Computer Science teacher Stacy Lesmeister recently received the 2024 Herb Kohl Educational Foundation Teacher Fellow award.

Lesmeister is one of the 304 students, teachers and administrators in Wisconsin to receive an award from the Foundation.

Lesmeister attributes this award to the success of the Computer Science classes. She said, “[The school has] in recent years been able to add a lot of females and a lot of diverse students and so I think that had a big part of [receiving the award]”.

This award is not purely recognizing talented teachers but also provides monetary benefits. Lesmeister said that she “personally received $6,000, and so did the school.” The school is planning to use that money toward the Computer Science Department.

President & CEO of Herb Kohl Philanthropies JoAnne Anton said, “Herb Kohl believed that education is the key to the future of Wisconsin and our nation. That’s why he invested in and prioritized awards that recognize students, teachers, and principals who demonstrate incredible hard work, achievements, and service. We hope this year’s awards help this impressive group of recipients in their individual pursuits today so that they pay it forward in the future. We call that the Herb Kohl Way.”

The Kohl Foundation award program was established by Herb Kohl, former U.S. senator, philanthropist, and businessman who died December 27, 2023. Since 1990, the foundation has awarded nearly $38 million to Wisconsin educators, principals, students and schools.