Presenting the 2024 Inductees into the Woburn Hall of Fame!

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The Woburn Community Educational Foundation (WCEF) and Woburn Memorial High School are proud to announce the inductees for the 2024 Woburn Hall of Fame! These candidates were nominated for induction into the Woburn Hall of Fame by a member of the community, and confirmed by the Selection Committee through a blind voting process. 

These inductees will be honored at a ceremony on Saturday, May 18, 2024 at the Hilton Boston/Woburn.

The Woburn Hall of Fame is a collaboration between the WCEF and Woburn Memorial High School, formed to honor and recognize those individuals whose integrity, achievements, sportsmanship and character have enhanced the overall educational experience of our youth and inspired pride in our schools and community.  

We invite the Woburn community to join us in this celebration of Tanner Pride! Sponsorship, Program Ad, and Ticket Information can be found online at https://bit.ly/WoburnHOF

All proceeds from the Woburn Hall of Fame support projects for today’s students in the Woburn Public Schools. 

2024 Winter Raffle Sneak Peek #3

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Here’s a purse that bound to be a favorite!

Presenting the Michael Kors Eliza Large East West Open Tote

Step into success carrying the MICHAEL Michael Kors® Eliza Large East/West Open Tote. Crafted from faux leather, it features open top magnetic closure. With allover iconic brand detailing and eye-catching animal print calf hair accent on the front makes it a perfect day-to-day handbag.

Detachable flap pouch included.

Top handles, 9.5″ drop

Approximate size: 16.5″L x 6″W x 11.8″H; removable pouch 8″L x 0.3″W x 5.8″H

This purse is sponsored by Little Folks Day School

About the Winter Raffle:

This year’s Raffle features an amazing collection of high end and designer purses, experience packages and other items which promise to improve your chances of winning big!

Raffle ticket sales begin Monday, January 29, 2024. Tickets can be purchased online or by mail.  Raffle ticket stubs will be returned by mail.  Raffle Tickets: $5 each or 6 for $20

Bookmark this page to be ready to take a chance to win big while supporting Woburn Schools:

https://woburnedfoundation.org/winter-raffle/

All proceeds from the Winter Raffle directly support new programs and initiatives in the Woburn Public Schools.  Since 2014, WCEF has secured more than $600,000 in new funding for Woburn Schools, supporting projects that make a difference in the educational experience of today’s students.  

2024 Winter Raffle Sneak Peek #2

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Not into purses? We have just the tickets for you!

We are excited to preview a brand new item in our Winter Raffle, generously donated by the North Shore Music Theatre:

We are calling this our “Shakespeare and SOMA” Package! 

This package includes a theatre pass good for 4 tickets to A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM at the North Shore Music Theatre on Thursday, March 7, 2024 at 7:30pm

Presented by Shakespeare & Company as part of the Northeast Regional Tour

​Running Time: 1 hour and 30 Minutes

​Athenians mix it up with the forest fairies in this raucous romp that features magical meddling, romantic tangles, and a play within a play for good measure. One of Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies, A Midsummer Night’s Dream has been described by scholars as carnivalesque: pushing the plot forward through humor and chaos.

And to make your evening even more of a dream, we’ve paired these tickets with a $100 gift card to SOMA in Beverly, located at 256 Cabot Street. 

 

Phantom Gourmet:  If you’re looking for a place that has plate after plate of food that’s’ so delicious and so affordable, it’s time you hit Soma.   Located in downtown Beverly, this dark, sexy eatery shakes up stiff cocktails and serves modern Mediterranean made with a level of care, quality, and style you don’t often find outside of the city.

This evening of Arts and Eats in beautiful Beverly is yours to win in this year’s Winter Raffle! 

 

About the Winter Raffle

This year’s Raffle features an amazing collection of high end and designer purses, experience packages and other items which promise to improve your chances of winning big!

Raffle ticket sales begin Monday, January 29, 2024. Tickets can be purchased online or by mail.  Raffle ticket stubs will be returned by mail.  Raffle Tickets: $5 each or 6 for $20

Bookmark this page to be ready to take a chance to win big while supporting Woburn Schools:

https://woburnedfoundation.org/winter-raffle/

All proceeds from the Winter Raffle directly support new programs and initiatives in the Woburn Public Schools.  Since 2014, WCEF has secured more than $600,000 in new funding for Woburn Schools, supporting projects that make a difference in the educational experience of today’s students.  

