Story by Marianne Salza
Photos Courtesy of Deborah Hurley
Lively ten-year-old Tessa O’Toole, of Winthrop, will appear in the WGBH/PBS Kids new series, “America’s Awesome Kids,” premiering in the summer of 2026. The show will highlight the inspiring stories of 25 children from 25 states, with Tessa’s segment expected to air in July, in honor of America’s 250th anniversary.
“It feels awesome. It’s a once in a lifetime experience,” said Tessa about representing Massachusetts. “Everyone is really nice here. All of my friends and kids at school are caring.”
Tessa’s five-minute-long vignette will include a tour of the quaint seaside town’s Independence Day celebrations — featuring the Horribles Parade – as well as a creative ritual that she and her parents began during the Covid-19 pandemic: displaying hand-painted rocks with uplifting sentiments along Quincy Path, in the Winthrop Highlands.
“My mom came up with the idea that we should start painting rocks with kind messages on them, and give people a lift because you couldn’t see anyone during lockdown,” explained Tessa, about the fun activity.
This year, Tessa’s family decided to reinvigorate the beautification project along the staircase adjacent to their home by encouraging passersby to take or leave a rock.
“Since I was five, I would paint the rocks a solid color – sometimes multicolored (it depended on how I was feeling) – then I would come up with words that are meaningful: love, courage, you got this, be strong, happiness is here,” described Tessa, inhaling sharply at the thought that she has become “old.”
Tessa and her mother proudly recalled a thank you note that a neighbor left, expressing how much they love the vibrant rocks.
“We noticed a bunch of rocks disappearing from the staircase, and appearing on front lawns,” exclaimed Tessa, who collected and decorated over 100 rocks from the shoreline below the water tower.
Tessa’s kindness, spirit, and welcoming personality are some of her strengths, according to her mother, Deborah Hurley, whose social media posts documenting the family’s project earned the attention of WGBH/PBS producers for being a symbol of hope and local pride.
“She’s very accepting of others. I think that’s what her best quality is,” beamed Hurley. “I feel like if someone is having a bad day, or is feeling isolated, she tries to include people. She puts herself out there a lot.”
The rising fifth grader at the Arthur T. Cummings Elementary School is a versatile performer, practicing tap, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, and ballet dancing at Winthrop School of Performing Arts. Tessa also takes singing and acting lessons, as well as plays softball.
Tessa’s favorite pastime in the summer, however, is spending time with her best friend, Sadie, and swimming in her pool. The pair enjoyed painting the cardboard box bodies of their bumper car costumes, and inflating the tire tubes for their “Point Shirley Bumper Cars” float, which was awarded “Most Original” in this year’s 143rd Horribles Parade.
“Our whole act when we got up to the judges’ stand was bumping into at least five people, and spinning at least two times,” directed Tessa, who already has plans for next year’s theme.
The WGBH/PBS team filmed Tessa’s participation in the longtime Fourth of July family tradition, her painting rocks in their home, and the fireworks display.
“We know how special Tessa is. For them to see what I see in her was really special. I was happy,” shared Hurley, with tears in her eyes. “The production crew were kind and made her feel comfortable.”
Hurley attributes Tessa’s confidence speaking on camera, in part, to her experience presenting the gospel readings during Sunday mass at Saint Michael the Archangel Parish.
Tessa is excited to see her piece in “America’s Awesome Kids,” and plans to eat cheese steak subs in celebration. She hopes that this show will open up acting opportunities so she can become an actress when she grows up (but if that avenue does not come to pass, she will pursue a career as a doctor).