A Big Surprise (This is a good story: read to the end.)

You probably know that much of what I do isn’t super photographable…meetings that may move balls forward but may not interest the masses. For example, I have a standing meeting with the Superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools. I believe in an educational ecosystem…that means public, private and charter schools all pulling in the same direction to educate world class thinkers and workers. That said, I requested our meeting be moved to Congress School this month, and here is why…

Remember this?

This photo was taken over a month ago at the opening of a basketball court within a church on Auer Street in a tough Milwaukee neighborhood. The MJP Peace Center, and its basketball court and free meals for kids, is the legacy of a young man, the son of the church’s leaders, who was murdered, despite his own reputation for being a peaceful guy. I stayed a long time at this event, a wonderful collaboration between the urban and suburban church, neighbors and eager kids. One of the last people I met was Diane Johnson. When I asked Diane about her role at the MJP Peace Center, she told me she spent her days trying to raise up good kids as a teacher at Milwaukee Public Schools, and when she was done with her work day, she spent her evenings trying to raise up good kids volunteering at the Peace Center.  This past summer, Diane was mulching a flower bed at the Peace Center when she was shot. 

She dragged herself into the church, trying to stay low to the ground before she noticed the puddle of blood around her knee. I was awed by Diane’s courage and resilience and commitment to her mission to help Milwaukee’s kids. I asked Diane if the school superintendent knew of her story.  “Oh, no…” she said, humble. “I’ve never met her,” Diane said, “but I would really like to!”

I told Diane about my monthly meeting with her superintendent, Darienne Driver, and mentioned that I should introduce them because I knew that Darienne would be as awed as I was by Diane’s devotion to Milwaukee’s kids. This week I knocked on the door of Diane’s 4K classroom.  Diane, with about a dozen students milling around, looked confused. (Her principal had kept the whole thing a secret.) Diane slowly began to realize what was happening as I brought in Darienne and introduced them. 

They embraced, and Diane shared her story as I helped her students with number puzzles. This week, Diane got to meet a woman she admired who is working to change outcomes at MPS. (Congress School piloted the uniform dress code that the superintendent pushed for all MPS schools.) And this week, Superintendent Driver got to meet a woman she admires for her inspiring dedication to MPS youth. Of course, the superintendent and I eventually got to our meeting, which is never all sunshine and roses, but this was certainly a highlight, and a reminder that there are good people who are not hiding their light under baskets…but sharing it so that others may be lifted up. 

Do You Like Shiny Hair, Clean Cars and Soft Blankets?

If you like shiny hair, a clean car and soft material, then thank Evonik, the company that makes the chemicals that do all those things. The additives that make your hair conditioner work, your car care easier and your fabric softener effective are made in Janesville, WI. I was there this week to commemorate their 60th anniversary in Janesville and celebrate the recent acquisition of a Milton, WI facility to the company’s portfolio. The huge German company employs about 85 people at the location, with an additional 20 off site. I told them Wisconsin is the perfect site for their future growth!

From Foxconn to First-rate Playspace

I occasionally spend an entire day in one of Wisconsin’s legislative districts and this week I was shown the best of the best in the Franklin and Greendale areas by State Senator Dave Craig and State Representative Ken Skowronski. We were joined for our first stop by City of Franklin Mayor Steve Olson at Kayla’s Playground, a massive play park designed for kids and kids-at-heart of all abilities. Kayla had Cerebal Palsy and though she did not live to see this incredible playground, built by nearly all volunteers in the space of 9 days, her mother fought hard for this addition to Franklin. Kayla’s mom knew the playground would be a destination for families like hers, which have to design outings based on where their children will be able to participate, be changed, and relax with family. This was the two year anniversary of the playground's opening.

At Kayla’s Playground, they have a swing that can accommodate a wheelchair IN the swing, so caregivers don’t have to transfer a child or adult; they have extra large changing tables in the accessible bathrooms and they have tables with benches on one side and wheelchair access on the other!

At Krones, another German company, we learned about their aggressive workforce recruitment strategy. I also came away with a new respect for what goes into making plastic containers.  These folks make the moulds that make the plastic bottles we use and drink from. If you’ve had a Coke…or a Pepsi…or like your Listerine in the plastic (not glass) bottle, you can thank Krones…they did that! 

And as long as we’re on the topic of thanking Wisconsin companies for their contributions to our lives…raise your hand if you’re glad we have paper towels, napkins and toilet paper! Kinetic makes the knives and blades that go into the machines that make these everyday products for us. Kinetic is hoping to become one of the suppliers to tech giant Foxconn when they come to WI. Foxconn intends to hire 10,000 people to build their campus. The building will take as many as five years because the project is so huge, but Foxconn intends to hire people in the meantime.  In fact, they have already been employee shopping at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Marquette, and posted a number of jobs on indeed.com. They may not hire the full 13,000 people for a number of years (something we expected) because the workspace for the lines needs to be built before workers can begin building LCD screens. The standard number of “extra” jobs that will be created because companies will need to hire more people just to supply Foxconn’s massive demand remains at 22,000, but I have heard economic development agency folks speculate that the number may be even larger. In fact, there are some companies banking on growing by being suppliers to Foxconn suppliers!

That includes Anderson Labs, which conducts “independent tests” on things like corrosion, tensile strength and whether any unintentional additives have found their way into a manufactured product. I watched one of the tests live, where they literally stretched and pulled apart a metal rod to see how much it could handle before it broke. If you click on the picture above, you'll see the video so you can laugh at my reaction when it finally breaks. Despite the fact that I knew it was coming, you kind of have to be startled when metal snaps, right? Anderson Labs hopes to conduct testing for Foxconn suppliers.

Blatant Tease to Next Week’s Newsletter

I’ll end here for this week, as I am writing from a plane, elbowing my seat mate with every keystroke.  But can you guess from this photo where I’ve been? I’ll tell you about my trip in the next newsletter… 

Forward,

Rebecca Kleefisch
Lt. Governor