Nancy's Notes
Rooted in Tradition, Reaching for the Future
Posted by Nancy Burnett on Friday, September 5, 2025
“School days, school days, dear old golden rule days; reading and writing and ‘rithmatic - taught to the tune of a hickory stick.” As the new school year begins for students throughout the area, my thoughts are with our Akiva Academy students - all 190 of them. From humble beginnings, our school has blossomed forth into two separate entities – a kindergarten to fourth primary school and a grades five to eight middle school - all located on the expanded 19 acre Federation campus. What began as a dream 40 years ago, is now becoming a
reality as we prepare to open the Middle School doors this year to an ever-increasing student body. From these humble beginnings, many recognizable names appear - the Founding Fathers whose families continue to support Akiva Academy in its growth and success.
In 1979 following twelve years of research and lobbying, the Commission for Jewish Education was founded under the leadership of Abe Harshman and obtained a non-profit charter. The original capitol campaign chair to raise funds for the envisioned Jewish day school was Sam Roth, who along with his co-chairs Monte Friedkin and Marvin Peskin, began the process, and in 1985 the Altschuler Akiva Academy opened for grades one and two on the second floor of the JCC. By 1986, Akiva included grades kindergarten through third. In 1987, grade four was added, in 1988, grade five, in 1989 grade six, and in 2012 grades seven and eight. The school was named for Oscar Altschuler who was a founding member of the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation. The quick growth required expansion, and an Expansion Cabinet comprised of C.Kenneth Fibus, Aaron Grossman, Sam D.
Roth, Victor Sperling, and Jerome Tamarkin was formed, followed by a Building Committee chaired by Martin Solomon. In 1989, it was announced enough money had been pledged to build the 10,000 square foot Akiva Academy which would house seven classrooms, a multipurpose room, a library, a teachers’ work area, and an office. In 2012, the charter expanded again to add grades seven and eight. Many changes have occurred in the
intervening years. Our enrollment has continued to increase and our reputation has flourished under the guidance of Principal Kathy Mioni who assumed leadership of Akiva in 2010 with 52 students enrolled in grades K-6. Every square inch of the school was being used, and again there was talk of the need for expansion. Solutions were sought, but it was when Allen Mirkin so generously donated to the Federation the former Allen’s PharmaServ building that feasibility plans began to be studied in earnest.
Now 40 years after the school first opened on the second floor of the JCC, we have 190 students and 25 staff celebrating the opening of a separate middle school for grades 5-8 with four new classrooms, a multipurpose room, and offices. Where are those original students today? They are scattered across the globe with successful careers and fond memories. Many of those who returned to this area have now proudly enrolled their children at Akiva. With a strong Hebrew Judaic department and teachers from Israel, the students experience not only a solid education in the fundamentals, but a global perspective not often found in public schools allowing a seamless transition to area high schools. The Altshuler Akiva Academy, Goldstone-Mirkin Family Middle School at the Suzi Solomon Campus will add to the footprint of the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation. While the number of Jewish students has declined significantly, the impact of a Jewish education is far-reaching, exposing youth of all backgrounds to universal moral principles, and in so doing combats antisemitism at its roots. The 2025 Akiva Capital Campaign Committee has raised over $1.2 million to fund this ambitious endeavor but is still seeking contributions in any amount- with naming opportunities still available. Contact Courtney Lockshaw at clockshaw@jewishyoungstown.org for information on donating.
As the 2025-2026 school year begins, we can all look with pride at what Akiva Academy has become - an educational model attracting students from 30 different area schools and truly embodying the words: Rooted in Tradition, Reaching for the Future.
Special thanks to Nic Bush, Elise Skolnick, and Kathy Mioni for their research help.
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