Clements Automotive – Clements Automotive is a small-town auto repair shop that is absolutely essential to our District transportation operations. Cletus cares for our vehicles and buses as if they were his own and is constantly working to ensure that we are not spending more than we need to keep our vehicles safe and operational. In addition to his donations made to our organizations, he is a trusted partner to our District and we thank him for keeping our fleet on the road day in and day out!

Augie’s Bar and Grill – Augie’s Bar and Grill is everything you could hope for in a small-town bar and grill. It is a gathering place for our community. They proudly support our schools’ athletics, academics, and student activities. They make many donations to the school including collecting food for our pantry, supplies for our students, and gifts for families needing a little support during the holiday season. We can always count on them to provide all the pizza we need to feed our staff and school organizations.

Bangor Lanes – Bangor Lanes is a long-time partner with the Bangor School District providing not only financial support but also providing a venue for learning and fundraising in their bowling alley. This community gathering place is huge supporter of Bangor Pride and we thank them for their contributions to the District.

River Bank – River Bank is a strong financial partner for the District providing support for our accounts at competitive rates. They are also an important sponsor for school activities and are actively engaged in supporting student needs though donations to the district.  We thank River Bank for their contributions to the Bangor School District.

First National Bank – First National Bank is a strong financial partner for the District providing support for our accounts at competitive rates. Their sponsorship and support of school activities are greatly appreciated. The leadership of the local branch is actively engaged in organizations that work to support our schools. We thank First National for their ongoing support of the Bangor School District.

The Grove Golf Course – The Grove Golf Course has served as the home golf course for Cochrane-Fountain City Schools for many years. To encourage more youth to enjoy the sport, The Grove has incorporated youth golf programs into its programming, including offering free golf to children under 12. In addition, The Grove has allowed school support organizations to use the course for golf tournament fundraisers, providing free assistance in arranging the tournaments. C-FC and other area schools also receive funding from The Grove’s Annual Golf Tournament Border Battle, which benefits each school’s athletic booster club. The Grove routinely offers donations of merchandise and free golf for fundraising events. During the winter months, The Grove opens its course to community members for free for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

North End Pub – Last year, as it has for many previous years, North End Pub has provided the equipment, labor and expert assistance for a chicken-q/rib-q fundraisers for school support organizations, such as the Treasure Trove and Pirate Youth Athletic Association. North End Pub has catered faculty/staff appreciation meals and has also organized and participated in Alumni events, including hosting a get-together for C-FC Alumni following the annual Alumni Basketball and Volleyball Tournaments. North End regularly provides donations and financial support to various C-FC student clubs. A piece of C-FC history—an old scoreboard from the gymnasium—is proudly displayed in the Pub by its owners!

Oakridge Fabrication Inc, Minnesota City, MN – Oakridge Fabrication donated a large quantity of metal to the C-FC Technology Education Department for a screwdriver project that the students were required to complete by the end of the semester. Without this generous donation, the project could not have been completed. Oakridge Fabrication has also invited shop classes to tour its facilities and made plans to bring a race car to the school so that students can learn more about engines. The owner of Oakridge Fabrication also owns the local dirt racetrack– Mississippi Thunder Speedway–through which he offers fundraising opportunities for C-FC youth clubs and activity groups.

Ashley Furniture – Ashley Furniture has been a huge supporter in providing hands-on opportunities for C-FC students in the Technology Education field.  It was through a generous donation from Ashley Furniture in 2017-18 that the junior high robotics program was able to purchase two robotics kits to launch the program. Each year since the program became operational, Ashley Furniture has provided additional financial support for the program, including extra financial support (and a personal gift of money from the owner’s foundation) when the team made it to the World Championships in Dallas this spring. Ashley also provided funding for STEM kits as part of its STEM 101 Summer Bridge Program. This spring, Ashley donated $9,000 as start-up funding for a new SkillsUSA Chapter at C-FC. the money will fund the purchase of three new welders, new woodshop equipment and registration/participation fees for participating students.

Retreat Sportsman’s Club – The Retreat Sportsman’s Club has been the home site for the De Soto/Viroqua Middle/High School Trap Shooting team for six years. The team has grown from 35 to now more than 50 students representing two school districts with the Club offering their facilities at no cost, donating an average of $1,000 in supplies annually, and providing a site for safety instruction. The Club supports two outdoor target shooting practices each week from March through June as well as indoor virtual target shooting opportunities for team members during the winter months. The Trap Shooting Team serves middle and high school students with 8 students qualifying for national competition this year. Students engaged in the program are also developing the foundation for a lifetime hobby. Additionally, the Retreat Sportsman’s Club provides volunteer opportunities for students as well as offering their dance hall as a previous Prom location for De Soto High School. We are very grateful for this community school partnership!

Pork’s Hilltop – Pork’s Hilltop is a local establishment that has a long standing reputation as a generous donor, sponsor and benefactor for school and community programs. In 2016 following the natural disaster resulting in flooding to the area, Pork’s donated pizza to support the volunteer football players and staff who were helping with community clean-ups. Pork’s donations and support are ongoing year after year. Pork’s sponsors golf tournaments raising funds that support local charitable causes and school program needs including previous 8th grade class trips to Washington, D.C. Additionally, their business ads annually help to offset Booster Club athletic season posters and pocket schedules each season. Pork’s provides educator special discounts for pizza served at staff in-services a meal which is greatly appreciated. I truly believe the owner, Kory Knutson, supports any request that is presented to him from students, sport teams, programs and worthy community causes. This community partnership is invaluable.

De Soto Athletic Booster Club – The De Soto Athletic Booster Club is led by a tireless group of parents and community members who annually provide financial support for school programs and sports. In recent years, the Club spearheaded donations to offset a $25,000 football scoreboard, a discus cage platform and net, contributed to a basketball shooting machine, paid for conference and state banners, and annually donates to Homecoming and Prom events. The Club’s numerous fund raisers support requests ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars. Additionally, the Club sponsors multiple scholarships for graduating seniors each year. The Club is actively engaged in supporting quality educational programming and facilities and members have taken the lead in advocating for public support of previous referendums that improved athletic and educational classrooms and facilities. While membership and leadership may change Club members are dedicated to and never deviate from their mission of supporting school sports and educational programs.

Vernon County Times – The Vernon County Times editor, reporter and photographer Angela Cina provides ongoing coverage of De Soto Area School District educational, extra-curricular and sports programs. Featured stories appear regularly in the paper in respect to our FFA local, state and national student achievements, along with highlights of seasonal sports teams. Academic accomplishments are acknowledged in the newspaper along with traditional events such as graduations. The Vernon County Times coverage also extends to important educational topics including promoting the donation of highway speed zone signs on Hwy 82 which runs in front of De Soto Middle/High School, providing information on previous referendums, covering Governor Evers opening the school year at a district-wide assembly when he was the State Superintendent of Schools, and the recognition of Prairie View Elementary by the U.S. Department of Education as a Blue Ribbon School. Newspaper coverage is essential in communicating the quality educational programs of our district.

