5th year program celebrates inaugural class, welcomes new seniors
TOLEDO – May 1 marked a major milestone for high school seniors across the country. Known as College Decision Day, it’s the deadline for students to accept admission offers from most colleges and universities, a moment often celebrated as the start of what is next.
But what about the seniors who don’t know what is coming next?
This question has driven Jim Pollock, president of Junior Achievement of Northwest Ohio, for decades. Five years ago, he and his team began developing 5th Year, a post-graduation transition program designed to support students who feel unsure about their future.
“I am the kid who, a long time ago, graduated from high school not knowing what I was doing, not having a clear direction and following the herd like everybody else … wandering off to college and mostly failing my way through school, and then ending up with a degree I don’t use,” Pollock admitted.
Pollock’s experience shaped his passion for creating an alternative that gives students time, guidance and real-world exposure before making life-changing decisions.
“There needed to be a better way for students to transition from high school to their next phase of life. Whatever it is, whether it’s the military or college or the workforce, there’s better opportunities,” he said.
The 5th Year program is a structured, nine-month experience that connects recent high school graduates with professional development, career exploration and mentorship from local companies and organizations. The goal is to prepare students to lead independent lives and confidently pursue their personal and professional aspirations.
“If you give a kid a chance and you put them in the right place and meet the right people, great things happen,” Pollock said.
Those “great things” were on display May 7, when the Glass City Center hosted the celebration of 5th Year’s inaugural class. Students from across Northwest Ohio crossed the stage, not only as graduates of the program, but as part of a growing network of future-ready young adults.
Pollock called it the “proudest moment of his life,” watching both the outgoing and incoming classes step into their next chapters, and backed by corporate, nonprofit and education partners.
Ocean Hayes, a Perrysburg High School senior, is one of 30 students in this year’s incoming 5th Year class. She said she applied because she was not sure what she wanted to do after graduation. The support the program offers felt like exactly what she needed.
“I just didn’t really know what I wanted to do or what my future had in store for me,” Hayes said. “But what the program had to offer really inspired me to join.”
For her, the most exciting part is the chance to gain hands-on experience with internships, something she has never done before. Still, the transition is not without its nerves.
“Making connections and meeting new people, I feel like [that] is definitely nerve-wracking. Not knowing a whole lot of people definitely can make you nervous, but I feel like for the most part, it’ll be all right.”
That same uncertainty, and hope, was exactly what Aubrey Edens, also a Perrysburg High School alumna, felt when she joined 5th Year as part of the program’s inaugural class.
Now, just one year later, her life looks entirely different.
She originally hoped to attend cosmetology school but cost was a barrier. She considered taking a gap year, until she found out about 5th Year.
“I’m like, wow, I can visit so many different companies throughout the year. I can move out of my parent’s house for a year. I can start my journey. I can possibly get a full-time job from this, and then I can go to cosmetology school after,” Edens said.
That is not quite how things turned out, but in the best possible way. After interning at Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick with the 5th Year program, Edens was offered a full-time position as a legal administrative assistant. Cosmetology is still on the table, but now as a long-term side goal.
“I absolutely love where I am now,” Edens said, “and I absolutely had no idea this was where I was going to be. That’s awesome.”
Beyond the job offer, Edens said the program helped her grow as a person.
“I was so quiet before I joined 5th Year,” Edens said. “The best thing I learned, and the most I’ve changed, is you need to go up to everybody and talk to everybody because you never know who you’re in a room with, and you never know who you might meet and how you can help them and how they can help you.”
Her advice to Hayes and the rest of the new class? Dive in.
“You definitely get out of it what you put into it,” Edens said. “If you do the extra things, if you go up and talk to people, if you go and speak on stage and do all of those different things, you are going to get so much more out of that.”
She added one last note for those watching from the outside: “If you don’t join 5th Year, invest in it, because it’s the best thing happening right now.”
Pollock agrees. In today’s economy, where many students graduate without a clear path and employers struggle to fill roles, 5th Year aims to bridge the gap.
