Dayton Wolverines Track Club sent 68 qualifiers to the 2026 AAU Junior Olympic Games in Des Moines, Iowa, where athletes earned national championships and All-American honors. By RoShawn Winburn DAYTON, OH — Sixty-eight Dayton Wolverines Track Club athletes qualified for the 2026 AAU Junior Olympic Games in Des Moines, Iowa. By the time competition ended, Wolverines athletes had collected national championships and All-American honors in hurdles, sprints, combined events and relays. Ask some of the young athletes what they remember about the experience, though, and they don’t start with their medals. They talk about learning from races that didn’t go their way, trusting teammates, setting higher expectations for themselves and discovering they could compete with some of the best young athletes in the country. 68 Wolverines Qualify for Nationals The 2026 AAU Junior Olympic Games marked the 60th edition of the national competition, with track and field events held at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa. For the Wolverines, getting 68 athletes to qualify was an accomplishment in itself. “It’s always a blessing to take any athletes to Nationals,” Coach Keith Ways said. “To have 68 athletes qualify for the National J O’s is huge, but we expect that year after year. Nationals is our goal.” The Wolverines then turned those opportunities into national titles and All-American performances. 14-year old Damare Smith clocked a wind-legal 13/19 to take his heat in the boys' 100m hurdles at the AAU Junior Olympics. (Video by FloTrack.org) Fourteen-year-old Damare Smith led the Wolverines’ individual performances, winning national titles in the boys pentathlon and 100-meter hurdles, where he ran 13.2 seconds. He finished second in the high jump at 5 feet, 10¾ inches and second in the 200-meter hurdles in 25.04 seconds. His pentathlon victory made him a back-to-back AAU Junior Olympic champion. Te’Yone Strodes won the 13-year-old girls 100-meter hurdles in 14.7 seconds, finished fourth in the pentathlon and sixth in the 200-meter hurdles with a time of 28.32. Faith Brown won the 17–18 girls 400-meter hurdles in 59.5 seconds and finished third nationally in the 100-meter hurdles in 14.2 seconds. Twelve-year-old Kaniyah Taylor finished fourth nationally in the 200 meters in 25.5 seconds and seventh in the 100 meters in 12.5 seconds. Aliyah Walker finished seventh in the 12-year-old girls pentathlon and third in the 80-meter hurdles in 12.91 seconds. Taylor and Walker joined Zion Payne and Vivian Meyer on the Wolverines’ 12-year-old girls 4x100-meter relay team, which finished fourth nationally in 51.1 seconds. Ni’Zyah Dunson finished eighth nationally in the 13-year-old girls 200-meter hurdles in 30.0 seconds, earning All-American recognition. The 12-year-old girls 4x800-meter relay team of Reina Reynolds, Elizabeth Honaker, Ayshia Lewis and Claire Searcy also earned All-American honors with a seventh-place national finish. Those results show what the Wolverines accomplished in Iowa. Conversations with the athletes offer a look at what it took to get there and what they brought home from the experience. Te’Yone Strodes Strodes: “I Belong With the Best” Strodes’ schedule required her to compete in multiple events while dealing with the different outcomes that come with each competition. “Competing in multiple events has taught me how to stay focused and keep pushing, even when things don’t go the way I want,” Strodes said. “I’ve learned that disappointment is part of competing, but it doesn’t define me.” She said she tries to learn from each race, whether the result is good or bad. “I try to learn from every race, celebrate my successes, and use both the good and bad experiences to become a better athlete,” she said. The national competition also gave Strodes a different perspective on where she stands among athletes her age. “Competing nationally showed me that I belong with the best athletes in the country,” Strodes said. “It gave me more confidence in myself and made me believe that I can accomplish bigger goals than I once imagined.” “Now I know that if I work hard, stay focused, and believe in myself, I can compete at the highest levels.” Faith Brown Brown: Starting Strong and Finishing Stronger For Brown, one of the biggest tests in Iowa came before she won the 400-meter hurdles championship. Her position after the preliminary rounds wasn’t what she expected. “Going from first place to sixth place after the preliminary rounds was definitely unexpected,” Brown said. She turned to her coaches and the work she had already put in. “After talking with my coaches, I remembered how hard and how long I had been working for this track meet,” she said. Brown knew the physical race plan: attack the first five hurdles. The bigger adjustment