The Waukesha Education Foundation, Inc. (WEF) is pleased to announce the recipients of the annual Waukesha Education Foundation Awards for 2022. All three winners will be recognized at the 2023 Evening for Education event, being held on February 16 at the Milwaukee Marriott - West (Waukesha).
The recipient of the 2022 WEF Corporate Partner Award is Generac Power Systems. Generac has been an active supporter of the School District of Waukesha in many ways, including sponsoring the high school FIRST Robotics team, CORE 2062, and being an annual supporter of the Waukesha Education Foundation, Inc. since 2018. Generac delivered more than 700 hats, scarves, mittens, boots, and snow pants to the district for students in need in January 2022. Generac employees volunteered to help prepare Hadfield Elementary School for the start of the 2022-23 school year and worked at North High School on a small landscaping project during the summer. The Continuous Improvement team led a Flashlight Assembly activity that taught secondary students about the manufacturing process. Employees from their Cyber Security team provided online safety and phishing awareness tips to Horning Middle School students. Generac also made monetary donations to the Waukesha West Freshman ignition program and Waukesha South’s DECA club. Generac continually seeks opportunities to support students in our community.
The recipient of the 2022 WEF Community Partner Award is the Waukesha YMCA. The Waukesha YMCA (part of the YMCA of Greater Waukesha County) has been a valued nonprofit partner to the SDW and district families for decades serving thousands through their affordable programs that promote healthy living and youth development. The Y offers a continuum of childcare at affordable rates for those needing full day, as well as before-and-after school care for the community. The “School’s Out Fun Days” and summer camps serve many families during non-school days. The Y is the go-to place during the school year and summers for lessons on dance, gymnastics, sports leagues and swimming. As children learn, grow, and develop social and physical skills, the Y models how to both win AND lose. The Waukesha YMCA supports community initiatives including Waukesha Janboree, Waukesha Unlocked, and the 2021 WEF Virtual Move Forward event offering fitness activities and nutrition workshops.
The recipient of the 2022 Sally Jo Michalko Lifetime Excellence in Education Award is William (“Bill”) Baumgart. Bill Baumgart was elected to the Board of Education for the School District of Waukesha in 1995 and served for 27 years as a member or chair of many Board committees. He was truly an educational leader holding the Board positions of Vice President, President, Treasurer, and Clerk and serving as the Charter School Liaison for a decade for the six charter school startups. During his tenure, Bill was part of two successful referendums and an advocate for a variety of important programs such as MADE, Dual Language, 4K, Quest, and many others. As a leader and supporter of the Engineering and Health Academies, Bill played a pivotal role in giving students a great head start in these career areas. Bill was an ardent supporter of Career and Technical Education, and he played a critical role in the implementation of the Dual Enrollment Academy impacting the careers of hundreds of students over the years. Bill attended career fairs and field trips and set up networking with many local employers to provide real-world opportunities for students through the Waukesha MADE program. Bill was an annual volunteer in the Financial Fitness 101 event, giving students guidance with budgeting as a life skill. Bill supported many young people through his work as Executive Director of Partners for Education and the annual presentation of the William A. Baumgart Excellence in Education Scholarships.
All three award recognitions will occur at the Evening for Education to be held at the Milwaukee Marriott-West (Waukesha). The community is invited to this popular event which will not only celebrate these winners and education in Waukesha, but will also celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Waukesha Education Foundation. Sponsorship opportunities are now available and event tickets will go on sale on November 1. For more information please visit http://sdwone.us/wefefe2023 or call 262 970-1143.
Since its inception, WEF has awarded over $685,000 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. More information can be found at their website: www.waukeshaeducationfoundation.org.