Toledo fire chief soars with Thunderbirds
Story and photos by Scott W. Grau
TOLEDO – Surreal. That’s the only word that Toledo Fire and Rescue Department chief Allison Armstrong can think of to describe her unique opportunity to fly in a U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds F-16 Fighting Falcon jet.
“It didn’t feel real until we were in that jet and taking off,” she said.
Once Armstrong and advance pilot/show narrator Maj. Brandon Maxson were airborne, she exclaimed that “it was amazing!”
Armstrong had the honor of flying with the Thunderbirds during their dress rehearsal performance on Friday, May 9, a day before the Toledo Air Show officially was held during the Mother’s Day weekend.
The Thunderbirds, officially the USAF Air Demonstration Squadron, were formed in 1953 and are assigned to the 57th Wing at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. Their primary mission is to support U.S. Air Force recruiting and retention efforts, along with demonstrating the professional skills of Air Force personnel. They perform their air shows with six F-16 Fighting Falcon jets, showcasing formation flying and solo maneuvers.
The squadron is very community-oriented and offer the Hometown Hero program wherever they are performing.
The Hometown Hero Program offers individuals who have made a significant positive impact on their communities an opportunity to fly in the backseat of a Thunderbird F-16. These “Hometown Heroes” are nominated for their service, sacrifice and dedication. The program aims to recognize and honor their contributions while showcasing the capabilities of the Air Force.
Armstrong was nominated by the Air Show committee. She was one of several people whose names were presented to the USAF Thunderbirds and ultimately deemed to be the ideal candidate as the Toledo Air Show Hometown Hero.
Prior to climbing into the cockpit, she met with the Thunderbirds flight surgeon to be briefed on how to properly use the G-suit that she would wear, and how to breath and brace so that she didn’t black out during the high G-force maneuvers she would be enduring.
The Thunderbirds ground support crew fitted her for a G-suit, harness, helmet and face mask. After that, she sat in on the pilot and team briefing sessions.
For Armstrong, the experience didn’t feel real until the canopy began to lower and the jet began to roll. At that point, she said that she was “excited, nervous and terrified all at the same time.”
Armstrong’s jet took off and climbed three miles into the sky, allowing her to watch the entire Thunderbirds show routine from high overhead. Her jet performed the same maneuvers that were done by the team, and it trailed behind during group formations.
“I didn’t realize that the flight was part of the dress rehearsal,” said Armstrong. “It was absolutely amazing to be behind the other group and to see the planes in formation.”
At some point during the flight, the pilot let her fly the jet.
On Sunday, Armstrong watched the Thunderbirds show as a spectator from the ground.
“The view from the air is much different than the view from the ground. Watching the show from the ground tied it all together,” she said.
Reflecting on her experience to fly with the Thunderbirds, Armstrong said she was “extremely grateful that they thought of me and I got an opportunity that most people will never get. Me climbing into an F-16…I never thought that I [would] be there in a million years.”
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Thunderbirds, barnstormers soared in Toledo Air Show
SWANTON – After a six-year hiatus, the skies once again echoed with the roar of fighter jets and barnstormers during the Toledo Air Show at Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport.
From Friday through Sunday, thousands of spectators gathered to admire static aircraft displays, walk through a cargo plane and be thrilled by a talented lineup of performers, headlined by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, who made their return to the Northwest Ohio sky for the first time in nine years.
Mike Timbrook has been the air show executive director since the last show in 2019. He served in the Ohio Air National Guard’s 180th Fighter Wing for 28 years, flying an F-16 for 21 of those years. He was originally the chief of safety in the 2000s. He said the show was delayed for runway construction and deployments before returning in 2016, followed by another hiatus beginning in 2019 due to the pandemic.
The newly revived air show featured aircraft from the past and present. Some historical planes featured were the B-25J Mitchell Bomber and the C-47 Skytrain from WWII. The modern military aircraft included the F-16 Fighting Falcon, the A-10 Warthog and the F-35A Lightning. The latter is the newest in the Air Force, Navy and Marine inventory.