was mental. “Mentally I had to believe that I was capable of starting strong and finishing stronger,” Brown said. She did. Brown won the national championship in the 17–18 girls 400-meter hurdles and added a third-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles. But when Brown talks about what being a Dayton Wolverine has given her, she doesn’t limit the answer to racing. “Being a Dayton Wolverine has taught me that I really value being part of something bigger than myself,” Brown said. “Through volunteering and working with my teammates to give back to our community, I’ve realized how much I enjoy helping others and being able to make an impact outside of track.” Taylor Sets Her Sights Higher Fourth place in the country might be enough for some young athletes to celebrate for a while. Taylor is already thinking about what comes next. “Finishing fourth nationally really affected the expectations I have for myself because now I would expect to do better and make it to a better ranking next year,” she said. Taylor said racing has also changed how she responds when things don’t go as planned. “Track has taught me that having confidence is key to a good race,” she said. “It also taught me to take mistakes as lessons on the next race and to take successes as someone saying you did everything right but you can still improve.” Taylor’s national meet wasn’t limited to her individual races. She was also part of the fourth-place 4x100 relay team. “Being responsible for teammates has taught me that you have to trust them to do their part to bring the relay together,” Taylor said. Walker Learns Her Attitude Matters Walker competed individually in the pentathlon and hurdles before joining Taylor, Payne and Meyer in the 4x100 relay. Her third-place finish in the 80-meter hurdles showed her something about her own ability. “It taught me that I can push myself past my limits,” Walker said. Her experience at the national meet has also raised her expectations. When asked whether competing nationally had made her dreams or goals bigger, Walker didn’t need many words. “It has. My goal is to get 1st place.” Running on a relay taught her a different lesson. “It taught me that my attitude affects the other girls on the relay team, so I needed to keep a positive attitude,” Walker said. Dunson Leaves Iowa an All-American Dunson’s eighth-place finish in the 200-meter hurdles earned her AAU All-American recognition. She said getting there required learning to deal with more than winning. “Track has taught me how to handle pressure, disappointment and success all at the same time,” Dunson said. “Also I have learned that every race doesn’t go the way I want it to.” “Although I may have some failures, as well as some successes, each race I learned from it.” Competing at the Junior Olympics gave Dunson an opportunity to measure herself against athletes from around the country. “Being there showed me that I can compete with talented athletes like me and better,” she said. “Competing nationally showed me that I could accomplish more than I thought I could as an athlete.” Dunson said the experience made her believe in herself more and reinforced the connection between the work she puts in and the opportunity to compete nationally. “This big accomplishment taught me to believe in myself more,” she said. “Also to keep doing the hard work to get me there again in the near future! As well as to never give up!” She now has something tangible to show for that work. “Every race makes me stronger and helps me become a better athlete,” Dunson said. “I am even more proud of myself, because now, I am an AAU All American in the 200m hurdles.” More Than the Results Ways said one of the most gratifying parts of coaching is watching athletes mature over the course of a season. National competition can accelerate that process. “I do know that the majority once they see the ‘bling’ for the first time, they come back ready to work,” Ways said. For Strodes, Iowa showed her that she belongs alongside the country’s best young athletes. Taylor came home expecting more of herself. Walker learned that her attitude can influence her teammates. Dunson returned as an All-American with greater confidence in what she can accomplish. Brown expects her memories of Iowa to extend well beyond winning a national championship. “Traveling to Iowa, competing alongside my teammates, and being surrounded by athletes who had worked just as hard to get there made me appreciate how special the experience was,” Brown said. “It gave me a better perspective on how much goes into reaching this level and made me more appreciative of the people who helped me get there.” The results document what the Dayton Wolverines accomplished in Iowa. The athletes’ own words show what those results cannot: how competing on a national stage is shaping what these young people expect from themselves, what they learn from setbacks and how they understand their responsibility to the people around them. The Dayton Wolverines Track Club was formed in 2009 with Head Coach, Keith Ways, with the initial purpose of providing an avenue for youth to learn the fundamentals of running track and staying healthy. To get involved or to support their mission, visit them online at daytonwolverinestrackclub.com/ or follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