WKBT-TV 8 – WKBT-TV 8 makes an ongoing investment in the De Soto Area school district by sending reporters and photographers to cover important educational topics, special programs and sporting events. TV-8 reporters have flown along with our student aviators as part of our school’s aviation program, and covered visits by Wisconsin governors, state superintendents, and UW-Madison’s ‘Wisconsin idea Seminar’ honoring innovative programming within our schools. Reporters have trekked alongside our students through mud, ditches and ponds as they took part in community service projects. In previous years, TV-8 provided weekly airtime on Saturdays featuring De Soto students who conducted interviews, shot video and edited their report on regional topics of interest. TV-8 broadcasters provided mentorship to students who were also invited to the studio for live broadcasts. TV-8’s coverage provides the public with a greater understanding of educational topics and high-quality programs provided by our district and districts throughout the region.

BCP Transportation – BCP Transportation located in Deerfield, WI, has been a long-time supporter of the Deerfield Community School District. They generously donate to a variety of initiatives from new scoreboards to the athletic stadium remodel, student Community Day t-shirts, post-Prom and student clubs. Three years ago, at the beginning of the pandemic school closure, they generously donated the use of a semi-trailer to store classroom furniture while teachers rearranged classrooms for increased physical distancing.  We have finally unloaded that trailer this summer as we return to a more regular school setting this fall. Their generosity continued this last spring as they awarded an education scholarship of $9,000 to a high school senior to complete his technical education degree as a diesel mechanic while he is employed at BCP Transportation. BCP Transportation has been a continuous partner with our school district to provide new opportunities for our students and staff. We greatly appreciate their constant generous support.

Dr. Kent Kramer, Southwest Health – Dr. Kramer was invaluable source of information and voice of reason during the pandemic. He met regularly with our staff and community during the summer and fall of 2020 at the height of the pandemic. He was a regular guest at school board meetings, informing the board, administration, staff and community on current best practices related to operating school during the pandemic. As superintendent, I kept Dr. Kramer on speed dial. He patiently listened to my concerns and frustration and provided wise counsel on how to handle the balance of keeping school open without putting students and staff at unacceptably high risk. His calm demeanor and deep understanding of the COVID-19 made him a highly respected source of trusted information at a time of turmoil in the district. Dr. Kramer is very deserving of being recognized for his willingness to be a leader during a difficult time.

Krones – Krones is a $4 billion dollar company headquartered in Germany with a plant located in the Franklin Business Park. They have maintained a long-standing relationship with the schools of Southwest Milwaukee Consortium, especially the Franklin School District. Whether they are providing materials for our manufacturing classes, working closely with Saber Manufacturing or employing our manufacturing youth apprenticeship students, they are deeply impacting our students. Their efforts, especially those of Mr. Tom Schultz and Mr. Jesse Bartol, to partner with us are both acknowledged and appreciated!

Allis Roller – While building on a long and diverse background in both the rubber and steel manufacturing marketplaces, Allis Roller is a leader in the Franklin Park Consortium and the greater Franklin area. Mr. Dave Dull, President/CEO, continues to build on our partnership by hiring both interns and Manufacturing Youth Apprentices. Our students have been provided not only the technical skills found in manufacturing, but also have been mentored on skills they will use forever. 

Elizabeth Residence – Elizabeth Residence has a definitive dedication to helping our students begin and navigate through their health care careers. Mrs. Andrea and Mr. Johnny Narloch have never forgotten what it is like to start in dietary, caregiving or as a nursing assistant. Throughout their careers, they have progressed through those roles, making them ideally suited to model quality patient care to our youth apprentices. Their tutelage has impacted over 20 of our consortium students throughout recent years.   

Ascension – Many of our aspiring nurses want to work in a hospital setting and Ascension routinely gives them that opportunity. Our youth apprentice nursing assistants get paid, hands-on experience that is coupled with their high school studies in various parts of the hospital. We have enjoyed a long-lasting relationship that annually gives four to six of our CNAs a chance to start their health care careers. Their commitment to our students is truly appreciated.

Innovative Pain – When our health science students reflect on what was the best part of their youth apprenticeship experience, they usually tell us the guidance they received from their mentor.  An outstanding example of that is Ms. Erin O’Heron at Innovative Pain. It is obvious how much she cares about our students and does not just see them as any employee. After a year of working with Erin, our medical office youth apprentices are more proficient in office management, have increased confidence and most importantly have a strong, trusting adult in their lives. That is incredibly impactful.

Harbour Village – It has been long understood that company culture starts at the top. Executive Director, Ms. Debbie Barth of Harbour Village is a living example of that axiom. Our consortium youth apprenticeship students learn from she and her staff what compassionate care looks like on a daily basis. Not only are our students learning the technical skills needed to be proficient in patient care, they are learning to embody the mission of Harbour Village as they carry out their duties.

Dan Kallenberger Video and Motionography – Dan Kallenberger is both a high quality and character professional and also an asset to the Greendale School District. From making a highlight video of the State Champion Band playing in the Rose Bowl Parade, imparting his knowledge of the business with students to becoming a teacher at Greendale High School, Dan has impacted  hundreds of students. We truly appreciate all of his efforts to impact our students and the greater Greendale community.

Walgreens (76th and Cold Spring) – What began with one student working at one Walgreens has developed into our consortium’s largest partnership in youth apprenticeship. The credit goes to Store Pharmacist Aaron Golembiewski and District Manager Mike Kohn for helping us expand the Pharmacy Tech opportunities to 16 students being placed in seven stores. Not only do these students learn the technical skills needed in the pharmacy, but also success skills like communication, compassion, taking initiative and truly making the customer experience valuable for everyone.

The VanderBloemen Group – How do you give advanced accounting students a robust, paid learning experience that complements what they learn in high school? The VanderBloemen group has figured that out and has truly mentored our accounting youth apprentices (YA). Starting with one student YA in the 2018-19 school year and advancing to six student YAs for the 2022-23 school year, Mr. Glenn Brannon and Mr. Tim Holstad have given them the in-depth, real world skills they are ready for. We cannot thank them enough for their support of our YA students.

