By Asia Nail
The Truth Reporter
Back in May 2002, The Sojourner’s Truth featured a graduating senior who was turning heads and raising bars—Taria Blanchard. At Scott High School, she was class Salutatorian, had held a GPA over 4.0 since the seventh grade, led the student body, played multiple sports, and still found time to join clubs like Yearbook and Spanish.
“I was doing a lot back then,” Blanchard laughs. “But I didn’t see it like that at the time. I just wanted to do well—for myself, my family and my community.”
Today, she’s still making her community proud—as the Director of Career and Technical Education (CTE) for Toledo Public Schools (TPS), overseeing the Business and Marketing Department. From running programs that give high school students real-life job skills to planning events like NEXTSTEP, Taria is shaping the future for the next generation—and doing it with heart.
The Bulldog Spirit
Blanchard grew up surrounded by motivation, structure, and support. “Go Bulldogs!” she cheers proudly, remembering her high school days. Her parents, Coach Pete (Herbert) and Vernice Blanchard, made sure she and her sister Torri were always focused on both books and ball.
“If you’ve ever been in our dining room, then you know—it’s basically a trophy room,” she smiles. “My parents worked full-time jobs, but raising us with purpose? That was their main job.”
Coach Pete wasn’t just cheering from the sidelines—he was coaching. He helped lead their teams and often volunteered in the schools. Miss Vernice? She was at every meeting, every classroom, every lunchroom. “She held every PTO office at some point,” Taria says, grinning. “Teachers used to think she worked there!”
Her younger sister Torri also played basketball and has gone on to coach several girls’ teams. And yes, Torri also worked at this very newspaper for a while too—The Sojourner’s Truth has been a part of this family’s journey for decades.
In that 2002 article, we wrote about Taria’s big plans to attend Urbana University on a basketball scholarship. She had received multiple scholarships—from Delta Sigma Theta, Ben E. Williams Youth Services and the Board of Education—because when you shine like she did, doors fly open.
Guided by Greatness: Mentors Who Made a Difference
Even with a strong family behind her, Taria never walked this road alone. Along the way, she was surrounded by mentors who saw her light and helped it shine brighter.
“Tracy Knighten was my first real mentor,” she says. “He would pick me up from school, take me to events, expose me to things I didn’t even know were options.”
Another name rolls off her tongue with deep respect: “Dr. Treva Jeffries-Martin. She’s the reason I became an educator. I saw how she connected with students—how she demanded excellence but gave grace. I wanted to be like that.”
She smiles when she talks about Mr. David Manley: “He was just real with me. He taught me how to carry myself with confidence, how to walk into a room like I belong there.”
And Ms. Kimberly Sams? “Ms. Sams reminded me that being smart wasn’t something to hide. She celebrated my academic side and always pushed me higher.”
She continues, “Earl Morris and the late Dennis Black were also important to me. Coach Earl believed in my leadership potential before I did. And Coach Black—he was the kind of leader who made you want to do right. I hope I make them all proud.”
Family, Found and Given
Her extended family was just as essential. “Kim and Eric Ellis treated me like their own daughter Ashley, who was my best friend,” she shares. “I used to sit in their basement grading papers! That was probably my first taste of teaching.”
Then there’s the Griffin and Jude families, who cheered her on like blood relatives. “You couldn’t tell me I wasn’t part of their families,” she says, laughing.
“My Aunt Lutherine Poston—God rest her soul—got me my first car. Aunt Yvette and Uncle Wayne used to send me care packages in college with all the things I didn’t know I needed. That love? That kind of love sticks with you.”
As an adult, she says the Liddell-Smith family “wrapped me up in love, too. They embraced me when I was finding my footing and always lifted me up.”
And then, there are “The Boys.” “My cousins—but really, they’re more like my brothers,” she says with pride. “I have to shout them out because they’ve always had my back. And I’ve tried to be the blueprint for all my younger cousins, showing them what’s possible when you stay focused and grounded.”
Back Home and Leading the Way
Now, Taria is right where she’s meant to be—back in Toledo, making an impact through education.
As Director of Career and Technical Education for TPS, she oversees hands-on programs that prepare students for real careers—healthcare, engineering, cybersecurity, construction, manufacturing, and more.
“We’re helping kids graduate with a diploma and a plan,” she says. “College is great—but it’s not the only path. We’re giving students real options and real-world skills.”
She’s also getting ready for NEXTSTEP, the district’s major college and career event taking place October 14-16.
“Colleges, businesses—if you want to be part of something meaningful, email us at careertech@tps.org,” she says. “Let’s pour into these kids the way people poured into us.”
The Next Chapter Starts Here
So what’s next for Taria Blanchard? If her past is any clue, it’s going to involve more students, more opportunities, and more of that magical mix of heart and hustle.
As some of her own mentors begin to retire, Taria takes a moment to send love their way.
“Thank you. Thank you for showing me how to lead, how to listen, how to love our kids through structure and support. I’m only here because of you.”
Now, she’s that mentor for hundreds of students across the city—living proof that investing in young people pays off in powerful ways.
Because the future doesn’t build itself. But with leaders like Taria Blanchard, it’s in very good hands.
Colleges, employers, and organizations ready to inspire the next generation can email: careertech@tps.org for more information.