On Sunday, March 21, Lakewood High School senior Ashley Tomsic, president of the school’s History Club, gave a public presentation at the Lakewood Public Library about the history of Cleveland. The presentation was more than a school assignment — it was an opportunity for Tomsic to share a topic she is passionate about with her community.

Tomsic said her inspiration came from wanting to learn more about her surroundings. “I wanted to learn more about my own history and where we come from, because I’ve never really learned much about my own history and places around us,” she said.

That curiosity led Tomsic to the History Club. Although she officially joined during her sophomore year, she began attending presentations as a freshman. One presentation, she said, changed how she viewed history.

“I got really passionate for it when I saw Finley’s presentation on bizarre events,” Tomsic said. “It really taught me that history is something that you can make your own. It doesn’t have to be some boring topic; it can be anything that interests you.”

That mindset has stuck with Tomsic over the years. She has become one of the most involved members of the History Club and now leads it as president. According to LHS history teacher and History Club advisor Dr. Chuck Greanoff, Tomsic’s impact on the club has been huge.

“Ashley belongs in the pantheon of all students I’ve ever had in the History Club,” said Greanoff. “Maybe more than anybody else. This has been one of her greatest passions. She always shows up for everybody’s presentations. She’s the most dedicated member I can imagine.”

Greanoff also pointed to her personality as a strength. “She’s very enthusiastic about it, and she’s very quirky and funny,” he said. “I call her ‘esoteric Ashley’ because she does all these off-the-wall presentations.”

“She’s always been a key member to us because she’s always willing to learn more. So she always will go to all of our presentations, and then she always offers a lot of information to give as well, like during our little meetings,” said fellow History Club member and friend of Tomsic, Csenge Sundem. “Either if she’s presenting or if we’re just talking about some sort of topic, she always has a lot of insight.”

Public presentations like this are not opportunities every student receives. While the club hosts around 15 presentations each year, public events are typically reserved for upperclassmen who have shown strong involvement.

“It’s usually like a president-exclusive type thing,” said Tomsic. “Dr. G really gives me the opportunity to do so. I just pick a topic that would relate more to the general public, like Cleveland history or Lakewood history.”

Although this was her only public presentation this year, Tomsic has extensive experience, completing five presentations this year alone.

For Tomsic, the club is about more than presenting — it is also about supporting others and building a strong community. “Community support is a really big thing for me, especially when it’s student-made,” she said. “It takes so much time and effort to do.”

That sense of community is exactly what the History Club is all about. The History Club was started in 2016 and encourages students to explore topics they’re personally interested in, rather than just what’s covered in class. The presentation topics have a wide range, from local history to pop culture topics.

“We should have a club where students go deeper into their interest in history and social studies,” Greanoff explained about the club’s founding idea.

For Tomsic, being part of that environment has helped her grow in ways she didn’t expect. “I didn’t even really like history coming into LHS,” she said. “But seeing the people around me get really interested really inspired me to join myself, and do my own presentations.”

Being part of the History Club has also helped her build confidence, especially when it comes to public speaking. Presenting at the library, in front of a bigger audience, was a big moment for Tomsic.

“I want people to take away that there’s so much that you can learn,” Tomsic said. “There’s something that will interest anybody out there, no matter how much you think you don’t like history.”

“I think more students should learn the art of public speaking and presentation,” said Greanoff. “Anything you can do to overcome being shy is good for you.”

Overall, Tomsic’s presentation was about more than Cleveland’s history — it showed how history can be meaningful, personal and engaging.