Waukesha Education Foundation Inc.

  Just over a year ago, there was no Waukesha South High School Esports team. This spring, the newly formed team won their first Wisconsin High School Esports Association (WIHSEA) Division 1 state title. So what is Esports? And why is it suddenly so popular? Esports is a community that gathers and competes around video games. Many students who do not participate in traditional sports or activities for various reasons may find a welcoming community in the world of Esports. It is composed of different games, each with different requirements to play. Like other activities, it allows students to gather that have an interest in playing video games competitively. Because it can be team based, it can also build students’ communication skills with the teammates and opponents. As Esports has grown significantly in popularity, access to the technology needed to compete can sometimes be a hurdle for those wanting to participate. That’s when Andrew Yep, Waukesha South math teacher and Esport...

On Friday, May 20th, the Wolverine Wardrobe at Waukesha West High School had its grand opening celebration. As a recipient of a 2021 grant from the Waukesha Education Foundation, members of our board were excited to participate in the unveiling event. The ceremony was led by Jeff White, special education teacher at West. On-hand were many of the students from the Live & Learn class that helped build the new Wolverine Wardrobe. Morgan Baker, one of the founders of the Wolverine Wardrobe, did the official ribbon cutting. Students from the Wolverine Wardrobe Club led faculty, students, staff and parents on tours of the new space.    The Wolverine Wardrobe was an idea that originated from former students Sarah Powers and Morgan Baker as part of their Trek class. The mission of the space was to help other students in need by providing an easily accessible place where they could go for clothing and accessories. It was originally located in the back of student services but it qui...

The Waukesha Education Foundation Board of Directors and volunteers spent Thursday, May 26 surprising educators with grants to fund innovative projects for the 2022/23 school year.  Throughout the year, the Waukesha Education Foundation, Inc. (WEF) raises funds through community events to be awarded as annual grants. Each spring, teachers and staff throughout the School District of Waukesha may submit grant proposals to the foundation, requesting support for unique teaching opportunities or innovative programs that normally wouldn’t be funded by the school district.  The WEF was able to award 26 grants, totaling $40,000, impacting 13 schools, the Horwitz-DeRemer Planetarium and the School District of Waukesha Environmental Education program. Foundation board members set out to deliver grant notifications with novelty checks, prizes, and good news and were greeted by staff and students alike with smiles and appreciation.  “These grants allow for enhanced learning opportuni...

  The Waukesha STEM Academy -Randall Campus, a K-5 charter school in the School District of Waukesha, is nestled in the heart of Waukesha next to Carroll University.  An unfortunate result is a lack of green space on school grounds.  With an increased need to be out in fresh air for mask breaks during the pandemic, staff and students quickly realized the need for a proper place for learning to occur outdoors.   A team of teachers dedicated their time to applying for a Waukesha Education Foundation, Inc. Grant to help make it happen.     Receiving a WEF Grant for an outdoor classroom was an exciting opportunity to provide the students with a suitable place to continue learning outside of the classroom.  Staff were connected to a local carpenter and educator, Scott Boris, who designed and built five high quality 8-foot benches.  The next task was to determine where to create the outdoor classroom...