Hayat Pharmacy – Hayat Pharmacy partnered with Greendale Schools for onsite vaccine clinics and COVID-19 testing this past year. Dimmy Sokhal, our lead contact at Hayat, always goes above and beyond to support our schools. Hayat partnered with us on one of the very first pilots of the “Test to Stay” program in the State of Wisconsin. The staff are flexible, patient and kind to all the school community members they serve. Their work helped Greendale Schools to keep students and staff in the classroom and reduce the spread of COVID-19 throughout our community.  Hayat also helped with testing logistics for out of state trips so our students could continue to take part in competitions and school-sponsored trips that enrich their learning. Hayat Pharmacy’s support helped us to manage student health and safety during the 2021-22 school year. We are grateful for their commitment to wellness in our community.

Synergy Home Care – Ms. Ruth Busalacchi and her staff truly care about the next generation workforce as they hired seven of our nursing youth apprentices and guided them to become the young professionals they are. 

Hickory Park Senior Living – Hickory Park Senior Living has been an ideal partner for our health science students to begin their careers. They have hired and mentored our students as they begin working in dietary, progress to caregivers and finally advance to nursing assistants.

Technology Resource Advisors – Mr. Greg Renaud and Mr. Benjamin Hathaway of Technology Resource Advisors have opened their doors to give employment opportunities to our Information technology youth apprentices. They are one of the few local technology companies who are able to provide robust learning experiences in hardware and we truly appreciate that.

Heritage Senior Living-Muskego – Ms. Kari Krizan and Ms. Tammy Roth-Bottoni are always willing to give our nursing youth apprentices a chance to learn all aspects of patient care and push them to challenge themselves to continually  grow. Our students enjoy the flexibility in working hours at Heritage Senior Living Muskego, so they can still experience all their high school offers.   

Dental Associates-Franklin – Dental Associates-Franklin is our consortium’s first dentistry employer. As a full-service provider in general dentistry, orthodontics, surgery, periodontics and endodontics, our dental assistant youth apprentice is learning so much each day. Between the connection to the Southwest Consortium and as a member of the South Suburban Chamber of Commerce, Dental Associates-Franklin is truly an active part of the community.

Heartland Business Systems – Heartland Business Systems sponsored the Howard-Suamico School District’s CARE Awards. CARE stands for Congratulate, Appreciate, Recognize, Esteem. These awards were given to outstanding HSSD staff members through a peer voting process at each HSSD building. Colleagues voted for staff members who exemplified the characteristics that contribute to a caring learning community. Staff were celebrated through surprise visits from District leadership and sponsors. The HSSD CARE Awards are an opportunity to partner with area businesses to honor exceptional service in HSSD schools. Heartland supported this initiative by providing a $2,500 sponsorship which allowed HSSD staff to receive a $1,250 person stipend, $750 school grant and $500 endowment to the Howard-Suamico Education Foundation.

Savoye Salon Spa – Savoye Salon Spa sponsored the Howard-Suamico School District’s CARE Awards. CARE stands for Congratulate, Appreciate, Recognize, Esteem. These awards were given to outstanding HSSD staff members through a peer voting process at each HSSD building. Colleagues voted for staff members who exemplified the characteristics that contribute to a caring learning community. Staff were celebrated through surprise visits from District leadership and sponsors. The HSSD CARE Awards are an opportunity to partner with area businesses to honor exceptional service in HSSD schools. Savoye supported this initiative by providing a $2,500 sponsorship which allowed HSSD staff to receive a $1,250 person stipend, $750 school grant and $500 endowment to the Howard-Suamico Education Foundation.

BayCare Clinic – BayCare Clinic sponsored the Howard-Suamico School District’s CARE Awards. CARE stands for Congratulate, Appreciate, Recognize, Esteem. These awards were given to outstanding HSSD staff members through a peer voting process at each HSSD building. Colleagues voted for staff members who exemplified the characteristics that contribute to a caring learning community. Staff were celebrated through surprise visits from District leadership and sponsors. The HSSD CARE Awards are an opportunity to partner with area businesses to honor exceptional service in HSSD schools. BayCare supported this initiative by providing a $2,500 sponsorship which allowed HSSD staff to receive a $1,250 person stipend, $750 school grant and $500 endowment to the Howard-Suamico Education Foundation.

Engage Orthodontics – Engage Orthodontics sponsored the Howard-Suamico School District’s CARE Awards. CARE stands for Congratulate, Appreciate, Recognize, Esteem. These awards were given to outstanding HSSD staff members through a peer voting process at each HSSD building. Colleagues voted for staff members who exemplified the characteristics that contribute to a caring learning community. Staff were celebrated through surprise visits from District leadership and sponsors. The HSSD CARE Awards are an opportunity to partner with area businesses to honor exceptional service in HSSD schools. Engage supported this initiative by providing a $2,500 sponsorship which allowed HSSD staff to receive a $1,250 person stipend, $750 school grant and $500 endowment to the Howard-Suamico Education Foundation.

Elevate97 – Elevate97 sponsored the Howard-Suamico School District’s CARE Awards. CARE stands for Congratulate, Appreciate, Recognize, Esteem. These awards were given to outstanding HSSD staff members through a peer voting process at each HSSD building. Colleagues voted for staff members who exemplified the characteristics that contribute to a caring learning community. Staff were celebrated through surprise visits from District leadership and sponsors. The HSSD CARE Awards are an opportunity to partner with area businesses to honor exceptional service in HSSD schools. Elevate97 supported this initiative by providing a $2,500 sponsorship which allowed HSSD staff to receive a $1,250 person stipend, $750 school grant and $500 endowment to the Howard-Suamico Education Foundation.

Community First Bank – Community First Bank has provided continuous support to our school clubs and programs. The bank created a unique School Spirit Debit card program which allows them to make donations to our school based upon card usage. Donations are used to support the needs our district may have, including our back to school breakfast. Additionally, the bank is a contributor to our booster club and supports our local, school agriculture programs by providing a venue for fundraising events. Community First Bank truly lives up to its name, always putting the needs of our Iowa-Grant Community First!

Collision Specialists – They are a frequent supporter of the school, giving assistance when needed and often before being asked.

Royal Bank – Their employees work concession stands to allow parents to attend special recognition games, and they help out our booster club with Brat and Burger night.

Ahrens Acres – Ahrens Acres is a local greenhouse that has been supporting our district for many years. They work with the school to provide beautiful flowers for fundraising. They also supply amazing flowers and plants to our teachers for staff appreciation week. They have worked with our agriculture teacher on growing plants and the use of a greenhouse.

New Glarus Brewery – The New Glarus Brewery has done many things to support our local schools. They donate items for raffles and prizes. Most recently they donated over $5,000 to our local backpack program.

Grande Cheese Co. – Grande Cheese has been a supporter of the school by donating items and money for items such as post prom and other events. They have also come to school to discuss job and career opportunities.

