May Newsletter!

What a joy this season has been! Our recent CAST Blast was truly amazing — a powerful evening of connection and celebration. Students and adults came together in a way that reminded us why we do what we do. One of the evening’s most meaningful moments was awarding our first-ever Ken Brunner Scholarship, a tribute to a man whose heart for students and servant leadership continues to inspire. We also took time to highlight our student leaders, who are stepping up with courage, faith, and a desire to make a difference.

As we head into summer, we’re excited about the many opportunities to connect and serve together. This weekend, a group of our students and leaders will be in Aliquippa, and we would be so grateful for your prayers — for safety, for boldness, and for meaningful impact.

We’re also thrilled to be a part of the Habitat for Humanity Faith Build, where we’ll be coming alongside others in our community to put love into action through service. These moments are what CAST is all about — faith, connection, and shared purpose.

And looking ahead, Save the Date! On Friday, September 5th, we’ll host our annual CAST Golf Outing – Rivalry for a Reason. It’s a day filled with fun, friendly competition, and meaningful connection — with opportunities to golf, sponsor, and support the mission of CAST. More details will be coming soon, but go ahead and mark your calendar now!

As always, thank you for being a part of this community. Your prayers, presence, and partnership are making an eternal difference.

With gratitude (and anticipation),

Sonja White

Executive Director

Congratulations to CAST’s Class of 2025!

Aliyah Brownfield- ECHS
Bleu Deakins- ECHS, Allay Senior Care Leader
Al Evans- ECHS
Nicholas Sharpe- ECHS, CAST Co-President
Tooba Sindhu- ECHS, CAST Co-President, Habitat for Humanity Leader
Aireanna Tyson- ECHS
Stephan Vance- ECHS
Maria Wise- ECHS
Nicholas Anstine- McK
Parker Parker - McK

Celebrating our Graduates!

May is a month of celebration as we proudly recognize our graduating seniors and their extraordinary achievements over the past four years. The journey of the Class of 2025 is particularly inspiring. They entered high school at the pandemic's close, transitioning from an entirely virtual middle school experience of "Google Meets" and "Zoom" directly into in-person learning, face masks and all.

Their bold entry into high school saw many simultaneously embracing early college coursework, diving into sports and extracurriculars, and emerging as influential leaders within our school community.

Looking back at CAST four years ago, the Class of 2025 deserves immense credit for rebuilding the program we cherish. Their profound compassion, dedication to service, and genuine care for each other injected vital energy into CAST post-pandemic. The leadership and enthusiasm they brought to our after-school club created a family that continues to thrive.

Tooba one of our Senior Co-Presidents of CAST had the distinct honor of speaking at Early College High Schoo’s senior dinner this year. Tooba, you are a rockstar! Your love and compassion for all those around you is something so special. You are hardworking, determined, and wise beyond your years. Many times over the past four years we have described you as a ray of sunshine. Let your light continue to shine for years to come!

Take a peak at the video above to hear Tooba’s moving words about her time at Early College High School.

Mrs. Hairston, our Early College High School CAST Advisor had the honor of escorting this years Early College Graduates at their Stark Sate Graduation. This year we celebrate the 52 Early College Graduates…39 of whom earned BOTH an Associates of Arts and an Associates of Science Degree.

Graduation Cords!

We proudly announce that four graduating seniors have achieved the honor of wearing "CAST" Graduation Cords at their McKinley High School graduation. This distinction recognizes their outstanding commitment to CAST, requiring a minimum of 50 volunteer hours throughout their high school years. Impressively, several of these students have volunteered well over this benchmark. We are incredibly proud of the mature and dedicated individuals they have become during their time in high school. Their exceptional leadership and steadfast commitment to CAST and the local community, demonstrated through all of their other commitments and responsibilities, deserve high praise.

Please join us as we Celebrate our Graduation Cord Recipients:

Tooba Sindhu, Nicholas Sharpe, Nicholas Anstine, Bleu Deakins!

Tooba Sindhu

CAST Co-President

My high school experience was everything I could have asked for. My favorite memory from high school was playing “Spy Games” in Mrs Kisela’s class. I remember the moment when I figured out the last clue and won the game! My favorite memory from CAST was going to the Aliquippa trip. I remember the moment when families whose houses we worked on came out and thanked us. It felt so amazing to help someone out. After graduation, I am going to pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering at The Ohio State University. I am going to keep serving by getting involved in organizations like Engineers Without Borders in college. I have really enjoyed working with CAST, and I owe CAST all the credit for developing a love for serving in me.