“People get to see how things have progressed from World War II to the Vietnam era, Korean War to today’s airplanes,” Timbrook said. “From prop airplanes that go slow without a pressurized cockpit, non-oxygen, to today’s airplanes that are air conditioned and everything, it’s pretty amazing. You climb up one of those [WWII planes] and you go, ‘Holy smoke, I can’t believe people used to fly in this,’ to the stuff we have today.”
Timbrook said the airshow provided plenty for children and adults to do, including E.C.H.O. (Enhanced Cognitive Human Operations), a simulation that allows kids and adults to put on apparatus gear and simulate being a fighter pilot. Along with exhibits, he touted performances that featured Ferrari, Porsche and Corvette race fighter jets.
“It’s a great spectacle, and you get to see people perform in airplanes and do some pretty awesome stuff that we as normal folks will never get to do,” he said.
Timbrook said that after all the bills are paid and money is stored for the next show, the proceeds are donated to local charity.
Kyle Russell has been a pilot for the 47th Flying Training Wing for seven years. He pursued flying because his father and grandfather were both pilots. He fell in love with it after flying in an F-15.
“I realized that I never wanted to do anything else after that,” Russell said. “I think it’s just the coolest thing.”
For those considering becoming a pilot, Russell said there are a few ways to start, noting that the the best way is to join the Air Force because they will pay for everything. If you don’t want to join the military, flying commercially or learning to fly for air shows like the Toledo Air Show is another option.
“Find someone that does what you want to do and talk to them about how they do it,” said Russell, who was at the show for a display, but not to perform.
To overcome the dangers of flying, Russell said safety is everything.
“Before we step out of the door, we assess our risks for the day, make sure that what we’re doing is safe and makes sense, and then briefing any rules that might be a factor, trade rules, and make sure we’re adhering to those.”
Ryan McBroom traveled from Bedford Township, Mich. to watch his 4th air show. He enjoys the show with his wife and kids, but that’s not his only reason for attending.
He said he likes that it gives the Air Force a chance to show off its military strength, and he is impressed with the engineering. “To me, it’s just seeing the raw power of it all,” McBroom said, adding that the air show gave people in Toledo and the surrounding areas something to do on the weekend.
Rob Holland, a 13-time, consecutive U.S. National Aerobatic Champion and a five-time world champion in aerobatics, performed at the Toledo Air Show in both 2016 and 2019 and was scheduled to return this year. But tragically, he died in a plane crash while attempting to land during a test flight at Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Va., on April 24.
Timbrook said Holland was a mentor for many and will be greatly missed.
Bricks & Minifigs Lego resell store a space for all abilities
TOLEDO – A bright display welcomes creative builders of all abilities and ages to Bricks & Minifigs, a Lego franchise reseller with its first 419 location at the intersection of Talmadge Rd. and Sylvania Ave.
New store-goers walk through a gauntlet of featured homages to pop icons, from Harry Potter and Stranger Things to Star Wars, all made of Lego blocks.
The store is the brainchild of Donny Stewart, 24, who opened up his first business in late November 2024.
“March has already been more profitable than last month,” he beamed, adding that retail stores generally don’t make a profit for the first seven years of their existence.
When asked why he wanted to open the store, he answered, “To support myself. Live on my own.”
What Stewart was hoping for was not so different from what most 20-somethings want: independence, to live life on his own terms and to have a job worth waking up for in the morning.
“I’m autistic,” he explained. “I never thought I would end up in a group home, but the possibility was there.”
Stewart opened the business with his mother, Shanyn Stewart, whom he introduced as a serial entrepreneur and his previous employer.
“He probably didn’t tell you he’s trained in doing taxes,” said Shanyn Stewart, a certified public accountant (CPA) who owns Advanced Accounting, a firm in Bedford, Mich.
The firm deals with business owners, and Shanyn Stewart said both of her children were not too keen on continuing the tax business.
