Grant Stories

Over 200 people joined in celebration of local educators and volunteers at the annual Celebrate Education event on Monday, March 11, 2024. Held at the Oshkosh Convention Center, the event awarded $75,000 in grants to more than 60 exceptional educators for innovative programs and projects in the classroom, on the field, and after school. Awards were also presented to community members that have a passion for education and leadership.

Since Celebrate Education began in 2005, there has been a total of $743,690 awarded to educators in the Oshkosh community. The event was sponsored by the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation, Mid-Morning Kiwanis Club of Oshkosh, UWO College of Education and Human Services, Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce, Oshkosh Area School District Education Foundation, Edward and Belle Rudoy Endowment Fund, and Oshkosh Southwest Rotary.

Congratulations to the 2024 Celebrate Education winners!

DR. STANLEY J. SPANBAUER EDUCATION AND LEADERSHIP AWARD (LOURDES ACADEMY):

• Don Hansen

MID-MORNING KIWANIS CLUB OF OSHKOSH CELEBRATE EDUCATION GRANTS:

• Caroline Boettcher, Jefferson Elementary School
• Krista Frenz, Vel Phillips Middle School
• Kabel Helmbrecht, Oshkosh Area School District Recreation Department
• Nikki Knitt, Valley Christian School
• Meghan Neveau, Valley Christian School
• Becky Piechowski, Lourdes Academy Elementary School
• Julie Runde, Carl Traeger Elementary School
• Jessica Sims, Oshkosh Area School District
• Traci Soeller, Oshkosh Area School District
• Kristine Steinhilber, Oshkosh West High School
• Sara Vollbrecht, Jefferson Elementary School
• Melissa Zielke, Oshkosh Area School District

OSHKOSH AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION CELEBRATE EDUCATION GRANTS:

• Nicole Bouzek, Oshkosh West High School
• Jacqueline Brown, Jefferson Elementary School
• William Brydon, Oshkosh West High School
• Amanda Campos, Valley Christian School
• Amber Clark, Valley Christian School
• Nicole Dahlke, Lourdes Academy of Oshkosh
• Michelle Dorn, Franklin Elementary School
• Beth Freund, Valley Christian School
• Kara Hartkopf, Oaklawn Elementary School
• Teresa Hass, Valley Christian School
• Katie Hofmeister, Lourdes Academy Middle School
• Kelly King, Oshkosh North High School
• Kari Koerner, Emmeline Cook Elementary School
• Bethany Lang, Lourdes Academy Elementary School
• Rebekah Lehman, Valley Christian School
• Hannah Lehocky, Franklin Elementary School
• Brooke Neese, Lourdes Academy Elementary School
• Tracy Nyman, Carl Traeger Elementary School
• Jesse Peterson, Valley Christian School
• Erin Pletcher, Valley Christian School
• Robyn Skaar, Lourdes Academy Elementary School
• Jaime Thompson, Roosevelt Elementary School
• Rebecca Thompson, Elementary School
• Liz VanHeuklon, Carl Traeger Elementary School

OSHKOSH AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION INTEGRATED TEACHING AWARDS:

• Hugh McWane and Melanie Wroblewski, Carl Traeger Middle School
• Jennifer Turner, South Park Middle School

OSHKOSH AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT EDUCATION FOUNDATION GRANTS:

• Elizabeth Armstrong, Merrill Elementary School
• Jason Cummings, Oshkosh North High School
• Kathleen Erickson, Oshkosh North High School
• Andrea Fisher, True Academy
• Lisa Graf, Vel Phillips Middle School
• Marshall Morrin, Oshkosh Area School District
• Kayley Murphy, Oakwood Elementary School
• Cheryl Pagel, Oshkosh North High School
• Alyssa Solowicz, Webster Stanley Elementary School
• Emily Sopata, Carl Traeger Elementary School
• Heidi Wara, Carl Traeger Elementary School
• Melanie, Wroblewski, Carl Traeger Middle School
• Kevin Wacholz, True Academy
• Dana Zander, Oshkosh Area School District

RUDOY OUTSTANDING HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER AWARDS:

• Don Dineen, Lourdes Academy High School
• Max Harvey, Oshkosh North High School
• Nicole Jonas, Valley Christian High School
• Nadine Mohline, Valley Christian High School
• Haley Murphy, Oshkosh West High School
• Pam O’Loughlin, Oshkosh North High School
• Josh Peel, Valley Christian High School
• Cara Wessley, Oshkosh West High School

RUDOY TECHNOLOGY GRANT:

• Oshkosh North School

SPIRIT OF EDUCATION AWARD (OSHKOSH AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT):

• Jennifer Skolaski

UWO COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN SERVICES TEACHER EXCELLENCE AWARDS:

• Olivia Hoopman, Roosevelt Elementary School
• Sarah Kroll, Oakwood Elementary School
• Sarah Welsh, Carl Traeger Elementary School

Visit our Celebrate Education page to learn more about this great event and to see videos from past grant recipients.

2024 Committees

Celebrate Education Planning Committee

Theresa Duren
Cheryl Fowler
Colleen Harvot
Siri Pollnow
Jody Ruark
Wendy Schwalbe
Shannon Seaman
Renae Swanson

Celebrate Education Grant Committee

Victor Alatorre
Theresa Duren
Colleen Harvot
Debra Lake
Lisa Voss


Rudoy Middle School Outstanding Teacher Award Committee

Shirley Brabender-Mattox
Kay Kuenzl-Stenerson
Sarah Mathewson
Randy Zentner