Happy birthday to your Leo child! This month, they’ll be eager to invent and create. Celebrate with a hands-on, creative party at Toledo’s Board & Brush Creative Studio, where they can explore and build unique wood decor projects. A perfect gift could be a DIY invention kit or an art set to inspire their creativity. For the cake, a customizable cake decorating station allows them to design their own treats. This birthday will be a wonderful opportunity for your Leo child to express their creativity and enjoy a memorable celebration with friends.
Sylvania’s School Superintendent Drives Toward Improvements, Innovation
“I tend to be one that kicks the status quo.” Dr. Veronica Motley is not easily satisfied. “Okay isn’t good enough, and good enough isn’t good enough.”
Sylvania’s school superintendent since 2020, she leads the district by working to continually advance student education and instruction. “How can we make a difference for students? Make sure they’re well prepared to be adults that are functional and well adjusted and maybe a little selfless.”
Students learn to give back to the community. “We believe instilling our children with the thought, idea and action behind being philanthropic, paying it forward at every level across our district.” Students raise funds for worthwhile projects. One example is a group of students who raised more than $260,000 donated to cancer research. She is also proud that half the students who graduate from Northview and Southview High Schools have completed at least two years of career education exposure with hands-on experience.
Like other school districts, the financial future is unclear because Ohio (as of this writing) is still working out details of a complicated funding formula. Regardless, Motley places top priority on educating students while also being “good stewards of our taxpayer dollars.” That means “getting creative with how we spend money, how we prioritize what’s happening in the classrooms. In addition to that, being available in searching for alternative funding to expand the longevity of our general fund dollars.”
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The school district was recently presented with a consultant “master plan” after more than one year of study. Motley said the district will need more space to accommodate students in the future. There are currently 14 buildings including twelve schools serving nearly 7,800 students. “We really wanted to assess what options we had moving forward and being proactive with what that looked like. A master facilities plan doesn’t stay on the shelf. It’s something we will revisit each year.”
However, one key question has already been addressed. Should there be a single high school in Sylvania instead of two? “I will say the answer is officially no. At this juncture, Sylvania will never have one high school.”
Instruction doesn’t stop in the summer. Classes continue for those interested or needing more learning. The process of gearing up for fall is underway with registration, orientation and welcoming new children to the district. For details, Motley suggests visiting the district website at sylvania.k12.oh.us.
July/Aug. 2025: What’s Briefly Happening
Celebrating a milestone by giving back to the community
This year, Buckeye Broadband is celebrating its 60th anniversary. One of the ways the company is acknowledging this milestone is by providing local children with a comfortable place to sleep. In May, 75 Buckeye Broadband employees volunteered to build 60 beds for Northwest Ohio Children. In addition to the beds, the Traumatic Brain Injury Resource Center provided fleece blankets.
TMA recognizes young poets
Toledo Museum of Art announced winners for “Discover, Inspire, Create: TMA Poetry Prize” — an annual contest that names youth and adult winner. The contest received over 80 entries this year with each submission anonymously reviewed by a panel of local poets and writers: Sandra Rivers-Gill, Timothy Gelger and Kerry Trautman. The winners of the Toledo Museum of Art Poetry Prize. (Left to right) Jordin Harris, first place in the youth category; Jeff Kass, first place in the adult category; Mary Simmons, second place in the adult category; Abigail Cloud, third place in the adult category; Emma Fister, honorable mention in the youth category; Sophia Ploeger, second place in the youth category. Winners not pictured: Elise Busse, third place, youth category; and Amanda McGuire, honorable mention, adult category.
Local students win national broadcast award
Students in the Whitmer CTC Media Arts Program recently earned the title of the Best Broadcast News Production in the Nation at the Business Professionals of America National Contest. Four students earned the award; three of the students attended the event in Orlando to receive the award.
All abilities invited for sensory fun
On July 10, The Ability Center is holding a Sensory Play Day for children ages 12 and under. From 10-11:30am, children of all abilities are invited to play in the backyard of The Ability Center with a variety of different sensory options, such as water, paint, foam and more. Children can choose to play with their favorite sensory option. This is a rain or shine event. If it rains, the event will be in The Ability Center gymnasium. For more information and questions, call Jennifer at 419-855-5733, [email protected].
Finding Strength: How Sensei Amanda Kaufman Empowers Through Advancing Karate
At just five years old, Amanda Kaufman stepped onto the dojo floor for the first time, a shy, petite girl in search of confidence. More than three decades later, she’s now a fifth-degree black belt and the founder of Advancing Karate, a growing martial arts studio in Maumee, where she’s helping others — especially women and children — find their own sense of strength, discipline and self-worth.
Kaufman’s journey into martial arts began in Toledo, where her parents enrolled her in karate to help her stand taller, both mentally and physically.
“Karate gave me something bigger than just skills,” Kaufman said. “It gave me the tools to walk through life with confidence.”