“My son, Donny, came to me and said, ‘I want to do something that I love.’
“People don’t do that,” she retorted, and offered her son a way to prove himself. “If you can show me how to monetize your hobby, then I’ll get behind you.”
“He came to me with a full business plan and said, ‘My Lego collection has appreciated more than your commodities portfolio.’”
Surprised at the viability of the Lego business model, she admitted, “And it has!”
Appreciating hobbies
A researcher on the subject, Victoria Dobrynskaya, who received her Ph.D. from the London School of Economics and Political Science, spoke as one of the two authors in the 2021 a study titled “LEGO: The Toy of Smart Investors.”
“Tens of thousands of deals are made on the secondary LEGO market. Even taking into account the small prices of most sets, this is a huge market that is not well-known by traditional investors.”
The article looks into the many attributes of Lego that make them good investments, and ultimately estimated an annual 10-11 percent return on investment for Legos.
“You could spend $300-400 just for Jango [Fett]. It just depends,” said Al Koepplinger, of Port Clinton, who traveled 50 minutes to trade his SpongeBob, Bikini Bottom pineapple Lego set, along with a Star Wars set, for store credit at Toledo’s Bricks & Minifigs.
“Together they went for $130,” he said. “It’s better here [at the store] instead of just sitting in the drawer.”
Donny oversaw the trade, and when Koepplinger tried to get a better deal, Donny shrugged with a half-smile, and said in true pawnshop fashion that he couldn’t go lower for the bottom line of his store.
An amicable trade was reached, and then Koepplinger continued to peruse what the rest of what the store had to offer.
Glass cases with rows of specific Lego characters [aka’ed as minifigs] form the front counter of the store, while shelving behind the counter features assembled sets with prices under them.
There are refurbished Lego sets, Lego sets designed by fans, and maybe the most popular and interactive option for kids are the bulk bins, where customers can mix and match parts.
Koepplinger said the individual characters, based on rarity and demand, can go for hundreds. In-store, the highest fetched value for an individual Lego character is a rare 2010 white version of Boba Fett, a Star Wars bounty hunter, priced at $300.
Online, Redditers post pictures of the same minifig, and the comments excitedly explain how to check the piece for authenticity.
“It was a Toy Fair exclusive with a limited production run of 150 copies,” Donny explained.
Koepplinger revealed he was more interested in building Legos with his wife than collecting, “Since we do a lot of the bulk, we just do a store credit and fill up a bin.”
Tables with raised sides hold the Lego pieces in the “bulk bins” while customers search through the vast piles of plastic available parts.
“I find the parts for retired Legos and put them together,” said Ken Noonan, of West Toledo, as he rummaged through the piles looking for specific connectors. “They’re sets they don’t make anymore.
“I find the instructions for the builds online, [and] then I find the parts to make them myself.”
Most of Noonan’s fascination revolves around classic car Lego sets, and he says he’s made about 20 car sets, six of them from Legos from the bulk bins at Bricks & Minifigs, so far.
Once a week Noonan stops by to see what’s changed in the store, while Koepplinger said he makes the trip to Bricks & Minifigs once or twice a week.
“Yesterday we saw a billboard, and at places like this you never know what you’re gonna find,” said Jennifer Rongers, of Virginia Beach, Va., who came to the store with her husband Sean Rongers.
The couple were visiting family in Oregon, Ohio when they came across the store’s advertisement.
As the two perused the selection of minifigs, Sean Rongers revealed his true hidden passion.
“Like she said, I’m looking for the older secondhand sets that I don’t have,” he said, but it turns out finding sets Sean Rongers doesn’t have may be more difficult than it sounds. I do [collect]. I have 524 sets of just Star Wars [Legos].”
The specifically elusive “white whale” for Sean Rongers has been the Star Wars Super Star Destroyer set, originally released in 2011. The 3,152-piece set has gained fame for its rarity and subsequent appreciation value. Originally, the Super Star Destroyer retailed for $399.99, and has since ballooned to a used price of $750 and can reach as much as $1400 if unopened.
