Foundation for Winona Area Public Schools

06/05/2026

School's out for summer! Monthly Messages for June 👇

Monthly Messages

06/01/2026

Grant Dollars in Action!
2nd Graders in the Rios program at Washington-Kosciusko Elementary visited the National Eagle Center in Wabasha to complement science lessons, specifically exploring the lifestyle of eagles.

06/01/2026

Grant Dollars in Action!
1st Graders at Washington-Kosciusko Elementary visited the Children's Museum and Trane Park in La Crosse to explore and engage in hands-on learning activities that correspond with classroom learning: sound, motion, life science, measurement, and number sense.

05/29/2026

Please join in celebrating the 10 talented student winners of our annual Haake Poetry Contest! 🎉

Winona Middle School
• 1st – $200 – Emily West – Chemistry for Cruelty
• 1st – $200 – Shekinah Bailey – Your Gaze
• 2nd – $100 – Nora Po***ck – Don’t Wait
• 2nd – $100 – Drew Spalding – The Football Game
• 2nd – $100 – Ryan Speltz – In the Stillness of My Room

Winona Senior High School
• 1st – $200 – Will Kihanya – Hesitation
• 1st – $200 – Ashiiyah Alexander – Unstudied Silence
• 2nd – $100 – Alanys Lemke – Injuries Left
• 2nd – $100 – Marguerite Lungerhausen – Sonnet XI XVIII
• 2nd – $100 – Madilyn Gibbs – That Dreaded Word

Read more about the contest and the Haake Family:
https://www.foundationwaps.org/press-release/haake-poetry-contest-winners-2026

05/29/2026

Grant Dollars in Action!
At Whitewater State Park, Winona Area Learning Center students explored and learned about the natural world. Students who chose to go trout fishing learned about lures and techniques required to catch fish. Students who chose to hike the trails learned about the different types of trees and plants.

05/29/2026

Grant Dollars in Action!
Jefferson 4th Graders visited the Science Museum in St. Paul to experience hands-on learning, enhancing science concepts taught throughout their time in elementary school.

05/28/2026

🎉 $326,000 🎉
We're thrilled to announce $326,000 was raised for Industrial Technology initiatives at Winona Area Public Schools from the Foundation’s recent 'Forging a Future' campaign!
Read all about it: https://www.foundationwaps.org

05/27/2026

Congrats to our Executive Director Jenny Baertsch for completing the "Fundraising for a New Era" course and capstone project through Winona State University!
Earners of the digital badge have mastered core fundraising principles, including donor relations, grant writing, and campaign development. They combine technical skills with emotional intelligence to build trust, inspire donors, and adapt to changing trends.

Earners of this badge have mastered core fundraising principles, including donor relations, grant writing, and campaign development. They combine technical skills with emotional intelligence to build trust, inspire donors, and adapt to changing trends. Completion of the Fundraising for a New Era Cer...

05/26/2026

📣 BIG ANNOUNCEMENT COMING SOON! Stay tuned to learn the result of our 'Forging a Future' campaign... and it's a BIG one! 📣

Until then, watch this 4-minute video to learn why advancing Industrial Tech pathways is so important for today's students. A special thanks to the WSHS Tech Nest students for creating the video!

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

05/22/2026

Grant Dollars in Action!
AP Biology students from Winona Senior High School camp at Whitewater State Park to practice field skills that would be part of a college biology class, and execute the annual stream macroinvertebrate count and a bat study!