After years of teaching out of rented spaces, including local YMCAs, she opened her permanent location at 2574 Parkway Plaza in 2021. Still recovering from the challenges of the pandemic, Kaufman currently works with around 80 active students and has transformed the studio into a warm, inclusive and Safe To Train-certified space. This designation ensures it is a welcoming place for LGBTQIA+ individuals to learn and grow safely.
At the heart of her mission is a traditional Okinawan Shuri-Ryu Karate-Do. Her curriculum spans sparring, weapons, jiu-jitsu and self-defense. But her deeper goal is to cultivate what she calls the “mental, physical and spiritual” dimensions of every student.
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Finding focus: women’s self-defense
One of Kaufman’s most impactful programs is Finding Focus, a women-centered self-defense class that teaches the foundations of confidence under pressure. Offered on Friday evenings or weekend mornings, these sessions are designed to fit into the busy lives of working women and mothers.
“I created these classes because karate requires a time commitment, but self-defense should be accessible,” she explains. “I’ve had friends go through traumatic situations, and I want women to have the tools to feel safer and stronger.”
Classes focus on easy-to-learn, easy-to-remember techniques—elbow strikes, knee thrusts, and using your voice — all natural responses that can be recalled even in moments of high stress. “You don’t need to be an athlete to defend yourself,” Kaufman emphasizes. “You just need to be prepared.”
Beyond the moves, Kaufman works closely with each student to understand their background, fitness level or any trauma history, adapting lessons as needed. “Confidence is huge in self-defense,” she said. “Just eye contact or walking with presence can deter a threat.”
She also offers self-defense workshops at local businesses and has taught more than 15 Girl Scout troops this year alone — each scout leaving with new skills and a badge for self-defense.
Kicking into gear: homeschool karate classes
During the day, Kaufman fills another critical need — providing physical education and social engagement for homeschooled students. Her Wednesday morning homeschool karate classes bring together 8–12 kids at a time to not only learn martial arts but also pick up Japanese language skills, as all class counts and terms are taught in Japanese.
“This was a way to fill my daytime and serve a growing need,” she explains. “Homeschoolers often miss out on structured physical activity and socialization, and karate helps bridge that gap.”
Parents are encouraged to observe or even partner with their kids during class to reinforce learning at home. Special Mother’s Day and Father’s Day sessions bring the whole family onto the mat.
Beyond the dojo: building community and confidence
Kaufman is a regular face at local PTO events, 5K fundraisers and trunk-or-treats. She also encourages her students to compete when ready, helping them build courage on and off the mat.
In 2019, her team represented the U.S. in London. In 2023, they participated in the World Martial Arts Games in Daytona Beach. Locally, they stay active through ToledoMAT tournaments.
Despite the setbacks of COVID — which reduced her student base from 200 to just 40 virtual learners — Kaufman remains driven. “Being a teacher means always learning. I have personal goals and still train with my Grandmaster, O’Sensei Robert H. Bowles, Hanshi 10th Dan in Fort Wayne, Indiana.”
Looking forward
With big dreams on the horizon, Kaufman hopes to one day expand into a larger studio and introduce new classes like adult lunchtime karate and beginner jiu-jitsu. But no matter how the business grows, her mission remains the same: “To help people — kids and adults alike — discover how strong they already are.”
For more information or to sign up for a free trial class, visit Advancing Karate on Instagram, Facebook or reach out via email at [email protected] or call/text 419-509-4277.
Kids Astrology: Cancer (June 21 – July 22)
Happy birthday to your Cancer child! This month, they’ll be eager to explore and venture outside. Celebrate with an outdoor adventure at the Toledo Metroparks, where they can enjoy nature trails, playgrounds and picnic areas. A perfect gift could be a nature exploration kit, complete with binoculars, a magnifying glass and a field guide. Consider a nature-themed cake decorated with edible flowers and animals. This birthday will be a wonderful opportunity for your Cancer child to connect with nature and enjoy a memorable celebration.
Summer Fun With Capt. Scupper’s Kid’s Club
This summer, Capt. Scupper’s Kid’s Club is hosting engaging, hands-on events for kids in July and Aug.
Both events are free for NMGL and Museums for All members. Otherwise, it is included with Museum admission. No registration required.
Recycled Regatta
Every Saturday in July, from 11am-2pm, kids are invited to use recycled materials to design, build and race their own mini-boas at the National Museum of the Great Lakes, inside the Great Lakes Community Education Center.
At these events, kids will have the opportunity to use scrap cardboard, milk jugs and more to create their entry into the Recycled Regatta.
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Lego on the Lakes
Every Saturday in Aug., Capt. Scupper’s Kids Club invites kids to use Lego’s to build their own vessels from 11am-2pm.
This takes place at the National Museum of the Great Lakes, inside the Great Lakes Community Education Center.