2024 Winter Raffle Sneak Peek #1!

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Presenting the Michael Kors Jet Set Travel Medium Signature Logo Crossbody Bag

High-style meets high-function in this must-have bag!

The Michael Kors signature logo-print Jet Set Travel bag will be your new on-the-go companion. Its slim, compact profile makes it effortlessly portable, while a compartmentalized interior organizes small essentials with ease. Count on this purse to carry you through the busiest of days!

Stylish in a crossbody design in a rose gold and white logo print, complimented with gold-tone hardware, this purse features exterior back and front slip pockets, interior back slip pocket and 3 card slots; zip closure. Approximate size: 6”W X 8”H X 2.75”D

This bag was donated to our Winter Raffle by Maureen Willis

 

About the Winter Raffle

This year’s Raffle features an amazing collection of high end and designer purses, experience packages and other items which promise to improve your chances of winning big!

Raffle ticket sales begin Monday, January 29, 2024. Tickets can be purchased online or by mail.  Raffle ticket stubs will be returned by mail.  Raffle Tickets: $5 each or 6 for $20

Bookmark this page to be ready to take a chance to win big while supporting Woburn Schools:

https://woburnedfoundation.org/winter-raffle/

All proceeds from the Winter Raffle directly support new programs and initiatives in the Woburn Public Schools.  Since 2014, WCEF has secured more than $600,000 in new funding for Woburn Schools, supporting projects that make a difference in the educational experience of today’s students.  

Winning Home Supports Caring Schools

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Winning Home Foundation, Inc. recently awarded the Woburn Community Educational Foundation (WCEF) a $20,000 grant, which represents year 2 of a multi-year investment in a new initiative in the district’s middle schools: Caring School Community. This generous gift will help educators address the social emotional needs of today’s students, to support their academic achievement and overall success in school and in life.   

Caring School Community is a comprehensive, research-based social and emotional learning (SEL) program that builds assets in young people. This program will be implemented at both the Joyce and Kennedy Middle Schools to help foster a positive learning environment at each school, one in which students feel heard, known and cared for; a Caring School Community.

“WCEF is proud to partner with the Winning Home Foundation to offer this important program in Woburn’s Middle Schools” comments WCEF Executive Director Maureen Willis. “By helping our middle schools build Caring School Communities, Winning Home is supporting the overall health, wellness and success of a generation of Woburn students.”  

About Winning Home: The Winning Home Foundation was formed through the sale of land assets of what was locally known as “Winning Farm for Children”.  The sale process produced cash assets for long-term investment, and preserved approximately 50 acres of the farmland as permanent open space.  Winning Home, Inc. remains true to the spirit and intent of its benefactor by working “for the benefit of children who are economically, socially, physically, emotionally or mentally handicapped or disadvantaged and their families.” Since its conversion from a landowner to a charitable trust, Winning Home has made grants over $5 million to area charitable organizations.  Learn more at www.winninghome.org

Photos:   

Photo 1: Members of the Winning Home and WCEF Boards at the recent check presentation. Pictured are (l-r):  WCEF Board and School Committee Member Colleen Cormier, WCEF Board Chair Brian Teague, Winning Home Treasurer Chip Curran, WCEF Executive Director Maureen Willis, Winning Home Board and WCEF Emeritus Board Member Robert E. Maguire.

Photo 2: Members of the WCEF Board celebrate Winning Home Grant. Pictured are (l to r):
WCEF Board Vice-Chair Eric Skeffington, Superintendent of Schools Matt Crowley, WCEF Board Members Ernie Wells, Bill Johnson, Robert E. Maguire, WCEF Board Chair Brian Teague, Member Nancy Whalen, WCEF Treasurer Maria Zeqo, Board Member Joe Crowley.  

Presenting our 2022 Woburn’s Awesome Teachers!

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WCEF is proud to present the list of Woburn Educators honored this year with a Woburn’s Awesome Teacher Tribute.  This year we received a record number of tributes, with 295 tributes received, 202 individual educators honored, and more than $5,000 raised to support WCEF’s Educator Grants Program. We are grateful to our community and to these Awesome Teachers for inspiring this wonderful support!

