjoying her last summer as a teenager before life gets too serious! This fall, Iris will attend Stark State College to continue her education, with the ultimate goal of working in a radiology department.

Congratulations, Iris! We can't wait to see the impact you continue to make