Wausau Area High School Leadership Program
To help develop a state-wide Youth Leadership Institute, WIPPS continues to partner with the Wausau Area High School Leadership Program. This enrichment program engages approximately 36 students from six high schools in the Wausau metropolitan area to participate in a year-long leadership experience. WIPPS program elements have expanded from the first year of partnership to include: a class orientation on the UW-Marathon County campus; a three day experiential leadership retreat at the Camp Manito-wish Y.M.C.A. in northern Wisconsin that promotes effective leadership through team concepts; learning style and team building activities at two Wausau workshops; ongoing mentoring and guidance of high school participants by WIPPS staff members and interns; collaboration on a visit to a local corporation to learn about project design, business leadership, and diversity issues; and a presentation of skills learned as a concluding graduation event.
During the Camp Manito-wish retreat component of the program, student leaders and WIPPS staff discuss service learning placement, presentation, product, and project action plan models, and they identify a community issue they want to focus on throughout the school year. Subsequently, WIPPS interns serve as mentors to the student groups to guide them through the implementation of action plans that include activities ranging from presentations in elementary school classes to panel discussions with community groups and agencies.