Photo by Richard Hurd
MMSD Partners with UW Women’s Basketball for Annual Education Day
MADISON, Wis.—Hundreds of Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) students will fill the Kohl Center on Wednesday, Dec. 10, as part of the University of Wisconsin–Madison women’s basketball team’s annual Education Day, with the Badgers taking on the University of San Diego Toreros at 11 a.m.
Education Day invites district and other local schools to attend a regular-season game during the school day, offering students an opportunity to experience a collegiate sporting event while engaging in fun, school-focused activities. UW Athletics and MMSD maintain a medium-intensity partnership that supports the district’s eight full-service Community Schools (Hawthorne, John F. Kennedy, Lake View, Aldo Leopold, Mendota, Orchard Ridge, Carl Sandburg, and Lori Mann Carey elementary schools), whose participation is prioritized for this event.
UW will provide attendees with educational activity packets, LED batons and interactive in-game experiences, including a Teacher Shootout during halftime.
This year’s game builds on the excitement of past Education Day events, which have drawn crowds of nearly 6,000 students from across the region. MMSD schools have used the event to support student engagement, community building and real-world learning beyond the classroom.
“Education Day is a wonderful chance for our students to see learning come to life in a new setting,” said Cindy Green, MMSD assistant superintendent of strategy and innovation. “It highlights the connection between athletics and academics, helps students feel part of our broader community and shows how powerful partnerships can be in expanding student opportunity..”
Sonia Spencer, MMSD senior strategic partnerships coordinator, said the collaboration reflects a shared commitment to student success.
“Our students benefit tremendously when organizations across Madison come together on their behalf,” Spencer said. “UW Athletics has created an event that is not only joyful, inclusive and inspiring, but also directly connects athletics with our literacy initiatives.”
“Wisconsin Athletics is thrilled to welcome students to the Kohl Center for Education Day—a unique opportunity to learn and experience the excitement of Badger women’s basketball,” said Marija Pientka, senior associate athletic director for sports administration/senior woman administrator (SWA). “We are proud of our partnership with MMSD that makes it possible to turn a school day into an inspiring, hands-on experience.”
The event underscores the district’s continued focus on building partnerships that connect students with meaningful experiences across Madison.
Tickets are available to the general public at UW Athletics’ official ticket website. Organizations interested in partnering with MMSD are encouraged to visit the district’s website for more information.
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About the Madison Metropolitan School District
The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) is the second-largest school district in Wisconsin, serving more than 25,000 students across 52 schools. The district’s vision is that every school will be a thriving school that prepares every student to graduate ready for college, career and community. With more than 6,000 teachers and staff, MMSD is committed to ensuring the district’s goals and core values are held at the center of its efforts, so students can learn, belong and thrive. For more information, visit mmsd.org.
About Wisconsin Athletics
The Division of Intercollegiate Athletics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison provides student-athletes opportunities to excel, and thereby advance their athletic, academic, and social development. Through its commitment to education, broad-based opportunity and competitive excellence across its 23 Division 1 sport programs, UW Athletics is elevating the lives of our student-athletes, each other and people in the university community. For further information, visit: http://UWBadgers.com