Fond Du Lac Times

Envision Greater Fond du Lac has been recognized with the 2025 Community Partnership Award from the Northeast Wisconsin Manufacturing Alliance (NEW Manufacturing Alliance) for its work on Project G.R.I.L.L. The program, which stands for Growing Readiness in Learning and Leading, offers high school students a practical introduction to manufacturing and skilled trades careers in the greater Fond du Lac area.

Project G.R.I.L.L. brings together students from local high schools and area manufacturers to design and build working grills. Through this process, participants gain experience in moving a product from initial concept through production.

Ann Franz, Executive Director of NEW Manufacturing Alliance, said, “The Awards dinner is a celebration of the strong partnerships that have formed between manufacturers and education.” The 14th annual “Excellence in Manufacturing/K-12 Partnerships Awards” took place on October 28, 2025 at Resch Expo in Green Bay. The event recognized leading collaborations between manufacturing companies and educational institutions across northeast Wisconsin.

Emily Waisanen, Workforce Programming Specialist at Envision Greater Fond du Lac, accepted the award on behalf of the organization.