New WEF President Begins in Fall 2025
The Wakefield Educational Foundation enters the 2025-26 school year under new leadership. Jamee Paolillo (on the right in image) is honored to have been elected as the new president of WEF and will lead WEF into its 36th year of supporting and enriching the Wakefield Public Schools. Prior to being elected, Paolillo served as the WEF Clerk and was an active volunteer who was instrumental in a number of WEF initiatives. Fellow volunteers are confident that Jamee will embrace her new leadership role and carry on WEF's mission to build and sustain educational excellence with innovative and creative programs impacting students in all 8 of Wakefield’s public schools.
Melissa Holmes and Cary Mazzone have served as Co-Presidents for the past 4 years and fully support Jamee as the next leader to carry the baton and move WEF forward. Holmes and Mazzone expressed, “We are thrilled to welcome Jamee as the new president of WEF. She has been an invaluable member of our team for many years, bringing unmatched energy and a deep commitment to both WEF and the Wakefield community. Her leadership will be an incredible asset, and we look forward to the positive impact she will make in this new role.”
In anticipation of her new role, Paolillo expressed, “I am excited and grateful to lead such an incredible and committed group of volunteers. It has been a joy getting to see the amazing things happening within our public schools and I feel so proud to be a part of an organization partnering with the schools and the community to make an impact in Wakefield. Cary and Melissa have set me up for success and I’m so fortunate to have had their mentorship over the years. I look forward to another wonderful year with WEF.”
One of Jamee’s first goals is to increase volunteer participation in WEF. She encourages interested community members to visit WEF's website wef01880.com and invites them to attend a Volunteer Open House on October 15th at the Beebe library Lecture Hall from 6:15-7pm, just prior to the group’s regular monthly meeting. Learn more about the many ways you can play a role in WEF to make our great schools even better.
WEF relies on the generous contributions of key local business partners, private donors, and a series of annual fundraisers, all of which directly support WEF's grant process. These vital fundraisers include WEF’s Public Schools Calendar showcasing student art and noting important school-related dates; the S.T.A.R.S. program recognizing exemplary WPS staff; the Online Auction; and the Adult Spelling Bee. WEF has proudly awarded over $790,000 across the Wakefield Public Schools since 1989. To learn more about our work, follow WEF on Twitter or Facebook, or go to WEF01880.org.