Nicholas Sharpe

CAST Co-President

I am excited to share that this fall I will be attending the University of Toledo to study nursing! My favorite high school memory is when I got to explode pumpkins in Ms. Clement’s class! My Favorite CAST memory came from my second trip to Aliquippa PA. During this trip we had the opportunity to visit Ms. Annett, who we got to meet and serve during my first Aliquippa Trip the previous summer.

Nicholas Anstine

I have so many great memories throughout high school but my favorite one has to be my senior year McKinley-Massillon Pep Rally. I had so much fun coming up with a skit and bring able to preform it in front of the whole school…it was pretty cool. My favorite CAST memories are from helping out at The Refuge of Hope. There is not an exact memory that is my “favorite” but serving at The Refuge has been my favorite service opportunity we get to do. After High School I will be attending Kent State for Theatre Production, Design and Tech.

Bleu Deakins

High school came with its share of challenges, but it also gave me some of the best memories I’ll carry with me forever. One of my favorite traditions was spending Friday nights dressing up for the football game themes and enjoying the energy of the crowd with my friends. It was always a fun way to end the week and be part of something bigger than myself. Being involved in CAST made my high school experience even more meaningful. It’s hard to choose a single favorite memory, but serving at the food bank for the first time stands out. I spent the day with friends checking expiration dates and cleaning items to prepare them for the shelves. It was a simple task, but it reminded me how small efforts can make a big impact. To top it all off, there was an ice cream truck parked inside the food bank serving the best ice cream, which made the experience even

more memorable

Looking ahead, I plan to attend Kent State Stark to pursue a degree in business. My goal is to one day own my own makeup company and use it as a platform to help people feel confident and beautiful. CAST taught me the value of giving back and how important it is to lead with kindness. That lesson will stay with me long after high school. Service has become a core part of who I am, and I’m excited to carry that forward into my future.

A Record Breaking Day at the Food Bank!

May brought an extraordinary day of service at the Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank! Twenty-two dedicated volunteers united to make a profound impact on the food bank staff and countless families in our local community. Thanks to the incredible energy and efficiency of our CAST volunteers on the production line, a staggering 300 thirty-pound boxes were packed! This remarkable effort translates to an astounding 7,500 meals reaching those in need within our community – a new record for CAST at the food bank!

A heartfelt thank you to each and every individual who faithfully serves alongside CAST at the food bank. Your commitment is truly invaluable!

Interested in joining this amazing team of volunteers? Click the button to email Mike Savage!

Email Mike!

Habitat Youth Night!

2025 Faith Build

This May we had a BLAST at Habitat’s 2025 Faith Build, Youth Night! At Youth Night our #CASTkids got the opportunity to learn all about Habitat for Humanity, this years faith build and had the awesome opportunity to volunteer alongside the Habitat Kiddos who are very eagerly anticipating their brand new homes to be built this summer!

A huge thank you to our friends at Habitat for hosting such a fun event…one of our students even said that this event has been her favorite volunteer opportunity with Habitat! We can not wait to keep building on faith this summer!

Serve with the #CASTkids this summer!

Just because the school year ends, does not mean that our students stop serving! Join in on the summer fun as we volunteer on Saturday mornings! If you would like to plug into serving with the CASTkids this summer please use the button below to email Taylor!

Email Taylor

It has always been our goal to insure finances are never a reason that a student misses out on an experience. The cost per student to attend the Aliquippa Missions Trip this summer is $200…this summer we have 15 students registered! Help us keep the promise of attending experiences without financial barriers to our students by sponsoring a student to Aliquippa. If you feel lead to help sponsor a students Aliquippa Trip this summer please use the button to make an online donation via. Our website!

Aliquippa 2025!

Sponsor a Student!

As May comes to a close we are eagerly anticipating our Annual Trip to Aliquippa PA! This service opportunity is memorable and life changing experience for our students and young adult leaders alike.

While in Aliquippa Our #CASTkids will dive into a weekend of hands-on service and meaningful connection, sharing life and laughter with our friends in Aliquippa. This multigenerational adventure is more than just a trip – it's a chance to experience Jesus in a powerful, tangible way. We'll build lasting bonds through camping and shared experiences, bringing our passion for caring and serving to a whole new level. We hear time and time again just how much this trip is a summer high light for our students.

Sponsor a Student!