In total, there are 987 Star Wars Lego sets, so he still has a ways to go.
History of Bricks & Minifigs
The first Bricks & Minifigs opened in Battle Ground, Wash. in 2010, and now there are 130 Bricks & Minifigs located across the United States and Canada. Part of the benefit of opening up a Lego franchise reseller was tapping into an already engaged fanbase.
Donny is part of this Lego fanbase, and it helped him contribute to his own stock by putting up many of his own sets for sale.
He just wants to do what he loves, but also bring joy to people. There’s never a day that he doesn’t come home, and he’s like, ‘Mom this kid was in today,’ or ‘these parents were in today and I got to see them smile.’
Shanyn Stewart
Shanyn Stewart mentioned that, before setting out as an entrepreneur, Donny had difficulty in high school and a university, simply because the environments were not made with him in mind.
“People weren’t kind to him because he was different.”
A mentor for Donny Stewart, Brian Winter, co-founder of SOAR Study Skills, a modern resource to help neurodivergent students perform better, recalled the main challenges Donny had in college.
“It was not an intellectual thing,” he said. “It really stood out to me that Donny is highly intelligent and he’s also very much connected with what’s transpiring on a global level.”
The challenges Donny faced on the daily were social cues, sensory sensitivities and a raw authenticity that put him at odds with going through the motions.
“Donny was aware that his sensitivities and his unique challenges were going to always be working against him in environments where he’s coming in as an employee, and he’s just expected to conform.”
Instead, Donny blazed his own way forward with Winter advising him on the best way he could manage his sensitivities within the store, which in turn attracted like-minded individuals.
“If you noticed, several of the team members are actually on the spectrum,” Shanyn Stewart said.
These considerations allowed many differently-abled people to enjoy the store at their own pace.
Accessibility and order were foundational considerations for Donny as he worked to make the store a reality, including making sure a wheelchair could access the bulk bins and installing sound-absorbing ceiling tiles and carpet to dampen the plastic clinking pieces, something that could overwhelm people with sensory sensitivities.
Changes to the standard Bricks & Minifigs layout presented complications for Donny Stewart, but he pushed forward, “I know what it feels like to be left out, and that’s…it’s just not fun.”
Already, six months into running the business, Donny has faced complications with the city of Toledo’s occupancy permits and issues with contractors, but he mentioned a few things that keep him grounded.
“I go to the gym early in the morning, and I can have an hour or so of just quiet.”
Donny also said improving his gut health with a proper diet helps him to maintain his composure. And about a decade ago, he had a breakthrough with Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy.
“It made day-to-day life much easier,” he said of the experience. Before receiving the therapy, “a slight change in my routine, [and] I would melt down.”
But now, Donny says he’s gained the ability to learn to be flexible, and he’s always learning.
Some days are harder than others, but he is able to see the impact his choices are making for people who enter his shop.
About a month ago, Donny said a “child was in a motorized wheelchair, and his face just lit up when he saw he was able to pull up to the tables and play with all the Legos.”
“Getting the store ready and starting the process, there was a lot of waiting and stress involved. So things like that made it worth it.”
At the beginning of June, Bricks & Minifigs plans to start hosting summer and day camps in coordination with elementary school teachers, and Donny and his mother have many more plans to help make Bricks & Minifigs a community-minded space for everyone.
First 100 days of Trump
Editorial Independence: Letters to the editor represent the personal opinions of the writers and are independent from our newsroom’s reporting. We welcome diverse viewpoints.
As we pass 100 days of Donald Trump’s second presidency, the picture for working families in Lucas County and across Ohio is bleak. We were promised an economic boom. Instead, we’re facing deepening economic hardship and attacks on public education and healthcare.
In early April, the Dow saw its worst performance in over a century — wiping out retirement savings for working Ohioans while billionaires get richer. Veterans fear cuts to VA services. Parents are worried about public schools. And vital federal investments in cities like Toledo —transportation grants and workforce development programs — are now at risk, simply because we are a proudly Welcoming City.
