Utica honored with Patriot Award from military for supporting deployed Air National Guard teacher

Utica Community Schools has been honored with the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Patriot Award, a U.S. military recognition honoring employers and supervisors who provide outstanding support to employees serving in the National Guard and Reserve.

The award was presented to Wayne Johnson, Director of Employee Services, Alessandra Tilk, Human Resource Generalist, and Ebeling Principal Jacqueline Zawierucha for their support of Elijah Fante, Physical Education Teacher at Ebeling Elementary School and member of the 127th Wing, Michigan Air National Guard.

The award was presented at the August 17, 2026 Utica Community Schools Board of Education meeting by Michigan Employer Support of Guard and Reserves retired US Air Force Lt. Colonel, Jack Bronka.

Board Treasurer Dr. Steven Meyer publicly thanked the UCS team during the Board of Education meeting.

“I once had a mentor who told me the most important thing you can do is make sure your people feel supported in whatever you are doing,” Dr. Meyer said. “I want to thank our staff for their work but most importantly, I want to thank Mr. Fante for his service and coming back to UCS. We are certainly proud and honored to have him.”

Fante nominated Johnson, Tilk and Zawierucha in recognition of the support they provided before, during and following his military deployment to the Middle East.

While Fante was deployed, Utica Community Schools Employee Services worked closely with his building principal to ensure continuity for Ebeling Elementary students. Their efforts included staffing his elementary Physical Education position and ensuring that important experiences and school traditions, including Ebeling’s annual Field Day, continued while he was serving overseas.

“Knowing that my students, my position and the traditions that are important to our school were being taken care of allowed me to focus on my military responsibilities while I was deployed,” Fante said. “The support didn’t end when I came home. Wayne, Jacki and Alessandra helped make my transition from military service back into the classroom as smooth as possible. I’m incredibly grateful for the way they supported both my service and my students.”

For Fante, a combat veteran whose military service has included deployment to the Middle East, the support demonstrated the important role civilian employers play in allowing members of the National Guard and Reserve to fulfill both their military and civilian responsibilities.

By nominating Johnson, Zawierucha and Tilk, Fante recognized not only their support of his military service, but also their commitment to ensuring that Ebeling Elementary students continued to receive a positive and consistent educational experience throughout his deployment and upon his return.

Source: Utica Community Schools

Superintendent Robert S. Monroe

Http://www.uticak12.org