La Follette DECA Students Earn State Honors, Advance to International Competition

MADISON, Wis.—Students from the Madison Metropolitan School District’s Robert M. La Follette High School DECA chapter earned top honors at the State Career Development Conference in Lake Geneva, competing against more than 1,600 students from across Wisconsin.

La Follette brought nine students to the conference: sophomores Pax Cornelius, Malina Xiong and Claire Mills; juniors Dylan Larson, Allison Torres and Maya Ronquillo; and seniors Will Storck, Scout Braun and Logan Sande.

As a chapter, La Follette was recognized as a Diamond Chapter and received the Excellence in Community Service award for its work supporting initiatives including Trick-or-Can, Color a Smile, the Muscular Dystrophy Association and other charitable efforts.

Individually, students earned multiple competitive honors:

• Dylan Larson was named an exam medalist in Integrated Marketing Campaign – Service and earned exam medalist, roleplay medalist and finalist distinctions in Sports and Entertainment Marketing.
• Will Storck earned exam medalist honors in Apparel and Accessories Marketing.
• Scout Braun, Logan Sande and Will Storck were named finalists in the Entrepreneurship Start-Up Business Plan event.

Several students qualified to represent La Follette High School at the DECA International Career Development Conference in Atlanta this April:

• Dylan Larson and Pax Cornelius in Integrated Marketing Campaign – Service
• Logan Sande, Scout Braun and Will Storck in Entrepreneurship Start-Up Business Plan
• Dylan Larson in Sports and Entertainment Marketing
• Will Storck in Apparel and Accessories Marketing

In addition, sophomores Claire Mills and Malina Xiong were selected to participate in the Leadership Academy program.

Kurtis Nelsen, La Follette marketing and business education teacher and DECA advisor, said the students’ preparation and teamwork were evident throughout the competition.

“Our students committed themselves to months of preparation, balancing coursework, practices and community initiatives,” Nelsen said. “They represented La Follette with professionalism, confidence and a strong understanding of business concepts. Watching them grow through this process has been incredibly rewarding.”

DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management. Through competitive events, leadership development and community engagement, students apply classroom learning in real-world business scenarios and gain skills valued by colleges and employers.

“Career and technical student organizations are a powerful extension of our CTE pathways,” said Mary Jankovich, executive director of college, career and community readiness. “They give students opportunities to apply what they learn in authentic settings, compete at a high level and grow as leaders. La Follette’s continued success highlights the strength of our business and marketing programs across the district.”

DECA is one of several career and technical student organizations available to MMSD students as part of the district’s broader Career and Technical Education programming. These organizations extend learning beyond the classroom, providing hands-on, career-connected experiences that strengthen leadership, collaboration and problem-solving skills.

For more information about the clubs available to La Follette students, please visit the school’s website.

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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.

MMSD High School Completion Rate Climbs Nearly Nine Percentage Points, Attendance Also Increases, Per New State Data

MADISON, Wis.—Newly released state data show continued long-term growth in high school completion across the Madison Metropolitan School District, along with steady improvements in student attendance following the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Districtwide, 85.2% of MMSD students completed high school in the 2024–25 school year, representing an increase of nearly nine percentage points since the state began tracking the four-year adjusted cohort rate in 2009-10, when the district’s completion rate was 76.5%.

“Every student who crosses the stage at graduation represents years of hard work and support from educators, families and the broader community,” said Superintendent Joe Gothard. 

MMSD’s four comprehensive high schools achieved completion rates above 84% in 2024–25. Completion rates by school were as follows:

• Vel Phillips Memorial High School: 90.7%
• West High School: 89.1%
• Robert M. La Follette High School: 86.2% 
• East High School: 84.4%

Attendance rates have also shown steady improvement since the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Districtwide attendance reached 89.3% in the 2024–25 school year, continuing an upward trend from 87.5% in 2021–22 and 87.8% in 2022–23.

Gothard noted that while the upward trend in graduation and attendance is encouraging, MMSD’s efforts to support student achievement remain ongoing. 

“The climb in completion and attendance rates shows what’s possible when we focus on student success,” Gothard said. “We’re committed to giving every student the opportunities they deserve so they are ready for college, career and life. Until then, our work remains unfinished. We won’t stop until their paths are cleared and they have a solid foundation for the future.”

The Madison Metropolitan School District continues to support students through strategies designed to strengthen engagement and keep students on track for graduation, including expanded academic supports, credit recovery opportunities and college and career readiness programs.