Spencer Real Estate Group – The communications department is proud to share a valued partnership with Spencer Real Estate Group. To date, they have served as a presenting sponsor for our Back to School Magazine and sponsored breakfast at our New Teacher Induction event. Spencer and his team have been incredibly receptive and a pleasure to work with. We look forward to continuing our partnership for other upcoming events and projects.

Piggly Wiggly in Cross Plains – Our district is proud to have the Piggly Wiggly in Cross Plains support our schools. They are working with our Education Foundation to provide personal hygiene products in our schools. They have agreed to sell these products to us at cost. This partnership is critical in helping our students be prepared for school.

Apptegy – Apptegy has been our partner for over a year. With their support we have been able to launch a new website, new communication features and a new app. These tools are important to help us get information to our students, staff and parents quickly and accurately. Nick Lewis in particular has been monumental in training all district staff on these tools and setting up our district for success.

Latino Academy – Our district started a partnership with the Latino Academy 3 months ago with the intent of recruiting more Latino employees. The Latino Academy has several programs and we are specifically working very closely with their Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Program, Bilingual Customer Service Program and the ServSafe Training Program. We have had excellent communication and coordination during these months. Our district already attended one of their Job Fairs and we had a high number of people interested in our open positions. We are looking to expand our partnership with Latino Academy so our district can have a diverse workforce reflecting our community.

Singlewire Software – Singlewire has been our partner for more than 10 years. They make the software that adds public address, automated communication and building access controls to our phone system. They have been instrumental in helping us design a responsive and agile system that allows us to quickly and effectively communicate in and respond to crisis situations. Their software enables us to automatically secure our buildings, contact emergency responders and communication the situation building and district-wide. Our partnership with Singlewire makes our schools much safer.

The Democrat Tribune/The Dodgeville Chronicle – The sister newspapers, both still locally owned by the Reilly Brothers, have been a vital communication partner of our district and students’ accomplishments for nearly as long as we’ve had a school. Mineral Point’s newspaper, The Democrat Tribune, began in 1849 and our first school started in 1829. Combing through pages of the archives, you can find a true, and invaluable, history of our district. In the modern day, we are still grateful for their coverage of academics, athletics, performing arts, agriculture and other accomplishments of our young people, as well as school board meetings and referenda. They help us build trust and transparency with our community, as well as tell our story and reach a wider demographic of our population, especially those who may not have internet access to read our news electronically.

Mineral Point Kiwanis – Mineral Point Kiwanis has been serving the children of Mineral Point since 1927. One of their most famous recognitions is the Student of the Month program, which has been an important celebration for approximately 50 years, now having honored multiple generations of Pointers. The Kiwanis is also the parent organization of our high school Key Club and the groups team up on fundraisers and other activities including a Halloween costume contest and Easter egg hunt. Our annual National Honor Society Banquet is sponsored by Kiwanis and the club selects a distinguished alumni speaker for the program. Another fun event is the Kiwanis Read-In Campaign where the club purchases books and reads them to elementary classrooms. In town, Kiwanis is famous for their homemade pies, holding several sales a year, including a Pi Day at school in March — the club donates proceeds to scholarships for graduating seniors.

Mineral Point Public Library – Along with schools, public libraries are the heart of many communities, and Mineral Point is no exception. With our public library within walking distance of our elementary school, visits are easily accessible. On Wednesdays, Mineral Point Schools dismiss at 2 p.m. for collaborative time between staff. The public library has hosted Wednesday afternoon programming over the years to help students stay productive during these hours; they also host a robust summer program and our summer school classes visit the library as well. The public library has been part of two grants our school has received called “Building Belonging with Books” from the American Library Association last school year. The grant focused on building empathy and increasing a sense of belonging in our community through reflective conversations centered around shared texts. Community members, including school staff, engaged in book studies and shared their thoughts in small group discussions.

Korth Farms – Korth Farms is appreciated and recognized for its continued support of promoting agriculture learning experiences throughout the School District of New London. They have hosted “Food for America” on their farm for the last 32 years and have shared other quality agriculture experiences that encourage career exploration, production knowledge and stewardship of natural resources. Korth Farm strives to fulfill our district mission statement “Success for All Students.”  Members of the whole extended Korth family have also been involved with the FFA Chapter with things like hauling student’s animals to the county fair and putting in countless hours of time and financial resources to FFA and Vocational Agriculture. Korth Farm’s active support for local FFA initiatives is greatly valued as it has allowed students and district staff opportunities for further connections to the agriculture and forestry industries.

Nercon – Nercon has designed and manufactured unique conveyor systems and conveyor equipment for all types of consumer-packaged goods since 1976. The partnership they have created with the Oconto High School Technology Department has significantly impacted our programming. They go above in beyond with their donations and opportunities for our students to come onsite and tour. They also have employed many of our students over the years. It never ceases to amaze me on the generosity of this business and how they are so inclusive our students. They help our students materialize a pathway to the future in the tech industry. Without Nercon and the passion of our instructor Shawn Porath our program would not be what it is today. Thank you!

Peshtigo Chamber of Commerce – The Peshtigo Chamber of Commerce has assisted students in our community by creating, sponsoring and planning the Peshtigo Community Career Expo.  The first event was held in 2020 and has since became a biennial event. In coordinating with our academic and career planning counselor students rotate through sectionals based on their career interests to listen to and learn from local experts in the represented field. Students will also visit with local representatives from manufacturing, post-secondary institutions, health care, community services, military, civic groups, etc. in a traditional career fair model. Additionally, the Chamber partnered with the district for the purchase and installation of an ADA accessible kayak launch that provides safe access for our students and community members into the Peshtigo River with their kayak. Annually, the Chamber also provides two scholarships to graduating seniors who are pursuing a degree in business, manufacturing, nursing or entrepreneurship. 

McCain Foods – McCain Foods in Rice Lake has donated $20,000 over the last two school years to our Rice Lake High School Robotics Program. Their support allowed us to host our first ever robotics tournament last winter, as well as purchase additional equipment to allow students to take their projects to a higher level. Additionally, their engineers are working with students to create career pathways and future connections. We want to thank McCain Foods for their support of the Rice Lake Area School District!

Dairy State Bank – In 2008, Dairy State Bank made a $200,000 donation to the high school athletic complex renovation and recently made a $250,000 donation to our new pool project. In addition, many employees over the years have been volunteer teachers for the Junior Achievement Program in our third and fourth grade classrooms. We want to thank Dairy State Bank for their support of the Rice Lake Area School District!

CCF Bank – CCF Bank recently made a $100,000 donation to our new pool project and also makes an annual contribution to our digital signage in the school district. Additionally, many employees over the years have been volunteer teachers for the Junior Achievement Program in our third and fourth grade classrooms. We want to thank CCF Bank for their support of the Rice Lake Area School District!

