Shane Kohl has fond memories of his years at Foster Elementary School, where every educator played a significant role in helping him to find his voice.
“Every classroom teacher, every staff member, every librarian, every gym teacher, every music teacher encouraged me to find my voice. They saw something in me that I never saw in myself. They supported me as I leaned into my passions and had high expectations around the things I preferred to avoid. So much of who I am today was formed at Foster,” he said.
In a recent interview, Shane and Sheila Kohl expressed their enthusiasm for the Appleton Education Foundation’s mission and their motivation to start their own charitable fund within AEF.
“We recognize the profound impact educators can have on a student’s life and we are honored to give back and support their efforts,” they said in written responses to questions from AEF. “It is easy to understand the impact AEF – and our philanthropic support – has each day.”
Both hold education in high regard.
Shane attended AASD schools (Foster, Madison, East) and went on to receive his undergraduate degree from UW-Green Bay and a graduate degree from St. Norbert College. Sheila received undergraduate and graduate degrees from UW-Green Bay, where she and Shane met, and a doctoral degree from Marian University.
“We are first-generation college students,” Shane said. “Our parents and passionate educators encouraged us to try harder, think bigger and push ourselves to have a positive impact in our community.”
Both took these messages to heart. Sheila is celebrating her 26th year as a teacher in the School District of West De Pere. Shane has spent his career in nonprofit development and leadership. He currently works for ThedaCare as the Associate Vice President of Philanthropy.
Shane also served as a community representative to the Foster Elementary Charter School board and currently serves on the Board of the Appleton Education Foundation.After several years as annual donors, in 2023 the Kohls decided to amplify their impact by establishing a named endowment fund in the Foundation. Eventual grant distributions from the Shane and Sheila Kohl Fund for Foster Elementary Charter School will support professional development, equipment and student-focused items that may not always be in the budget.
“Our hope is that this fund will help provide that ‘margin of excellence’ that Foster students and staff deserve,” the Kohls said. “The process was easy. Julie and the AEF team worked with us to craft a fund agreement that matched our passions and interests. From there, we worked with our attorney to ensure the language is included in our estate plans.
“You do not have to be wealthy to start a fund with AEF. You just need to be interested in improving the educational experience in our community. AEF will help you find a way to match your interests to the needs.”
Read about Shane’s favorite teacher.
Review the complete 2023 Report to the Community.