How WAPS, partners are 'Forging a Future'

Partnering with local businesses and organizations has already led to some major improvements in career and technical education (CTE) opportunities for Winona Area Public Schools students. 

And the best is yet to come. 

The Foundation for Winona Area Public Schools recently announced that its 2025-26 fundraising campaign will support “Forging a Future,” an initiative that has leaned on the expertise, resources and opportunities in local businesses to shape a vision for CTE programming at WAPS. The funds will go toward new equipment, new classes and new career pathways for students in Winona.

“We are grateful for the support of our community partners in this process,” superintendent Brad Berzinski said. “We have a strong desire to improve our CTE programming, but we want to do it in an intentional way. Having the insight of local businesses — the people who will be employing our students in the near future — is invaluable as we put together a program that will support the needs of our students and the needs of our local employers.”

Forging a Future has already led to some noticeable improvements in CTE programming at WAPS, including: 

• Expansion into the middle school and an additional CTE teaching position
• Mechatronics courses for college credit, thanks to a partnership with MSC Southeast
• A firefighter class under the direction of Winona firefighter Brad Barrientos
• Additional opportunities for our students to work or shadow at local manufacturers in Winona
• A Geometry in Construction course, set to begin next year, that will have aspects of math and woodworking, and will be co-taught by CTE teacher Jerry Benedict and math teacher Travis Steine

Other areas for potential growth include: partnering with the Minnesota Virtual Academy to offer commercial driver’s license (CDL) and emergency medical responder (EMR) classes; additional concurrent classes through Southeast and Riverland Community College; agricultural biology courses taught by the WSHS ag teacher and more. 

These improvements are happening alongside a discussion at Winona Senior High School about the "Portrait of a Winhawk,” or the traits that every graduate has as they leave the building and become a member of the community. 

The goal, WSHS principal Nathan Warneke said, is to identify the skills and abilities students need to be successful, then develop learning goals across different subjects that focus on these skills.

Over the next few months, WAPS teachers and administrators will be meeting with local businesses to present more about the “Forging a Future” concept. The district is working with LAB Midwest, a company that aligns curriculum and machinery needs in the classroom with local business needs in the community. If you would like a presentation, please reach out to CTE coordinator Jeremy Graves, 507-494-1537, jeremy.graves@winona.k12.mn.us. 

LAB Midwest has put together different options based on the amount of funds available, ranging from $105,000 to $540,000. The options include not only the content that will be taught, but also the equipment and supplies that are needed, as well as proper training for WAPS educators. 

The Foundation’s fundraising campaign includes two big events on Saturday, May 9: 

• Morning: 3rd Annual Donut Dash 4K & 1K Mini Donut Kids Run at Winona Senior High School
• Evening: 14th Annual Fundraising Dinner at Winona State University Kryzsko Ballroom

More information is available on the Foundation for WAPS website: foundationwaps.org. Sponsorships are available.