Marshfield Medical Center – In 2008, Marshfield Medical Center made a $100,000 donation to our athletic complex renovation and recently followed that up with a $100,000 donation to our new pool project. Marshfield Medical Center also provides internship opportunities for Rice Lake High School students. We want to thank Marshfield Medical Center for their support of the Rice Lake Area School District!

Rice Lake Weighing Systems – Rice Lake Weighing Systems recently made a $500,000 donation to our new pool project and also partnered with the district to install solar panels at three different schools in the district. In addition to providing updated welding equipment for high school students, RLWS continues to provide internship opportunities for Rice Lake High School students in a number of areas. We want to thank Rice Lake Weighing Systems for their support of the Rice Lake Area School District!

Kraemer Brothers – Kraemer Brothers have been a supporter of River Valley Schools since our school district consolidation in 1963. In the last year, they have provided significant financial support to our Stadium Investment project and our softball field upgrade. We would not have been able to move forward with either project without their support.

Gauger & Son Salvage, Inc. – The Gauger Family has been long-time supporters of River Valley Schools. In the last year they have provided significant financial support to our Stadium Investment project. We would not have been able to move forward with this project without their support.

Straka Meats – The Straka Family has been long-time supporters of River Valley Schools. In the last year, they have provided significant financial support to our Stadium Investment project. We would not have been able to move forward with this project without their support.

Prem Meats – The Prem Family has been long-time supporters of River Valley Schools. In the last year, they have provided significant financial support to our Stadium Investment project. We would not have been able to move forward with this project without their support.

Firkus Lumber Company – Firkus Lumber Company has assisted the Rosholt School District many times over the past year. Firkus Lumber selflessly allows the school district to use their forklift to unload shipments and deliveries. The school doesn’t own their own equipment and that means that the school would normally have to unload shipments by hand. By allowing the school to use their forklift, Firkus Lumber is helping our custodians work more efficiently and is also protecting our employees against potential injury. It is not their job to unload our shipments and deliveries but they continually volunteer to help out the school and our employees. For that we are grateful and why the Rosholt School District would like to recognize Firkus Lumber Company as a Honored Business Partner. 

McZ’s Brew Pub – McZ’s is a local business in Rosholt that allows for dine-in and carry out meals. Their schedule consists of a partial week and they are closed most Mondays and Tuesdays.  They have supported the school district during different times by opening on their off days and making pizza for our district in-services throughout the year. This gracious gesture is recognized as there are limited options for in-service and meeting food in Rosholt. McZ’s also supports our PTO by allowing them to hold their meetings at the restaurant without additional charges. The Rosholt School District is very thankful to have business partners that help our staff and organizations and support our initiatives.

McFarlane Manufacturing – McFarlane Manufacturing continues to host many of our high school apprentices, providing meaningful on-the-job experience for our students. Additionally, the team at McFarlanes works with our Career and Technical Education team to guide the future of our programs. This included advising the district on the need for new equipment and teaching space — advising that helped the district secure a $2.44 million grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. 

Sauk Prairie Healthcare – Sauk Prairie Healthcare remained an essential partner as the District continued to navigate COVID-19. From advising our administration, helping secure COVID tests for district staff and assisting with vaccination clinics, Sauk Prairie Healthcare remained dedicated to the students and staff who make our district work. Together, we kept our schools open and safe.

Forward Bank – The School District of Abbotsford would like to publicly recognize Forward Bank for their contributions to current capital projects. Forward Bank has been a great community partner for our district. They recently donated $75,000 toward our football field/track media booth.  Forward Bank has also donated $50,000 to our FEMA building addition, which is scheduled to be completed in June 2023. Throughout the years Forward Bank has been involved by donating during their football (Touchdown Throw) and basketball (Half Court Shot) event programs. They also facilitate school district donations through their Charitable Giving Money Market Account. Thank you Forward Bank!

Processed Metal Innovators, LLC – Processed Metal Innovators (PMI) and their President, Chris Conard, have been a strong supporter of the School District of Bloomer for many years. Most recently, PMI has partnered with the School District of Bloomer, Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC) and neighboring districts on a Workforce Innovation Grant. Through this grant, PMI will be building a 5,000 square foot workforce development center which will include a classroom and manufacturing lab on their business campus. This center will house state of the art manufacturing equipment and will provide students in the School District of Bloomer and neighboring districts with innovative options for hands on learning opportunities in the manufacturing field. In addition, to the Workforce Innovation Grant, PMI has also been a strong supporter of the School District of Bloomer’s Youth Apprenticeship and Co-op programs.

Capital Data – Capital Data has been the district’s long-time partner in support of our technology infrastructure. In 2021, Cap Data guided our deployment of new network switches, access points, and management software, providing expert project management and training for our technology team. The District appreciates Capital Data’s commitment to providing a secure and stable network environment for our staff and students.

Froedtert – Andrew Dresang and Amanda Reedy have inspired over 100 students per year to pursue careers in health care. They have led the development of coaches/mentors who are employees of Froedtert and help organize project-based activities that are authentic and relevant. They also help facilitate guest speakers and other community impact efforts.

Eaton Corporation – Samantha Schilling is a strong advocate for LAUNCH and the ability to inspire students to manufacturing and engineering careers. She helps provide employees who developed projects that cut across industry domains (engineering, manufacturing, analytics and data science) and promoted the brand of Eaton Corporation throughout our community.

Marquette University College of Education – Dr. Van Den Kieboom and the College of Education at Marquette University have been partners with the LAUNCH Future Teacher program since 2019. Because of the support of Dr. Van Den Kieboom, the program has served almost 100 students and provided the opportunity for students to earn college credit in foundational courses in the field of education. This experience has provided students with exposure to the career field, experience in rigorous coursework and cost savings in tuition towards future degree requirements.

Farmers State Bank – Donations for various student groups and a new football field scoreboard

Royal Bank – Financial literacy resources for elementary students, donations for various student groups and a new baseball field scoreboard

Hillsboro Equipment – Donations for softball field dugouts and scoreboard

Gundersen St. Joseph’s Hospital and Clinics – Gundersen St. Joseph’s is a valued partner for student wellness. We work together to provide a full-time highly qualified and licensed school social worker and other mental health supports for our students and families.

Gundersen Health System – Gundersen Health System has been a tremendous partner in supporting the needs of our students, families and community especially in the midst of our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a federal grant, Gundersen partnered with the district to develop and implement a Student and Family Assistance Program to support student mental health. The partnership supports two full-time mental health professionals from Gundersen in our schools to support early mental health intervention. The program provides any student in the district up to five free sessions with a provider and supports seamless transitions to extended community mental health care, if needed. In addition, Gundersen also sponsored and was awarded a $100,000 grant for the School District of La Crosse to create or improve therapeutic spaces in each school that can better support onsite therapy or telehealth services.

