On Wednesday, March 11, two of our Youth Apprenticeship [YA] students had the privilege of attending the 11th Annual YA Day at the Capitol — and what an incredible experience it was!

Our students had the opportunity to meet with representatives and senators to advocate for continued support of the Youth Apprenticeship program. Two Whitewater High School students shared their journeys and the impact this program has had on their lives. One is currently a CNA at Mercyhealth, and the other is working as a Teacher’s Aide at Lincoln Elementary School.

This event was a wonderful opportunity for students to build their social capital, share their stories, and advocate for a program that is making a real difference. Along the way, they also had the chance to meet Governor Tony Evers and speak with State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly!

A huge thank you to Mike Rick, CTE Coordinator for WUSD, Tom Martin at CESA 3, and Katie Graf at Gateway Technical College for making this opportunity possible. We also appreciate Representative Tip McGuire, the staff of Senator Van Wanggaard, and Representative Angelina Cruz for taking time out of their busy schedules to meet with our students. Special thanks to Dr. Jill Underly for chatting with our students and taking a photo.

Seeing our students shine like this is a reminder of the incredible things youth can achieve when given meaningful opportunities.

Article and Photos Submitted by Mike Rick
Whitewater Unified School District Career and Technical Education Coordinator
ricmi01@wwusd.org