On Wednesday, April 16, 2025, the Oshkosh West High School Distinguished Alumni Committee recognized Janette Fennell - Oshkosh High School Class of 1972 - as the 2025 recipient of the Oshkosh West High School Distinguished Alumni Award.

Each year, the committee at Oshkosh West - composed of students, staff and community members - selects a singular recipient to be honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award. The award recognizes an outstanding alum of Oshkosh West High School (or former Oshkosh High School) -  who has maintained a high standard of excellence and distinguished themselves through their work, personal accomplishments, or in the lives of others.

As the founder and president of Kids and Car Safety, as well as the global leading authority on non traffic incidents, Janette Fennell was selected as the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient for her dedicated work within automotive safety and dedication to implementing critical safety standards within the industry. (See the Alumni Spotlight section below to learn more about her educational journey and professional impact.)

Check out photos from the event HERE.

During the ceremony, Fennell was invited to the podium to describe her professional journey throughout her career. She explained that even though she found great success and earned coveted positions within the areas of sales and marketing, it was not until Fennell and her family had a traumatic experience involving being kidnapped and trapped in the trunk of her car that she discovered her true professional calling in the field of automotive safety advocacy. 

After that experience, Fennell said she was determined to prevent anyone from going through a similar hardship as she and her family had. After years of advocacy, Fennell played a key role in the passing of national legislature which standardized trunk releases in every vehicle sold and leased in the United States. Fennell shared that since that change to U.S. automotive safety standards was approved in 2000, there have been zero trunk-related deaths in vehicles equipped with the trunk release mechanism.

Fennell also shared about other automotive safety features she had played a hand in standardizing - most notably the integration of backup cameras to motor vehicles in 2018 - and described how the process of passing new safety regulations can take up to twenty years of advocacy before they are officially mandated.

Through telling her story, Fennell wanted her professional and personal experiences to serve as a reminder to students to embrace opportunities to fight for their passions and search for what gives them a sense of purpose. 

Within her address to students, Fennell recalled how it felt to be a high school senior - remembering feelings of curiosity, nervousness, and excitement for the future. “Each of you is standing at the starting line of something amazing. Today, I want to share some lessons that I wished someone had shared with me when I was in your shoes,” said Fennell. “Say yes to unexpected opportunities, and know that your voice matters right now - you don’t have to wait until you are an adult to make an impact. Remember that no job is beneath you, and no goal is beyond you. Approach everything in life with humility and determination. Do not forget that kindness and grit matter more than talent alone. And lastly, know that true success is measured by the difference you make in other people’s lives.”

The award ceremony was attended by current Oshkosh West seniors and staff, school and district administrators, and several alumni from Oshkosh High School Class of 1972. A livestream of the ceremony was also available to students in West homerooms.

When asked what it was like to return to Oshkosh West and speak directly to students, Fennell said, “I loved talking to the students - they are our future and we need to empower them. They need to realize how much power they have when they speak up, get interested in making changes, and embrace fearlessness. More than anything, I want them to know that one person can make a difference. Don’t ever give up on what is important to you.

Congratulations to Janette Fennell for being named the 2025 Oshkosh West Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient. The time she spent as a student at Oshkosh High School, the professional development she pursued after graduation, and the contributions she has made to global automotive safety standards for the betterment of the lives of others are highly commendable and inspiring examples of the power of positive educational experiences. Fennell, and countless other Oshkosh Area School District alumni, serve as exemplary role models for our students as they look to the future.

Alumni Spotlight: Janette Fennell

Janette Fennell, a proud graduate of Oshkosh High School’s Class of 1972, is the founder and president of Kids and Car Safety, a nationally recognized nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing injuries and fatalities of children in and around motor vehicles. A globally respected consumer advocate and a leading voice in child safety, Janette has made groundbreaking contributions to vehicle safety standards, saving countless lives.

During her time at Oshkosh High, Janette embraced every opportunity for academic and leadership growth. She served as Senior Class Treasurer, was active in Student Council, and was inducted into the O’Neil Honor Society. Her involvement in Pep Club, Future Business Leaders of America, and other organizations helped sharpen the teamwork, critical thinking, and communication skills that would later define her professional journey. A pivotal moment came through the school’s co-op program, which placed her in a business setting - an experience that proved transformative and laid the foundation for her future career.

After earning a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Janette began a successful career at Eastman Kodak, where she received multiple promotions and relocated ten times across the country. She later held senior roles in sales and marketing at Helene Curtis.

In 1995, Janette’s life was forever changed when she and her family were kidnapped and locked in the trunk of their own car. That traumatic experience became the catalyst for her life’s mission: to prevent similar tragedies from happening to others. Her campaign to make car trunks escapable led to the mandatory inclusion of phosphorescent trunk release mechanisms in all new vehicles as of 2002 - a safety feature that continues to save lives. Remarkably, no one has died in a trunk equipped with this mechanism. Zero.

Janette’s relentless advocacy didn’t stop there. Her work has resulted in numerous critical safety features that are now standard in vehicles, including: rearview cameras, mandatory since 2018, which have led to an 80% reduction in child backover deaths, redesigned power window switches to prevent child strangulation, a requirement to press the brake before shifting out of park, and coming federal requirements for rear seat belt reminders. These victories, often decades in the making, have saved lives and changed the automotive industry forever.

As the nation’s leading authority on non traffic incidents - one of the most under-recognized causes of child injuries and deaths - Janette has brought national and global attention to these hidden dangers. Her work has influenced legislation, regulatory policy, and automotive design worldwide. She is a trusted expert regularly called upon by Congress, the United Nations, the media, and major safety organizations. Her voice has reached millions through appearances on The Today Show, Oprah, Dateline, Good Morning America, Fox, CNN, NPR and more, as well as through features in The New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today.

Janette serves on the boards of several influential organizations, including Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety and the California Coalition for Children’s Safety and Health. Her tireless work has been honored with numerous prestigious awards, including: The Esther Peterson Consumer Service Award (Consumer Federation of America), The Public Service Award (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), Annual Injury Prevention Award, (American Academy of Pediatrics), and The U.S. Department of Transportation Safety Champion Award underscoring her lasting impact on public health, consumer safety, and injury prevention. She has also been named an Outstanding Alumna by both the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh and its College of Business.

Janette Fennell’s lifelong dedication to vehicle and child safety has created a lasting legacy. Her work continues to protect children, families, and communities - and her impact will be felt for generations to come.

To learn more about Ms. Fennell’s work with Kids and Car Safety, please visit the organization’s official website at KidsAndCars.org