Edison Middle School Students Bring Community-Focused “What If” Projects to Life

Earlier this year, Edison Middle School was awarded a $10,000 grant from Stark Community Foundation to support the What If initiative, an innovative program created by TomTod Ideas that empowers middle school students to identify community needs and develop meaningful solutions.

Now, after months of collaboration, creativity, and service, Edison students have successfully completed several projects that made a positive impact both within Perry Local Schools and throughout the surrounding community.

The What If initiative is a 12-week program that guides students through a hands-on design and problem-solving process focused on empathy, teamwork, and leadership. Through the program, students explored ways to support others and bring joy to community members through service-based projects.

Among the completed projects were colorful spring placemats created for residents at Altercare of Navarre, designed to brighten dining spaces and spread seasonal cheer. Middle schoolers also partnered with Watson Elementary School to write graduation letters for fourth-grade students, offering words of encouragement and congratulations as younger students prepare to transition into intermediate school.

Another group created handmade tie blankets that were donated to patients at the Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center, providing comfort and care to individuals undergoing treatment. Edison students also organized a building-wide breakfast food drive in partnership with Perry Helping Perry food pantry, collecting 371 donations in one week. Additionally, a student-led team coordinated a Spring Fling, an eighth-grade farewell event that celebrated the end of middle school and created lasting memories for students before they move on to high school. 

Throughout the program, students worked together to brainstorm ideas, research community needs, organize materials, and carry projects through to completion. The experience helped students build confidence while developing important skills in communication, collaboration, and critical thinking.

“We are incredibly proud of the creativity and leadership our Edison students demonstrated through these projects,” said Superintendent Nate Stutz. “We are grateful to Stark Community Foundation and TomTod Ideas for investing in opportunities that allow students to make a real difference in their community. The What If initiative gave our students the chance to turn ideas into action, and it has been exciting to see the positive impact they created for others.”

Founded in Canton, TomTod Ideas is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering middle school students through community-focused programming and real-world problem-solving. The organization’s mission centers on helping students use empathy and imagination to create meaningful change.