Mayo Clinic Health System – Mayo Health System has been a tremendous partner in supporting the needs of our students, families and community especially in the midst of our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Mayo was our first local health system to partner with the district on offering on-site mental health services to students. This support also included co-facilitated services with school staff which allowed a broader array of students to access and benefit from these therapeutic supports. Additionally, Mayo generously donated $20,000 to the school district through their “Season of Gratitude” Program which allowed the district to create a resource fund to help with the costs of individual and/or family mental health services or substance abuse treatment. The purpose of this fund is to cover costs of care when there is a funding gap and the family is not able to access the care they need.

Inland – Inland has partnered with the School District of La Crosse in multiple ways, including being a strong supporter and partner of the La Crosse Engineering Academy, offering tours to our middle and high school students, and volunteering to serve as guest speakers and presenters for numerous classrooms. Inland has provided donations that continue to strengthen our programming and accessibility to high-quality industry opportunities. Most recently, Inland has become a youth apprenticeship employer, which allows high school students the opportunity to learn on-site with a business, as they seek continued learning experiences within their chosen pathway.

The Weber Group – The Weber Group’s partnership with the School District of La Crosse is a key component to the successful career pathway opportunities that we provide to our students and community.  The Weber Group and their team serve as guest speakers, provide tours and donate time to share their skill sets and expertise within a broad variety of career pathway areas. The Weber Group has also been a youth apprenticeship employer over the past year, within multiple businesses.

Wieser Brothers – Wieser Brothers have partnered with the School District of La Crosse to provide leadership, instruction and a vital connection to the construction industry in our school district.  Wieser Brothers team members have also donated time to assist in high school technology education programming, have presented to students, and have committed to partnering with the School District of La Crosse in continued opportunities to support curricular experiences.

Associated Bank (Lodi) – The Associated Bank in Lodi sponsors a staff luncheon at a restaurant on Lake Wisconsin every year on the first day for our new staff. There is no better way than to make new staff feel welcome than to take them out to the lake in our district and have a local business honor them with a free lunch from the menu. It starts the new school year off right every single year in Lodi!

Lodi Piggly Wiggly – Our local Piggly Wiggly grocery store offers support to our school district and students in many ways. During our fundraising campaign for a new turf athletic field, Piggly Wiggly promoted a rounding-up program that resulted in a significant contribution to the project. Piggly Wiggly also supports local organizations, such as The Optimist Club, with food and supply donations for fundraisers. These clubs then donate funds to student organizations and clubs.

Lodi Sausage Company – The Lodi Sausage Company offers support to our school district and community in many ways. For example, Lodi Sausage provides a brat stand fundraiser for our golf team every year. In addition, they provide meat for an annual school district staff homecoming picnic. Lodi Sausage also supports many community organizations that in turn provide donations to student organizations.

WRJC – Murphy’s Law Media Group – Ever since Jim Murphy and the Murphy’s Law Media Group bought WRJC in 2012, this business has been a constant supporter of the School District of Mauston. WRJC, Jim, and the staff there constantly make time for our students and staff. This is through multiple morning drive time slots with our students and staff to promote events or talk about programs the school district is implementing; using radio advertising time for public service announcements for our district; covering different community events in their news events, as well as providing live remote coverage of our sports teams. In addition to this, the station will also have playbacks of different holiday concerts in the month of December. During this pandemic, we could not have relayed as much information as we did if we did not have WRJC as a partner.

Bank of Mauston – The Bank of Mauston is a staunch supporter of the School District of Mauston. In the 2021-22 school year alone, it supported the district with: a matching donation toward our Key Club Food Drive, became a Grand Slam Sponsor of the Mauston Baseball Golf Outing and became a five-year sponsor of our athletic complex scoreboard. In addition, the Bank of Mauston comes to our elementary schools to promote financial literacy education as well as taking the time to meet with our high school students about the banking industry, offering professional insight and guidance.

Zachariah’s Acres – The School District of New Berlin would like to honor Zachariah’s Acres, Oconomowoc, for their tireless commitment to providing transition training and natural experiences to our students. Zachariah’s Acres provides meaningful and accessible learning through designed campus, nature, wildlife and agricultural experiences in an universally-designed campus.

AM Construction Services, Inc. – AMCS, Inc. has been a consistent and dependable construction pathway partner for the School District of New Berlin, providing the district with multiple youth apprenticeship opportunities for students in addition to hiring carpenter graduates. AMCS, Inc. has shown commitment in partnering with the school district by helping to develop students’ dispositions and soft skills as much as the students’ technical skills.

Broan-NuTone – Broan helped our INNOVATE business program by providing our students tours, mentoring our students and providing multiple challenge problems for our INNOVATE business and marketing challenge. In addition, Broan provided mock interviews/speakers in business and marketing courses for students throughout the year.

Waukesha State Bank – Waukesha State Bank has provided our elementary schools with career-based speakers as well as provided our high school students mentorship opportunities. Waukesha State Bank New Berlin has also provided our students a challenge in the INNOVATE program that produced a student-developed solution that will result in more informed students in the area of personal finance. Waukesha State Bank also committed $35,000 over the next five years to become an official sponsor of the SDNB’s high school athletics programs. The deal includes the bank having naming rights to Eisenhower’s indoor concession stand.

St. Vincent De Paul (Pewaukee) – St. Vincent De Paul of Pewaukee opened their business for School District of New Berlin students to learn and practice real life work experiences. They found creative opportunities to make employment accessible and achievable for all, assisting students to gain important employability skills to gain paid employment after graduation.

Random Lake Pizzeria – The Random Lake Pizzeria has supported the School District of Random Lake in many different ways.  The most obvious is providing our staff and students with food.  They have given any time we have asked to treat our staff to a great meal. Beyond this, they provide ice cream for our socials and even started an ice cream token program that allows students to earn a homemade ice cream cone for positive behavior in school. Mr. Tommy Mole’s work and support for the district goes beyond just the concrete support. Tommy has dressed up as the Easter Bunny, helps out in the classroom and is always looking for ways to help. He embodies the type of support every district wishes they had in their community and would be a great representative on the business honor roll.

Krier Food – Krier Foods has been an outstanding partner with the School District of Random Lake. The tiers of support will be difficult to outline in so few words but Krier Food and its President John Rassel has done everything to help the District Thrive in a difficult time. In the past two years, Krier Foods and its foundation have supported four different projects that were well over $100,000 and have allowed us to open a coffee shop, update tech ed and create an outdoor environmental classroom. They have also supported our students by creating co-ops and internships and helping with a job fair. We are lucky to have such a good company in our community and believe they would be a great representative for the WASB Business Honor Roll.

