R. Scott Russ is a 1984 McKinley High School alumnus with four children who also graduated from the Canton City School District. His wife, Brenda, is employed as a No Child Left Behind assistant at Schreiber Elementary.

Russ has been a member of the J. Babe Stearn Community Center since 1974 and was elected to the center’s Hall of Fame in 2017.

He also is the president of the Raff Road Neighborhood Association, serves of the Stark Community Foundation’s Neighborhood Leadership Council and is a board member for the Mitey Mite Baseball League.

Kimberly (Taylor) Brown is a second-generation graduate of Canton McKinley High School Class of 1979, and graduate of Bowling Green State University in 1983 with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. Kimberly retired from the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities in 2016 after 30 years of service as a Compliance Specialist; Stark County Community Action Agency 6 years and currently, with the Stark County Prosecutor’s Office.

Her children Ramon and Leah are graduates of Canton McKinley and Leah was one of the graduates of the Canton City Schools Practical Nurse Program in June of 2019, one of the largest graduating classes at that time. Her granddaughter A’Miyah is enrolled in the Canton City School District.

Kimberly has volunteered in the Canton community for over 25 years, including her current service on the Board of Directors for Siffrin Residential since May 2015.  Member of the Leila Green Alliance of Black Educators and Canton League of Women Voters as well as a member of Bulldog 100 Adult Booster Club since 2012.

Myra Watkins is a graduate of Lincoln High School. She earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology from Malone University, her education degree from the University of Akron, and her Master’s degree in Urban Elementary Education from Kent State University. She later earned her principal licensure from Cleveland State.

She served the Canton City School District for over 25 years as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal before retiring in 2021. She continues her service to the CCSD as a tutor at Patrick Elementary School where she also teaches African dance and drumming in their afterschool program.

She currently serves as an employee of Family Life Services and with a team of others has started a nonprofit agency called Family Life Social Emotional Learning Center (SEL) whose goal is to train, educate, and empower developmentally disadvantaged adults enabling them to live a meaningful, fulfilling, and quality life.

Ms. Watkins is also a board member of The United Boxing Club and SARTA and is a member of the Leila Green Alliance of Black Educators.

Her community involvement is extensive.

Awards and recognition: 

CCSD Trailblazer Award, February 2019

MLK Jr. Award for Education Service, January 2018

Special recognition from the members of the Ohio House of Representatives of the 132nd General Assembly of Ohio for being named Principal of the Year and Top Educator by the Ohio Association of Black Educators, December 2017

Principal of the Year by the Ohio Black Educators’ Association, 2017

Humanitarian award from the George Dunwoody Foundation, 2016

Skyler Parks is one of the newest members of the Canton City School Board. A full biography will be added in the near future.

R.J. VanAlmen is a 1994 graduate of Canton McKinley High School.  After attending The Ohio State University, he returned to Stark County to graduate from Mount Union College in the Fall of 1998.

R.J. was an 11-time qualifier to the O.H.S.A.A. State Championships during his high school athletic career as a swimmer and was a 4-Year First Team All-County, 3-Year All-Ohioan and 2-Year Conference Swimmer of the Year.  He also competed in 3-State Championships in Water Polo, earning All-Ohio honors and breaking the state record in goals his junior year with 84.  R.J. competed for the McKinley baseball team earning a spot in the Hank Miller All-Star Series. In College, he was 4-Time Conference Champion and 12-Time All-Conference Team Member.

After college graduation, R.J. spent his career as an entrepreneur, owning several drive throughs, bars, a restaurant, a night club, concession and property management businesses. He also has consulted through R.V.A. Group for the past 25 years. 

R.J. is the former President of the East Ohio Swim Officials Association, East Ohio Track Officials Association, The Greater Canton Aquatics Association, The Amateur Sports Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame Luncheon Club.  He currently serves as the Treasurer for the National High School Football Hall of Fame, G.C.A.S.H.O.F., DIVAS and Vice Chairman of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Transportation Committee.  In 2025, he chaired Canton McKinley’s first Hall of Distinguished Alumni Board.

In 2014 R.J. was inducted to the Stark County Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame.  In 2015 he was named National Federation of High Schools Official of the Year.  In 2016 was recognized by the Greater Canton Fast-Pitch Association.  In 2017, he was named President of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Luncheon Club and awarded their Lifetime Member Award in 2023.  In 2023 he was recognized by the National High School Football Hall of Fame with its Marion Motley Community Leadership Award. 

In 2016 R.J. was hired by The Ohio High School Athletic Association to serve as its Director of Development and State Rules Interpreter.  Roles he still fulfills to this day.  

R.J.'s true-passion is officiating Swimming and Diving and Track and Field.  He has had the opportunity to officiate 16 Division I and 16 Division II State Championships, serving as the Meet Referee since 2017.  He has served as an official 4-times at the State Track Championships. R.J. has officiated 58 NCAA National Championships at the DI, DII and DIII level and 2 NAIA National Championships, holding the distinction of the only official to ever serve all 3 divisions National Championships in the same year with three.    He served on the Meet Committee for the 2021 and 2024 Olympic Swimming Trials and the Pan American Games in 2024.  

R.J. lives in Canton with his children, Romy (22), Rowan (15), Roman (12) and Abby Geiselman.  Rowan is a student at Early College and Roman is in his final year at The Arts Academy.