This is your community. These are your opportunities. Read. Share. Act. By RoShawn Winburn, Dayton Weekly News June in the Miami Valley doesn't slow down, and neither does the work of keeping our community informed, resourced, and ready. This edition of the Dayton Weekly News Community Brief arrives at a pivotal moment, when a historic aviation company is planting 2,000 jobs in our backyard, our region's HBCU is offering free workforce training that could change someone's career trajectory this summer, and the city is quietly rewriting zoning rules that will shape our neighborhoods for a generation. From Juneteenth celebrations stretching across the surrounding counties to scholarship funds for students, it's all here, all actionable, and all yours. Read it, use it, and pass it on. Grants & Funding Dayton Foundation Discretionary Grants — Up to $75,000 Deadline: June 29, 2026 at 4:00 PM Montgomery · Miami · Greene · Preble · Warren counties The Dayton Foundation’s Discretionary Grant cycle closes June 29 at 4:00 PM. If your nonprofit hasn’t applied, you have days — not weeks. The Dayton Foundation offers flexible grants from $7,500 to $75,000 for 501(c)(3) organizations launching new solutions to pressing regional needs — social services, healthcare, arts, education, and more. Apply now at daytonfoundation.org/grant-opportunities or call Tania Arseculeratne at (937) 225-9966. Who should act: Nonprofit executive directors, community organizations, faith-based social service providers, arts and culture groups. City of Dayton Community Engagement Grants — Up to $1,000 for Your Block Rolling deadline · Closes October 2, 2026 Your block club, neighborhood association, or priority board can apply for up to $1,000 to fund community events, beautification, and organizing. Simple application, real impact. Apply at daytonohio.gov/communityengagement — funds will run out before October. Who should act: Block captains, neighborhood association leaders, priority board members, faith communities. Up to $10,000 for Black- and Brown-Owned Businesses — ARPA Micro-Grants Call to confirm current availability Miami Valley Urban League · City of Dayton The City of Dayton committed $7.6 million of its federal ARPA recovery funds specifically to grow Black- and Brown-owned businesses. Micro-grants of up to $10,000 are available for operational emergencies, certification, and business growth. More than 23 Dayton businesses have already received funding. Call Miami Valley Urban League at (937) 461-6740 to confirm current availability. Who should act: Minority-owned and women-owned small businesses in the City of Dayton — especially those in trades, food service, retail, and professional services. JobsOhio Small Business Grant — Up to $50,000 for Expansion Ongoing quarterly applications JobsOhio offers grants covering equipment, training, real estate, software, and operating costs up to $50,000 for small businesses with a clear growth plan. Contact the Dayton Development Coalition at daytonregion.com for local guidance. Who should act: Existing small businesses with revenue looking to expand, hire, or buy equipment — especially minority, veteran, and women-owned businesses. Jobs & Workforce Two thousand jobs. That’s what Joby Aviation is bringing to Dayton. The question isn’t whether those jobs are coming — it’s whether our community is positioned to get them. Joby Aviation’s Second Dayton Facility — 2,000 Jobs Planned Hiring underway now Vandalia / Dayton International Airport area Joby Aviation — the electric air taxi company building the future of flight in the birthplace of aviation — has acquired a second Dayton-area facility exceeding 700,000 square feet. They’re planning up to $500 million in investment and 2,000 high-quality manufacturing jobs. Propeller blade production is already running. Current openings include manufacturing planners, production technicians, quality control supervisors, and supply chain roles. Apply at jobyaviation.com/careers. Who should act: Machinists, engineers, quality inspectors, supply chain professionals, skilled trades workers. Also: small business owners who can serve Joby as a supplier. FREE Workforce Certificates at Central State University — Advanced Manufacturing & IT