KAYE FRATACCIA

Kaye Frataccia is a Spanish teacher at Ben Franklin Middle School in Valparaiso, Indiana and has been an active volunteer in the community for the past 20 years. Whenever there is a project in the community that needs leadership and direction, Frataccia is called upon, and always answers with an enthusiastic yes!

Her involvement with youth presently includes sponsoring the Ben Franklin Builders Club where she has spearheaded youth volunteerism for the Opportunity Enterprises Pack-a-thon team for the past 3 years, an animal shelter drive for food and supplies, and annual leaf raking for elderly/disabled for the past 4 years. Frataccia has also been involved in fundraising to buy food for the Food Pantries and student shopping and delivery of food to the Food Pantries, recycling of printer cartridges and pop tabs at Ben Franklin School, and Ophelia Project Mentor/Facilitator to decrease relational aggression in the Middle Schools. In addition, she is a recipient of Character Education Grant to further Service Learning at Ben Franklin and Frataccia is currently developing a collaborative “Back to School” project with the Builders Club, VHS Key Club, and Delta Kappa Gamma sorority to prepare backpacks filled with school supplies for needy children in Valparaiso.

Frataccia currently serves on the United Way of Porter County Board as well as the United Way Executive Board. She and her husband, Ric Frataccia, have been named as next year’s United Way Campaign Chairs. She is the past chair of the Volunteer Development Committee, which acts as the board for The Volunteer Center and is internal to The United Way. She worked to facilitate Kaitlyn Cook’s placement as the first youth board member on the United Way of Porter County Board of Directors.

Frataccia is also a Tri Kappa member and has chaired the Taste of Valparaiso and the Tri Kappa Children’s Program. She was the Greater Valparaiso Volunteer Center President prior to the merger with the United Way of Porter County and the Peace Village Community Day organizer. Frataccia is well known in her community and lives service daily. The aforementioned information is just a sampling of Frataccia’s “gift” to the community of her time and talents.