Grafton Chamber awards honor those in education

The Grafton Area Chamber of Commerce seems to have had education on its mind when selecting this year’s Citizen of the Year and Outstanding Community Group.

Kelly Rieck, who works in the Grafton High School counseling office, is the Citizen of the Year and the Grafton School Board was selected as the Outstanding Community Group.

Both will be honored at the Grafton Tree Lighting Ceremony and awards presentation at 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23, in the Lumberyard Plaza in downtown Grafton.

Rieck was given the award “for her tireless community involvement, compassionate leadership and unwavering positivity that uplifts everyone around her,” according to the Chamber. “A lifelong advocate for personal growth and community betterment, Kelly has spent years volunteering across multiple Grafton organizations, from local school initiatives and service clubs to neighborhood outreach projects. Her work has touched all generations.”

The letter nominating her for the award states, “Kelly’s exceptional dedication, leadership and compassion have made her an invaluable pillar of the Grafton community. Her years of volunteerism reflect a rare combination of commitment and genuine care for others — especially our students and veterans.”

Rieck said Friday that the award was “shocking and humbling.”

“The things you do, you don’t do for recognition. You do them because you have a passion for them, you want to help people,” she said.

She said that her work for the school district is something she’s been passionate about since she started 37 years ago.

Her first post was as the school’s cheerleading coach, something Rieck said “just warmed my heart. I loved every moment of it.”

But she’s more than just an administrative assistant at the high school. Rieck has been an active member of the Grafton Community Scholarship Fund for more than 20 years, serving as its vice president, and is a liaison between it and the Grafton High School Scholarship Program.

She led the Scholarship Fund’s Glow Night Golf Outing and plays an integral role in coordinating the Grafton Give$ program.

Rieck is also active in veterans causes, and currently serves as president of the Rose-Harms American Legion Auxiliary.

“Her leadership has strengthened the partnership between the Auxiliary and the broader community,” the nomination letter states.

Rieck is chairman of the Veterans of the Month Award program, and she worked to add an educational component by having students interview the veterans.

She also plays a key role in the annual high school Veterans Day assembly.

“Those are the things that have been most important to me,” Rieck said, adding that the honor is “not me. It’s these groups I work alongside.”

The School Board was named Outstanding Community Group for “exceptional leadership, vision and commitment to excellence in public education.”

The board has guided the district through “transformative growth — academically, fiscally and culturally,” the Chamber said, adding that its efforts, in partnership with Supt. Jeff Nelson, “have positioned the Grafton School District among Wisconsin’s most respected and successful educational systems.”

Its work, the Chamber said, “has helped make Grafton a destination for young families and professionals alike.”

The letter nominating the board states that the board has faced challenges through the years, but it worked diligently to face them.

“Whether you measure successes in academics, music, drama, athletics or community service, the Grafton School District has risen to the top of the list with the best anywhere,” it states.

Its success can be seen in the number of out-of-district families who send their children to Grafton schools via open enrollment and its work to ensure referendum funds were spent wisely.

“The maintenance of buildings and grounds is adequately funded to avoid early deterioration,” the letter states. “Our funds have been managed so well that the last referendum did not result in a property tax increase for district residents.

“A strong, forward-looking School Board is essential to the continued growth of Grafton and improved opportunities for our families. We have collectively hit a home run by electing this outstanding group to lead our community forward.”