Space limited to 30 per course — enroll now CSU-Dayton + Wilberforce · Clark, Greene & Montgomery counties Central State University — our region’s HBCU — received a $3.58 million federal grant to create 30 completely free certificate programs in advanced manufacturing, advanced materials, information technology, and data management. These credentials feed directly into the Joby Aviation hiring pipeline and the region’s growing tech and manufacturing economy. If you live in Clark, Greene, or Montgomery County, this training costs you nothing. Contact CSU-Dayton: oobayanju@centralstate.edu or (937) 376-6009 Who should act: Anyone who is unemployed, underemployed, or looking to move into manufacturing or tech. This is one of the most powerful free resources available in the region right now. Dayton Hybrid Career Fair — Engineering, Tech & Defense June 24, 2026 · 2:00–5:00 PM EDT Register at TalentAlly A focused career fair for engineering and technology candidates with strong representation from defense, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing. Particularly relevant for Wright-Patterson-adjacent workers and STEM graduates from Central State, Wright State, and Sinclair. Who should act: Engineers, technologists, veterans with tech backgrounds, STEM graduates, defense-sector professionals. Greene County Defense-Tech Facility — 101 New Jobs Greene County · Wright-Patt Ecosystem A new defense technology facility coming to Greene County adds 101 jobs to the already-booming Wright-Patterson Air Force Base corridor — creating new pathways for technically trained workers across the Miami Valley. Who should act: Veterans, defense-industry workers, STEM students at Central State and Wright State. Juneteenth 2026 — Celebrate Across Southwestern Ohio Our freedom is worth celebrating from one end of this region to the other. Here’s where to be: June 14 — For Dayton, By Dayton (4DBD) · Levitt Pavilion A free community music festival celebrating Dayton’s local talent across genres. Food trucks, family-friendly activities, and the creative energy that makes this city home. 4dbdayton.com June 19–20 — Troy Juneteenth Celebration · Race & McKaig Park, Troy Troy-Hayner Cultural Center hosts a Friday evening concert followed by Saturday festivities including a community walk, live music, games, and free food for families. The growing presence of Juneteenth celebrations in Miami County tells a story about where our community is going. June 20 — Springboro Juneteenth Jubilee · Springboro, Warren County Springboro holds a documented place in Underground Railroad history, and this annual celebration honors that legacy. Live music, food trucks, craft vendors, blood drive, Jubilee Dinner, community symposium, and a 3-on-3 basketball tournament. springborojuneteenth.com Civic Affairs & Government Action AdaptDayton: The City Is Rewriting Its Zoning Code — Your Voice Is Needed Now Public comment closes mid-summer · Workshops throughout June The City of Dayton is conducting a comprehensive overhaul of its zoning ordinances — and the decisions being made right now will shape our neighborhoods for decades. Where affordable housing gets built. How historic Black corridors like West Third Street are protected or exposed. What development is allowed near our communities. This is the kind of policy process that happens quietly while people are busy — and then communities wonder later how things changed. Show up to the June workshops. Submit public comment at the city’s AdaptDayton portal. Who should act: Everyone — especially West and North Dayton residents, neighborhood leaders, renters, homeowners, and anyone who cares about affordable housing and historic preservation. Montgomery County Commission — June Public Sessions June 2, 9, 23, 30 · Work Session 9:30 AM · Public Session 1:30 PM 451 W. Third St., Dayton — 1st Floor Hearing Room Decisions on infrastructure, health equity, ARPA closeout allocations, and public safety funding are made here — and residents can speak. You have the right to comment. Use it. Full agendas at mcohio.org. Get on the City’s Bid List — Minority Contractor Certification Is Free Ongoing · daytonhrc.org The City of Dayton sets participation goals of 5% or more for certified Small Business Enterprises (SBE), Minority Business Enterprises (MBE), and Women Business Enterprises (WBE) on all city contracts. If you own a business and you’re not certified, you’re leaving city contracts on the table. Certification is free through the Dayton Human Relations Council. Visit daytonhrc.org and click “PEP Certification.” Who should act: Black-owned, women-owned, and small businesses in trades, construction, cleaning, landscaping, logistics, and professional services. Scholarships & Community Events Dayton Foundation — 300+ Scholarships, Including