By Jennifer Eisenbart
Editor
With a gathering at Gateway Technical College that featured six students, numerous teachers and administration, the Elkhorn and Delavan-Darien School Districts showed off a new partnership Jan. 22.
The program is called Craftsman With Character – a semester-long initiative connecting students with skilled trades and emphasizing character development at the same time.
Elkhorn’s College and Career Academy has three students participating – Abel Chavez, Colten Welch and Griffin Brieschke. The Delavan-Darien Technical School is represented by Cesar Medrano, Josh Hersrud and Rafael Perez.
The six students will spend four days each week working directly with six local companies – Propshaft, R & L Springs, Wisconsin Oven, Integra, Continental Plastic Corporation, and Royal Basket Trucks, Inc.
One day a week, the students will take part in classroom-based character development, led by two people – Jon Anzalone, the EASD Community Engagement Coordinator, and Lisa Pavett, the program manager for the Walworth County Economic Development Alliance’s Inspire & Made in America Walworth County program.
The partnership was coordinated by Chris Trottier, EASD’s Director of Strategic Partnerships, and Mike Rick, Delavan-Darien Tech Administrator and Career and Technical Education coordinator.
“The launch of the Craftsman with Character Program by the Delavan-Darien School District and Elkhorn Area School District showcases the power of collaboration in education,” said Rick, adding that pulling character development into the skilled trades will not only steer students on a meaningful career path, but teach them values at the same time.
“With the support of local businesses and dedicated mentors, these students are building the foundation for a bright future – one rooted in craftsmanship, character, and community,” Rick said. “The Delavan-Darien School District takes great pride in having three of its DD Tech students participate in this transformative opportunity.”
Trottier was equally enthusiastic.
“The launch of Craftsman with Character demonstrates two districts’ investment in strategic partnerships and experiential opportunities for students,” he said. “The Elkhorn Area School District continues to ensure all students have an identified career pathway where they are earning stackable credentials. Collaborating with the Delavan-Darien School District, six employers, Craftsman with Character, Gateway Technical College and WCEDA exemplifies our value on community engagement and strategic partnerships and the impact collaboration has on student achievement.”
CWC is a workforce development program founded in 2013 by Dave Hataj of Edgerton Gear. The program offers a structured model and curriculum that brings together schools and local businesses to provide meaningful job shadowing, character education, and mentorship.
Speaking about the program, Hataj said, “In choosing ‘craftsman,’ we honor the tradition of excellence while embracing the diversity of talents and voices that contribute to the world of craftsmanship.
“We believe that anyone who embodies these values and skills is, indeed, a craftsman.”