This year, tributes were delivered in person to each school by members of the WCEF Board of Directors. View the photo gallery online at https://bit.ly/WCEFWATT.      

Since 2014, WCEF has raised and invested more than $500,000 in the capacity of Woburn Schools to offer innovative programs that meet the educational needs of today’s students. WCEF supports educational projects and initiatives that empower teacher creativity and drive student achievement beyond that which is possible with public dollars.  We are a volunteer organization which works to bring new resources to our schools.  To learn more about WCEF visit www.woburnedfoundation.org.

2nd Annual Woburn Hall of Fame Event Secures Legacy of Woburn’s Newest Institution

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Two years of COVID cancellations did little to dampen the enthusiasm of the inductees, their families, friends and teammates at the 2nd Annual Woburn Hall of Fame Induction event. More than 270 people recently gathered at the Hilton Boston/Woburn in this celebration of Tanner Pride, organized by the Woburn Community Educational Foundation in collaboration with Woburn Memorial High School. Part celebration and part reunion, the 2022 event inducted 12 athletes, 4 teams, 2 coaches, 3 community members and 3 distinguished alumni representing several generations, into this newest Woburn institution, joining the inaugural slate of impressive inductees so honored in 2019. The success of these events and the integrity of these early inductees are the foundation of a Woburn Hall of Fame Program that will continue for generations to come. 

The Woburn Hall of Fame is also a fundraiser; this year’s event raised almost $20,000 to support WCEF Educator Grants and special projects at Woburn Memorial High School. Special thanks to our event sponsors, who helped ensure this success: Silver Sponsor North Suburban Transportation; Bronze Sponsors Boston Bean Coffee Company, The Boyle Family, Catalano Management/Dunkin’ Donuts, Chapters Recovery Center

International Association of Approved Basketball Officials, Lamacchia Realty, Inc., Rick Metters & Maura Embler and Family, J. Mulkerin Realty, Nocella Paving, Northern Bank, Salem Five Charitable Foundation, Solutions Over Sickness, and Winchester Cooperative Bank.  

Special thanks to the evening’s emcee, Alex Thomas, and to Brian Ouellette, Anthony Giglio, Lauren Coleman and Jennifer Gatta at Woburn Public Media, for their outstanding work on the inductee interviews. The evening was dedicated in memoriam to Paul Andrews, former Superintendent of Schools in Woburn and member of the Woburn Hall of Fame Committee. Fellow Committee Members include WMHS Principal Jessica Callanan, Vice Principals Ed Maguire and Meg Patrissi, Athletic Director Jim Duran, WCEF Board Members Mike Martini, Don Queenin, Brian Teague, Maureen Willis, Maria Zeqo, and community members Ken Busa and Doug Lentz.   

In closing the Woburn Hall of Fame event, the committee announced that moving forward, the program will seek nominations for the next class of inductees every other year, and will host a biannual induction event to continue this celebration of Tanner Pride. The next installation of inductees into the Woburn Hall of Fame will take place in 2024, with a call for nominations to be announced in 2023.

The induction event was filmed by Woburn Public Media.  For a link to the video, to view the Woburn Hall of Fame Event Program, or to orderr copies of the inductee interview video, please visit the Woburn Hall of Fame website at https://bit.ly/WoburnHOF

WCEF Winter Raffle Raises More Thank $8K!

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Thanks to the outstanding support of our community, WCEF’s 2nd Annual Winter Raffle was a tremendous success!

This year’s Raffle featured 9 high-end and designer purses, 2 Woburn restaurant gift certificate packages, and a Lottery Tree, all sponsored or donated by the local community. The event raised more than $8,000 to support WCEF’s Educator Grants Program, which funds new innovative projects and programs in the Woburn Public Schools. 

Special thanks to the Winter Raffle sponsors:  Presenting Sponsors: J. Mulkerin Realty, Lynch-Cantillon Funeral Home, Northern Bank & Trust and the Salem Five Charitable Foundation; Drawing Sponsor: Winchester Cooperative Bank; Item Sponsors Heather L. Harvey, Little Folks Day School, Robert E. & Karen Maguire, Rick Metters & Maura Embler, Don & Janet Queenin, and Rockland Trust Bank.  Purses were donated by Joe & Audrey Crowley and the Malcolm White Elementary School Educators & Staff.  