These grants are not luxuries — they fund safer roads, public transit and good-paying jobs. Pulling them would hurt every neighborhood.
Public education is also under direct threat. Toledo Board of Education member Polly Taylor-Gerken reminds us that “Head Start was never only a program — it was a promise.”
As Toledo city council president Carrie Hartman said, “Toledo will not be bullied.”
That promise is in jeopardy as Trump pushes to eliminate the Department of Education and slash early childhood funding. Even amid this chaos, local leaders continue to invest in our future — like transforming the old Scott Park campus into a state-of-the-art career tech hub for TPS students. “While they tear down, we build up,” Polly said.
On healthcare, commissioner Lisa Sobecki warns that Republican attempts to slash over $800 billion from Medicare and Medicaid could devastate our community. Over 138,000 Lucas County residents rely on Medicaid. Cuts would raise the uninsured rate, clog ERs and put enormous strain on our local healthcare system.
Sobecki noted that “access to healthcare is not only a human right, it’s an economic necessity.”
State representative Erika White also raises the alarm on reckless deregulation. Rolling back clean air and water protections threatens public health, especially for children and seniors. Gutting safety standards in construction and mining endangers workers and invites disaster.
Through it all, Lucas County Democrats remain focused on real solutions. Our local elected officials manage tax dollars responsibly, protect vital services and invest in our people — not billionaires and political cronies.
I hope Republicans are getting the message, because thousands are taking to the streets and attending panels to voice their dissent. It seems State Rep Josh Williams can’t take the heat, though. My advice to Rep Williams – quit supporting and introducing legislation that actively harms people of color, LGBTQ+ folks and many others in your own community, and maybe people will stop yelling at you.
In my opinion, the only reason you keep winning is because you and your corrupt buddies have drawn yourselves a map that makes it impossible to lose districts.
Lucas County deserves better than chaos and corporate giveaways. We are lucky to have local leadership that sees us, values us and builds with us.
Warbler big attraction during Biggest Week in American Birding
NORTHWEST OHIO – Friday, May 9, began the Biggest Week in American Birding, sponsored by the Black Swamp Bird Observatory.
We are the “Warbler capital of the world” right now as thousands of many species of warblers make their way through our region. The epicenter of the local experience is Magee Marsh Wildlife Area and nearby marshes, including Howard Marsh Metropark and Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge.
As expert birders will tell you, the claim to be the best place to see warblers right now is not an exaggeration. It’s not just that they come through in huge numbers, it’s that their favorite place to stop, rest and refuel before their non-stop flight over Lake Erie is a small area with excellent access for birders. The Magee Marsh Bird Trail is the place to be if you want to see warblers.
The featured photo is of a hooded warbler, one of dozens of colorful warblers and other songbird species that will be coming through in the coming weeks. This particular warbler is, in my opinion, one of the best in terms of unusual and striking plumage and a very descriptive name.
The very best weeks to enjoy the spring songbird migration are upon us, and it’s a very special show with the colorful warblers as the stars. One of the favorites among the many species to marvel over is the hooded warbler. Its rich yellow plumage is capped by the unique black markings that give this beautiful bird its name.
One look and you’ll agree that the hooded warbler is one of the most descriptive names of any bird. It’s not only the colorfully unique appearance of this bird that creates the excitement. Even though it is relatively common through much of its range, that’s not the case at Magee where migrating hooded warblers are considered uncommon to rare. It happens to be a species that birders intent on seeing it will be more likely find it in the Oak Openings Region.
The truth is, we’re blessed with birding riches. Any natural area, backyard or neighborhood woodlot has the promise of hosting great birds right now. The best most accessible concentration will be at Magee, but the Metroparks Toledo, Toledo City parks, like Ottawa Park and Riverside, the Maumee River Valley, are all great possibilities.
But there are dozens of warbler species that will be here, some of them passing through and others that will stay and nest. Some are common here in migration, others are more elusive.