Synergy Cooperative (Turtle Lake) – Synergy Cooperative donates awards for our Accelerated Reading winners and gives in many other ways to help our district and our students. We can always count on them for support. They are truly a business partner with the same goal in mind, supporting our students. 

The Atrium – The Atrium hosted a very successful Montessori Charter School Fundraiser. They have also taken the pictures for our school’s new website. The Atrium also graciously hosted our Prom at no cost.

Minuteman Press (Milwaukee) – This family-owned business has been serving our school district for the past several years. Their attention to detail and responsiveness has been much appreciated. They have been a great business partner to help us rebrand our school district with bookmarks, stationary, business cards, strategic planning resources and so much more.

City of St. Francis – The school district is the centerpiece of the St. Francis community which is a tier suburb of Milwaukee with a population of 9,600. St. Francis is in southern Milwaukee County. Living in St. Francis offers residents an urban feel and most residents own their homes. The leadership of our elected officials has allowed our school district to thrive even in a pandemic with the passage of a $30.6M referendum to renovate our three schools. City officials also committed to our vision by helping us to secure $350,000 of grants from the MMSD and waived all construction permit fees to make our dreams a reality: to create new learning opportunities and prepare our students for their futures! The school board and city officials work well together as evidenced by their mutual support at community events such parades, attending council meetings and using their meeting spaces for our school staff.

MKE Design Build – MKE Design Build has impacted our schools by hiring a carpentry youth apprentice, actively participating on our Construction Advisory Team and attending our Building Trades Hiring Event. Mr. Tom Gies and Mr. Matt Pohle truly understand that creating and building upon business partnerships with the local schools leads to professional development of our teaching staff, valuable learning experiences for our students and ultimately to a stronger workforce.

Excel Custom Contracting – Excel Custom Contracting has been employing our construction youth apprentices for several years as they carry out their mission of giving entry-level opportunities to our students to better understand the wide range of positions in the industry, get hands-on experience and define their futures. Our YA students have amassed over 3,000 hours worked and $40,000 in earnings as they improve the lives of Excel’s clients.

WRTP/BIG STEP – WRTP/BIG STEP has been instrumental in paving the way into the union trades. Among many outreach efforts, they have a week-long Summer Trades Camp that includes hands-on experiences in 13 different career pathways, such as plumbing, steamfitting, glazing, carpentry, electrical, tile setting, painting, masonry and others. Each summer our students and staff are immersed in activities that give them an in-depth view of the industry. We are truly grateful for all of the hard work of Mr. Jacob Walton and Mr. Jose Luevano.

Wisconsin Army National Guard – Sgt. Travis Patrick has made a huge impact on our engineering and robotics programs over the past year. He has provided support in multiple ways. His support has helped our students earn invaluable skills and lessons and put them to the test at competitive events. He is willing to help our staff and students and has done that on numerous occasions. His support is greatly appreciated and deserves not to go unnoticed.

Bower Construction – Chris Bower and Bower Construction has helped with our youth apprenticeship program this past year. They were willing and stepped up to take on a student for the second semester. They went above and beyond a typical YA employer. They took this student shopping for the necessary tools so he had what he needed when it was time to work. Aside from teaching highly valuable skills and lessons, they made him feel part of their team.

Building Waters – We are very thankful for Wes and his team at Building Waters and Econo Drain & Sewer. Wes was very open to accepting our students and becoming a mentor. As a youth apprenticeship employer, he has given our students opportunities to learn on the job and gain skills for a career. Wes’ willingness to mentor our students is unmatched and has helped our youth apprenticeship program.

Little Professors Learning Center LLC – Little Professors Learning Center LLC has been a long-time partner of Walworth Jt. School District #1.  This year under the leadership of Amy Faul, Little Professors has moved onto District property with a lease agreement, making their services even more convenient for Walworth families. In addition to relocating their business to increase ease for Walworth families, Little Professors has also improved numerous areas of the school building including but not limited to the outdoor play area, the atrium and the infant room. In addition to their services to our youngest students, Little Professors also took our theme of #BetterTogether to heart and unified numerous businesses in a monthly gift card giveaway for our middle school students. We are thankful for our partnership and excited to continue working together in the future!

Onvoy/Badger Plug – The team at Onvoy/Badger Plug really stepped up for our Holiday Gift Program this year.  We are thankful to the team at Onvoy/Badger Plug for donating well over $1,000 worth of various gift cards to our program to give out to our families during the 2021-22 holiday season. We are thankful for our partnership and excited to continue working together in the future!

Livingston Contracting LLC & Harvard Nursery – We are very thankful for our partners at Livingston Contracting LLC & Harvard Nursery as they teamed up to beautify our school landscaping. When the original quote came in out of range for the school budget, Livingston Contracting, led by Stan Livingston, worked with Harvard Nursery to come up with a way to improve the school grounds within the available budget. When it was all said and done, both companies ended up donating over $5,000 worth of materials and work to complete the project. Since the project has been completed, numerous community members have commented on the beautiful improvements to the school grounds. We are thankful for our partnerships and excited to continue working together in the future!

Lake Geneva Psychology – We value the partnership that has been created with Lake Geneva Psychology. They are a group of dedicated psychologists who seek to serve our community by providing effective, evidence-based treatments. In addition, Dr. Sosa and her team have brought their expertise to our school providing consultation services and staff professional development in the area of mental health. We are incredibly thankful for this partnership and shared vision of supporting our students’ health and happiness, while helping them reach their fullest potential! 

Reads by the River – Reads by the River may be a new local business in Waterford, but the Waterford Graded School District has already established a strong connection with the owner, Kelly Klein. One of the areas that Kelly supported us in last year was with our reading programming. During our month-long reading frenzy, Reads by the River donated gift cards to students selected to win prizes. She has also helped our district create connections with authors who will come to speak with our students about their creations. Kelly even offers a 20% discount for teachers and librarians ordering books for their schools. This has helped keep our shelves fresh and current with books our students want to read. Lastly, Reads by the River is a big advocate for literacy and has created programming for the Summer of 2022 to help keep our community engaged. Some examples include Children’s Storytime and a Summer Reading Challenge partnership with the Waterford Public Library.

LAB Midwest – Our representative, Mike Dietrich, has been a huge support to not only our district but surrounding districts. He has hosted in-services for other local schools in our facility to show the curriculum we are using. Because of this, we have increased our collaboration with other teachers, which has helped build the program. Lastly, Mike has provided us discounts on the latest technology equipment and has assisted with our Industry 4.0 curriculum. Because we can test new technology, we can provide feedback to LAB Midwest, and our students receive the opportunity to learn and work on the latest technology. Our new Fabrication Lab would not have been possible without the support of Mike and his team.