Community support of the Winter Raffle helped ensure its success! In total, more than 960 raffle tickets were sold, with the drawing held live on Facebook on February 9th.  The Event Program, as well as the full list of Winter Raffle winners can be viewed on the event website at www.woburnedfoundation.org/winter-raffle

Winning Home Foundation Funds New Programs in Woburn Schools

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WCEF is pleased to announce receipt of a $15,000 charitable grant from Winning Home, Inc. to support the 2022 Educator Grants Program as well as a new out-of-school time program for Woburn’s low-income and English-language learner students. This year’s generous award brings the total investment from Winning Home, Inc. to $55,000 in just 6 years; past grants provided critical support to Woburn Schools during COVID-19, as well as funding for 35 innovative school-based projects that continue to benefit every student in the Woburn Public Schools. 

“Woburn educators are concerned about their most at-risk students, many of whom have experienced learning setbacks due to the loss of in-person instruction during COVID-19, explains WCEF Executive Director Maureen Willis. “To address this educational disparity, they have developed a new program, designed to offer engaging and educational experiences during school vacation and summer breaks to low-income and English language learner students. We were pleased to invite Winning Home to partner with us to fund this important new initiative.”

“Access to meaningful learning activities during out-of-school time has been shown to level the playing field for those who may otherwise academically fall behind their peers,” confirms WPS Superintendent Matt Crowley. “This grant will allow us to bring students in Grades 4-12 on excursions to local museums and places of historical interest across Greater Boston during school vacations, providing supplemental learning opportunities for our most at-risk students.”

Winning Home grants are helping to improve the educational achievement of Woburn’s most at-risk students, opening doors of opportunity in the future. These funds are making a difference for these students in every grade and at every school in the district.   We are grateful to the board of Winning Home for its continued commitment and investment in the potential of Woburn’s children.

About Winning Home:  The Winning Home Foundation was formed through the sale of land assets of what was locally known as “Winning Farm for Children”.  The sale process produced cash assets for long-term investment, and preserved approximately 50 acres of the farmland as permanent open space.  Winning Home, Inc. remains true to the spirit and intent of its benefactor by working “for the benefit of children who are economically, socially, physically, emotionally or mentally handicapped or disadvantaged and their families.” Since its conversion from a landowner to a charitable trust, Winning Home has made grants over $4.8 million to area charitable organizations.  Learn more at www.winninghome.org

Photo Caption:  Members of the Winning Home and WCEF at the recent check presentation. Pictured are (l-r):  Winning Home Board Member Michael Maher, WCEF Board Member Nancy Whalen, Winning Home Board Chair Robert E. Maguire, WCEF Board Member Colleen Cormier, WCEF Executive Director Maureen Willis, Winning Home Treasurer Chip Curran.           

Presenting Woburn’s Awesome Teachers!

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WCEF is proud to present the list of Woburn Educators honored this year with a Woburn’s Awesome Teacher Tribute.  This year’s campaign was our most successful ever, with 271 tributes received, 189 individual educators honored, 5 whole school tributes and more than $6,700 raised to support WCEF’s Educator Grants Program. 

This year, honored educators received their tributes via email, and they are posting selfies with their tributes on social media with the hashtag #WATT2021.     

Thanks to the inspiring work of our educators, the WATT program has grown more than 50% during the past two years.  WCEF is pleased to provide this opportunity for our Woburn community to publicly recognize the extraordinary efforts of our educators, and the difference they have made for their students and their families, especially this year.  All funds raised through the WATT program directly support Educator Grants in our schools and will be made available to all Woburn Educators during the next school year.

The mission of WCEF is to increase private investment and community involvement in the Woburn Public Schools.  Our goal is to support educational programs and initiatives that empower teacher creativity and drive innovation in the classroom beyond that which is possible with public dollars.  We are a volunteer organization which works to bring new resources to our schools.  To see the full list of honored educators and view the Awesome Teacher Tribute Gallery as we build it, visit www.woburnedfoundation.org/fundraising/teacher-tribute.