Funds Specifically for Black Students Next application cycle opens December 2026 The Dayton Foundation’s ScholarshipCONNECT platform offers over 300 scholarships — most exclusively for Greater Dayton students. Among the active funds specifically for African-American students: Waverly Glover Scholarship — business/accounting at CSU or Wilberforce Golden Thirteen Naval Scholarship C.J. McLin Jr. Scholarship Doris H. Wilson Scholarship — Montgomery County seniors Deloris Winslow Scholarship — social work and political science This year’s awards are being distributed now. The next application cycle opens December 2026 — mark your calendar and tell every student you know. daytonfoundation.org/scholarships African-American Community Fund Annual Fundraising Breakfast June 17, 2026 · Registration 7:30 AM · Program 8:00 AM Sinclair Community College · Building 12 · Charity E. Earley Auditorium The African-American Community Fund of the Dayton Foundation is one of the most important Black philanthropic institutions in our region. Its annual breakfast brings together donors, scholarship recipients, nonprofit leaders, and civic voices to celebrate what our community has built — and invest in what’s next. New 2026 initiatives were announced earlier this year. If you want to be in the room where the giving is being done, register now. Search “AACF 2026 Breakfast” on Eventbrite to register. Your June Action List ✅ Call CSU-Dayton TODAY about free manufacturing and IT certificates: oobayanju@centralstate.edu or (937) 376-6009. Space is limited to 30 per course. ✅ Apply for the Dayton Foundation Discretionary Grant before June 29 at 4:00 PM — daytonfoundation.org/grant-opportunities. ✅ Call MVUL at (937) 461-6740 to confirm whether the ARPA micro-grant fund (up to $10K for minority-owned businesses) has current availability. ✅ Register for the AACF Annual Breakfast on June 17 at Sinclair — search “AACF 2026” on Eventbrite. ✅ Visit daytonhrc.org and start your free PEP/MBE certification if you own a business that does contract work. ✅ Look up the AdaptDayton initiative and attend or submit comment at a June workshop ✅ Mark December 2026 on your calendar for Dayton Foundation scholarship applications, and tell every college-bound student you know. ✅ Forward this briefing to someone who needs it — that’s how community works. Read. Share. Act.

The Art of Work introduces The Masterpiece Experience, a curated evening of private dining, wellness, parking, entertainment access and optional transportation for theatergoers in downtown Dayton DAYTON, OH — For couples, individuals or small groups looking to elevate a night at the theater into an unforgettable luxury experience, The Art of Work is introducing The Masterpiece Experience, a curated private evening that includes a show at the Schuster Center. Located at Performance Place in the heart of downtown Dayton, The Art of Work offers guests a seamless pre-show experience that brings together private dining, wellness, premium parking and personalized hospitality before the curtain rises. Each evening is customized around the guest’s preferences, with options that may include a seated chef-curated dinner, access to spa amenities, sauna or steam room experiences, massage or facial appointments, transportation arrangements and other personalized touches. “The goal is to transform a night out into something truly memorable,” said Keith Jenkins of The Art of Work. “Guests should not have to worry about parking, rushing to dinner, getting across town or coordinating the details. We curate the evening so they can simply arrive, relax and enjoy the performance.” Two curated options are available. The Signature Experience, which includes parking, dinner and show access, starts at $1,000 per couple. The Masterpiece Experience, which includes parking, dinner, spa access and show access, starts at $1,400 per couple. Experiences are customized based on guest preferences, party size and requested enhancements. The offering is especially suited for date nights, anniversaries, birthdays, client entertainment, holiday performances and anyone looking to make a night out feel like a complete luxury occasion. Space is limited for each experience to preserve an intimate, high-end environment. To explore options for an experiential Masterpiece package, contact Keith Jenkins at keith.jenkins@sosmartwork.com. About The Art of Work The Art of Work is a private luxury venue located at Performance Place in Dayton, Ohio, offering curated experiences that combine hospitality, wellness, private dining and elevated gathering spaces for individuals, couples and small groups. Media Contact: Keith Jenkins, The Art of Work Email: keith.jenkins@sosmartwork.com Phone: (937) 312-4468 Website: https://sosmartwork.com/special-offerings