Milwaukee Woodworks – Allen Tomaszek with Milwaukee Woodworks has been a valuable partner to Fox River Middle School. He has been providing us with wood material at a pre-covid cost. This has allowed us to save money, continue implementing wood projects in class and keep the costs off of families. Allen has been very generous and even provides us with more expensive wood so our students can make projects with quality supplies. With the different types of wood we are offered, we can make a large variety of projects in class and continue to sell items for our online store. Some of these items include clocks, keepsake boxes, and benches. Students are able to sell items on our digital storefront. The money we earn is invested back in the classroom for supplies and materials.

TS Signs – TS Signs is a local company in Waterford that is also owned by past Alumni from Waterford Union High School. Adam has been a great community partner for our building. During our new logo relaunch last year, he helped to create and install new graphics and signage throughout our building. He also donated a new football scoreboard frame to our stadium that showcased our new logo. His partnership was also valuable as we decided to rename our environmental center after a former teacher. Adam was instrumental in creating the new Paul Bixler Environmental Center sign that is seen off Buena Park Road in Waterford, WI.

River City Lanes – River City Lanes is a community staple for Waterford Union High School. The Owner, Chuck, is a person who is always willing to help our school system when we ask. We were proud to add Bowling as an official school-sponsored sport this past school year. Bruno’s offered our girls and boys team the opportunity to use their bowling alley for the entire season. He even allowed them to host a fundraiser that generated over $8,000 for the program. Since 2014, Chuck has supported the Waterford Wolverine shooting team by hosting events and monthly board planning meetings.  For the team’s fundraiser event, Chuck closes his business for the day so the team can set up for the event on the following day.  This event generates an average of $50,000 for the team because of Chuck’s generosity in keeping down overhead costs of the facility and meals.

Vernon Electric Cooperative – Every year, Vernon Electric Cooperative seeks out ways to inform us about how to conserve energy. Additionally, they pass along opportunities and reminders about grants such as the current grant supporting electric buses. They have been stalwart supporters of our athletic programs and our robotics program. Their financial support of our robotics program made it possible for us to attend international competition this spring in TX.

Vernon Communications Cooperative – Vernon Communications Cooperative has been an active supporter of our athletic and co-curricular programs. They have partnered with us in making youth apprenticeships happen for our students who are looking for a career in the industry. Their financial support of our robotics program made it possible for us to attend international competition this spring in TX. During the pandemic they have made it possible for our families to be connected to the internet using a product called “metro ethernet” and we are grateful for their support!

Westby Co-Op Credit Union (WCCU) – WCCU regularly attends our mock interviews at the high school and are presenters every time we have a career day. They provide options for school to work as well as youth apprenticeships. Additionally, they opened a branch (called “Buck’s Branch”) at Westby Elementary School where our 4th graders learned to be tellers and helped their classmates with banking…ACTUAL accounts. Their staff members are our parents, coaches and supporters!

Westby Cooperative Creamery – The creamery, aside from being a major employer in our area, provides opportunities for our students to experience the industry in a variety of ways. The creamery has been a strong supporter of our schools including our athletic and co-curricular program. Because our community has such strong roots in agriculture our students have an immediate connection with this local business.

S&S Cycle – S&S has become a rich resource for our students. They provide tours for our students who are interested in engines and machining. We have discussed “learn to ride” program that could be potentially run through summer school. Their employees have been our coaches and mentors for athletics to robotics. Their financial support made it possible for our robotics team to travel to international competition last spring.

Eagle Pride Parent Group – The Eagle Pride Parent Group is a group of highly motivated and organized parents that come together to make Weston a better place through sponsoring community events, educational donations and tackling projects. The group has had a big influence on our students and staff with the different ways they have enhanced the learning at Weston. The Trunk or Treat, staff recognitions, fundraising events and overall contributions to making Weston a better place have been instrumental in progress in learning and community engagement.

The Weston Silver Eagle Foundation – The Weston Silver Eagle Foundation has had a rebirth of sorts over the last two years that has been very noticeable around the Weston School District. The foundation has taken on extensive fundraising efforts to help better the education and learning at the Weston School District. The foundation has improved the technical education lab greatly with donations to overall and improve the area. A great deal of donations have been pumped into Weston’s successful Sheep Project. Recently the foundation has taken on the goal of overhauling the sound system for the high school gym and the high school music room. This organization has really embraced how they can come alongside the Weston School District to better the school and overall education.

Grunau – Grunau has mentored recent Whitnall graduate Lucas Biloff throughout a youth apprenticeship in sheet metal/HVAC. They have also taken him on as a Registered Apprentice through the State of Wisconsin and hired another Whitnall student George Kostopoulos to take his place and complete a YA. We really appreciate the support of Ryan Clark, Matt Szymczak and Bob Stich. They are truly making an impact on these two young men.

Meineke Brookfield – Mr. Bob Wesel and Meineke Brookfield have been long time supporters of our youth apprentice program. This year they mentored Whitnall graduate, Andrew Benzinger, through his Automotive Technician Youth Apprenticeship. He has decided to stay in the profession and that decision was influenced by Bob and his crew. Andrew will continue to work at Meineke Brookfield and pursue an Automotive degree at WCTC. Bob’s motto is: “We’ll teach you as much as you want to learn.” Andrew took full advantage of that opportunity.

Generac – Whitnall 2022 graduate, Samantha Barth, was employed by Generac to work with engineers on real problems. Mr. Jim Piquette brought her into his group to design new test cells for Generac as they plan a large-scale expansion. Samantha was able to tap into the engineering skills she acquired in Mr. Jeff Lemmer’s Engineering classes and was ready for additional challenges. From Day 1, Samantha was treated like an adult and expected to rise up to the challenges that she and the group were tasked with. She excelled, completed an engineering youth apprenticeship and is able to continue to work at Generac while she attends MSOE for mechanical engineering.

Creative Construction of WI Inc. – Creative Construction has opened many doors for our students looking to start in the industry. Beyond employing four youth apprenticeship students, they have attended our Building Trades job fair, done job shadows and even helped us promote youth apprenticeship by having us be guests on the 1250 AM NARI Home Remodeling Show. We cannot thank Al and Bingo and their staff for going the extra mile to help our students understand the construction business and to begin their careers.

NARI-Milwaukee – NARI Milwaukee has been the critical connection to employers who hire our construction students as high school youth apprentices and after graduation. They have also included Mr. Tom Hermann-Consortium Coordinator to serve on the Education and Workforce Development Team.