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November 13, 2024
by: Ted Hamm

ÉHS Freshmen Take Part in Wisconsin Youth Institute at UW-Madison

Two Étude High School freshmen took part in the Wisconsin Youth Institute in May, getting a high-level experience in global affairs. 

It started with an assignment in their environmental engineering class to choose a country and write a research paper about a problem and a solution in that country. The students were given the option of tying their research to food insecurity if they wanted to try for the institute, and both Charlie Hamm and Kai Mavity Maddalena did that.

It was a challenging assignment, especially for freshmen, said teacher Heather Cleveland.

“They seized this opportunity, which was exciting,” she said. “It was a bit of a stretch for what we did, tying it to food insecurity. That was hard.”

Hamm picked Argentina; specifically, how expansion is driving deforestation and how to develop a solution that allows for sustainability. Mavity Maddalena chose to write about how constant political upheaval in Somalia affects food insecurity and what reforms are possible. 

Both their papers were accepted to the Wisconsin Youth Institute, and on May 1 they traveled to the University of Wisconsin-Madison with Cleveland. 

“As they put it, it’s to raise awareness of global issues, expand how we think about global issues like starvation and malnutrition,” Mavity Maddalena said. “Specifically, looking at other nations that are either severely impacted or have unique aspects of the topic. 

Both students presented their research in small groups with other students from all over the state. Cleveland was tasked with leading one of those groups, but neither of her students were in her group. The presentations were very informal, with some students simply reading their papers, but Cleveland said the Étude students knew just how to handle the experience.

“The groups sat in a circle and talked about it,” she said. “The Étude  students especially are familiar with Exhibitions of Learning and how they work. They’re go-getters.”

After presentations, the students rotated among various departments within the College of Agriculture and Life Science for immersion activities

 Mavity Maddalena went to environmental engineering to learn about how surging demand in products affects local communities. For example, he said, they looked at how the quinoa boom of the early 2000s affected local communities in Peru. 

Hamm’s immersion activities were in corn breeding. While environmental engineering isn’t at the top of his list of interests, he said the experience was valuable. 

“I don’t have a lot of interest in agriculture or life sciences, but it was interesting to explore new solutions,” he said. “I was interested in the community-based solutions approach, because it’s something I’ve never really seen before. I just thought it was interesting to be open to a diverse range of topics.”

Because of their participation, both students earned recognition as Borlaug Scholars and qualified for additional opportunities. 


October 16, 2024
by: Ted Hamm

ÉHS Students Gain World Affairs Experience

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If one day a student from Étude High School ends up in a diplomatic post or a high political office, it’s a safe bet they got a start at the World Affairs Seminar.

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September 25, 2024
by: Ted Hamm

The Evolution of a Natural Leader

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When Étude High School needed to select one student to attend the Wisconsin Leadership Institute earlier this year, Julian Panzer was the natural choice. The only tough part was convincing Panzer himself.

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April 29, 2024
by: Ted Hamm

ÉHS Students Take Part in Second JMKAC Fellowship Program

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Last year, Étude High School and the John Michael Kohler Arts Center embarked on a new collaboration that culminated in seven students creating and presenting unique works of art that tied in to the Arts Center’s theme.

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March 31, 2024
by: Ted Hamm

A New Spin on Engineering at ÉHS

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Up to now, STEM students at Étude High School have immersed themselves in robotics and traditional engineering themes. This semester, things are a little different.

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February 28, 2024
by: Ted Hamm

ÉHS students to take part in Madison Model U.N. Conference

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In March, the students of Étude High School will have an opportunity to do something brand new for the school: Participate in a Model U.N. program with students from all over Wisconsin.

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January 29, 2024
by: Ted Hamm

Founders Scholarship gives students opportunity to continue learning

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The Étude High School Founders Scholarship offers Étude students the opportunity to continue exploring their creativity, innovation, and passions during the summer break. This scholarship is distributed to students entering Étude High School grades 9-12, for full or partial tuition for summer pre-college experiences, camps, and programs. Last summer the Founders Scholarship was awarded to senior Liliana Heinen.

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