The Waukesha Education Foundation, Inc. (WEF) is pleased to announce the recipients of the annual Waukesha Education Foundation Awards for 2024. All three winners will be recognized at the 2025 Evening for Education event, being held on March 18 at the Milwaukee Marriott-West (Waukesha).
The recipient of the WEF Corporate Partner Award is INNIO Waukesha Engine. INNIO Waukesha Engine has been a long-time partner with the School District of Waukesha (SDW) and the greater Waukesha community. They were recently recognized with a Community Partner award through the SDW (at the October 2024 Board of Education meeting) because of their excellent dedication to supporting classrooms and education at all levels. They have helped implement grants, moved schools, participated in community service days to get schools ready for a new school year, allowed for student tours and work opportunities, supported the WEF as both a platinum and gold annual sponsor, sponsored events as an add on sponsor, and also supported family and community efforts with the city as a whole. They are regular supporters of the Waukesha County Community Foundation, the City of Waukesha Parks, Recreation and Forestry department, and they received recognition for their community service by the Southern Gas Association.
The recipient of the WEF Community Partner Award is Blessings in a Backpack. For over ten years, Blessings in a Backpack has partnered with the School District of Waukesha to address food insecurity for students by bridging the “weekend gap”: providing food for elementary students on Friday to have available over the weekend. Their support has grown from 25 students at one school to all elementary schools over this time, with over 3,000 students and families benefiting weekly. What sets Blessings in a Backpack apart is their proactive approach to collaboration and partnership. Their commitment to promoting the well-being of children, coupled with their effective strategies and collaborative ethos, makes them a critical and life-changing asset to our community.
The recipient of the Sally Jo Michalko Lifetime Excellence in Education Award is Sally Turner. Sally began working for the School District of Waukesha’s Environmental Education Program in 1975. Since then, she has seen every single student in the district pass through the program at least once for the highly impactful and hands-on field trips and learning opportunities in the Fox River and around Waukesha County. Her calm presence helps her connect with students of all ages. Reflecting on Sally’s five-decade career, her legacy is not only in the environmental programs she’s helped develop, the art projects that have inspired young minds, or the knowledge she’s imparted. Her true legacy lies in the countless lives she’s touched—the students who have gone on to make positive changes in their communities, the colleagues who have learned from her example of patience, kindness, and dedication, and the families whose children have been blessed to have her as a teacher. In every way, over the past 50 years, Sally has embodied the values of stewardship, creativity, and service to others.
“These awards honor organizations and individuals in our community who support our schools and help us live our motto of Strong Schools = Strong Businesses = Strong Communities,” said Lynnette Kalmadge, WEF’s Executive Director. “We are excited to celebrate and thank these winners, while celebrating excellence in our schools.”
All three award recognitions will occur at the Evening for Education which will be held at the Milwaukee Marriott-West (Waukesha) on March 18, 2025. The community is invited to this popular event which will celebrate these winners and education in Waukesha. Sponsorship opportunities and limited event tickets remain available. For more information, please visit https://wefefe25.givesmart.com, text wefefe25 to 76278 or call 262-970-1143.
Since its inception, WEF has awarded over $880,000 to support projects and initiatives that directly benefit the students of the School District of Waukesha through their grant and scholarship programs. WEF relies on donations from the community to further the educational experiences of Waukesha students.
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