A 10-year-old student from Toledo's Monac Elementary was announced to be the city's first-ever kid mayor who will lead the 2025 Kid Council to represent their peers in the area.
The kid was identified as Dashiell "Dash" Harden, who was announced into the position during a press conference on Mar. 18, 2025. The young boy was selected to become the city's first kid mayor following an impressive interview process that involved hundreds of other applicants.
Toledo's New Kid Mayor
With his position, Harden will join a group comprised of 12 other students from Washington Local and Toledo Public Schools. On top of representing their peers, they will also take part in a variety of exciting events and community activities while also learning more about the local government and civic engagement.
Harden and the newly formed Kid Council will be involved in various hands-on activities throughout the year. They will also meet with city officials, present their own ideas to improve the community, and attend special events, such as a tour of the wood lot with the Department of Public Services, according to TOL.
On top of these, the students will also serve as role models for their peers by participating in community projects, such as joining the Litter League, which will help clean up the city. The latest Kid Mayor of Toledo is the fourth year of the program, which aims to inspire young students to become leaders in their communities.
Helping Out in the Community
Talking about Harden, he said his dream is to become an aerospace engineer and his hobbies include playing tennis, swimming, playing video games, and playing with LEGOs. He also said that former Ohio Sen. John Glenn is his role model in the political world.
After being named kid mayor of the city, Harden said that it was an exciting opportunity for him and that he was excited to get started. His appointment also marks the first time that a boy was announced to be the kid mayor of Toledo since the program started, the Toledo Blade reported.
In a statement after the announcement, Harden said that he wants to help make the city an even better place for kids to live in. Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said that Harden's resume and experiences were invaluable to his position as kid mayor, noting how impressive it was for a 10-year-old.
Furthermore, the city mayor said that Harden was able to stand out from other applicants because of his clever answers and confident presentation of himself and his ideas, as per 13ABC.
