The Herb Kohl Educational Foundation has announced the 46 private school winners of $248,000 in Principal, Teacher, and Student awards to WCRIS schools.
Fourteen Teacher Fellowship award recipients receive $3,000 each and another $3,000 for his/her school. Fourteen Student Excellence and 14 Student Initiative Scholarship winners each receive $5,000. Last year, Sen. Kohl raised the student scholarships from $3,000 to $5,000.
Four WCRIS principals will receive $3,000 each and another $3,000 for his/her school, from the Outstanding Wisconsin Leadership Award, which is the second year of this program.
Annually, WCRIS works with the Kohl Foundation to collect teacher nominations, distribute and collect applications, and assist with the selection committee process.
Award winners are notified individually by the Foundation. They will also be recognized at regional receptions in April. Senator Herb Kohl attends each ceremony along with WCRIS Board members and staff.
“Through the generosity of the Herb Kohl Foundation, outstanding WCRIS school administrators, teachers and students are recognized for their excellent contributions to K-12 private education in Wisconsin,” said WCRIS Executive Director Sharon Schmeling.
“It’s truly a privilege to facilitate this competition for our members. In collaboration with WCRIS, the Foundation has awarded $1.43 million to WCRIS teachers, students, principals, and their schools since the awards were initiated in 1990,” Schmeling said.
2017 Kohl Foundation Award Winners
Outstanding Wisconsin Leadership Award
- Elisha Wagenson, Sacred Heart Catholic School, Shawano
- Gregory Hansel, St. Stanislaus and St. Stephen Elementary Schools, Stevens Point
- Vicki Faber, St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic School, Richland Center
- Kay Franz, Father Allouez Catholic School, Green Bay
Teacher Fellowship Award
- Deborah Aumann, St. John the Baptist School, Jefferson
- Deborah Cline, Our Lady of the Lake, Ashland
- Michael Falk, St. Mary’s Visitation, Elm Grove
- Anna Flemming, St. Patrick School, Sparta
- Mandy Nikolai Volkman, Columbus Catholic High School, Marshfield
- Karleen Opperman, St. Paul’s Lutheran School, Fort Atkinson
- Wendy Schibbelhut, St. Paul’s Lutheran School, Onalaska
- Jennifer Schmitz Johnson, Holy Cross School, Green Bay
- Katrina Schroeder, Mt. Calvary Lutheran School, Milwaukee
- Anna Stern, Wayland Academy, Beaver Dam
- Naomi Stewart, Prince of Peace School, Milwaukee
- Kristin Teska, St. Thomas Aquinas School, Waterford
- Shannon Van Scyoc, Valley Christian School, Oshkosh
- Catherine Zurawski, Pius IX High School, Milwaukee
Student Excellence Scholarship
- Emily Dolan, Lourdes Academy, Oshkosh
- Julia Flynn, Edgewood High School, Madison
- Morgan Kallay, Saint Thomas More High School, Milwaukee
- Heather LeClair, Roncalli High School, Manitowoc
- Mackenzie Mas, St. Mary’s Springs, Fond du Lac
- Brooke McArdle, Divine Savior Holy Angels
- Matthew McLachlan, Marquette University High School, Milwaukee
- Sophia Mueller, Dominican High School, Whitefish Bay
- Emily Nolan, Divine Savior Holy Angels, Milwaukee
- Sara Pederson, Catholic Central High School, Burlington
- Arundhati Pillai, University School of Milwaukee, Milwaukee
- Mikaela Schlesinger, Aquinas High School, La Crosse
- Zebadiah Uden, Living Word Lutheran High School
- Luke Johnson, Newman Catholic High School, Wausau
Student Initiative Scholarship
- Laura Soto Andrade, Messmer High School, Milwaukee
- Seanna Jeffrey, Wisconsin Valley Lutheran High School, Mosinee
- Crystal Jing, Madison Country Day School, Waunakee
- Jacob Kieselhorst, Luther Preparatory School, Watertown
- Kaeli Matula, Abundant Life Christian School, Madison
- Elizabeth Meisner, Wolf River Lutheran High School, Cecil
- Connor Miller, Newman Catholic High School, Wausau
- Madeline Richio, racine Lutheran High School, Racine
- Jesse Sell, Xavier High School, Appleton
- Benjamin Sonnenburg, Heritage Christian School, Milwaukee
- Lydia Starkey, Edgewood High School, Madison
- Katherine Teske, Winnebago Lutheran Academy, Fond du Lac
- Amanda Wroblewski, St. Joseph Catholic Academy, Kenosha
- Jiexin Yang, Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School, Jackson