Learn more about Madison Metropolitan School District schools, programs and student outcomes at the district’s website.

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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.

Velma B. Hamilton Student Claims 2026 All-City Spelling Bee Title

MADISON, Wis.—Casey Barnhill, an eighth-grade student at the Madison Metropolitan School District’s Velma B. Hamilton Middle School, earned top honors at Saturday’s Madison All-City Spelling Bee, securing a first-place finish and advancing to the upcoming state competition.

Barnhill was among 41 students in grades three through eight who qualified for the annual event after winning spelling bees at their respective schools. Participants represented public and private schools across Madison. The competition, hosted at Madison College, spanned multiple rounds and tested students’ spelling knowledge and vocabulary skills.

Barnhill clinched the championship by correctly spelling the final word—”Ecuador”—in the concluding round. Joanne Aldoori of Madinah Academy placed second, and Ignatius Fassino of St. Ambrose Academy finished third. All three students will move on to represent the region at the Badger State Spelling Bee on March 21 at Madison College’s Mitby Theater.

This year marked Barnhill’s third appearance at the citywide competition and his second consecutive top-two finish, having placed second in 2025.

“Casey’s dedication and perseverance truly stand out,” said Dr. Carlettra Stanford, assistant superintendent of schools and learning. “Competing at this level requires discipline, resilience and a genuine love of learning. We are incredibly proud of how he represented Hamilton and all of MMSD.”

The Madison All-City Spelling Bee has been organized by the Wisconsin State Journal since 1949 and continues to celebrate academic excellence among students throughout the community.

In total, MMSD was represented by 28 competitors:

Milan Ayachit (Grade 6) Georgia O’Keeffe Middle	Sofia Munoz Kiley (Grade 4) Lincoln Elementary	Logan Scherck (Grade 4) Dr. V. Henderson Elementary
Kuzma Babkin (Grade 5) Van Hise Elementary	Xinyan (Beney) Lin (Grade 5) Paul J. Olson Elementary	Inez Schultz-Brinkman (Gr. 4) Nuestro Mundo Elementary
Casey Barnhill (Grade 8) Velma B. Hamilton Middle	Fernando Lopez (Grade 8) Black Hawk Middle	Noah Singh (Grade 5) Glenn Stephens Elementary
Theo Eggerling-Boeck (Gr. 8) Cherokee Heights Middle	Mary Lubner (Grade 5) Shorewood Hills Elementary	Rhys Stolte (Grade 5) John F. Kennedy Elementary
James Bull (Grade 4) C.A. Elvehjem Elementary	Wren McCluskey (Grade 4) Orchard Ridge Elementary	Rashi Tiwari (Grade 6) Spring Harbor Middle
Cece Erling (Grade 7) James C. Wright Middle	Jordan Mitchell (Grade 8) Ray F. Sennett Middle	Aurora Wicihowski (Grade 8) Akira R. Toki Middle
James Hahn (Grade 5) Thoreau Elementary	Christian Moore (Grade 4) Crestwood Elementary	Will Wohlgamuth (Grade 7) Badger Rock Middle
Jack Houseman (Grade 8) A.G. Whitehorse Middle	Ruby Noguchi (Grade 5) Emerson Elementary	Esmae Xiong (Grade 5) Lake View Elementary
Julia Kidarsa (Grade 6) Ezekiel Gillespie Middle	Yasmin Sachs (Grade 5) Aldo Leopold Elementary	Cleo Zapala-Voss (Grade 5) Marquette Elementary
	Myra Sanghavi (Grade 3) Ray W. Huegel Elementary

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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.

40 Years and Counting at Lake Ridge Bank: Three Local Bankers Celebrate Milestone Anniversary

February 20, 2026 (MADISON, Wis.) – According to the most recent data gathered by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median tenure of an employee in the USA is 3.9 years. So, Lake Ridge Bank was delighted to celebrate the 40th anniversary—10 times the national standard—of three associates in January: Steve Eager, Katherine Esser, and Betty Nonn.

“It’s an honor to work with all three of these amazing people because of their commitment and dedication to community banking as a vocation,” says Lake Ridge Bank CEO Jim Tubbs. “They don’t just say it; they believe in it.”

Lake Ridge Bank Market President Steve Eager may have been destined for lifelong banking. Eager’s father was a bank president, and generations of his family have been leaders in the industry for more than 100 years. “Growing up watching my family serve the community, I learned what community banking is all about and developed a desire to give back to the community who essentially helped raise me.”

While Eager was “born to bank,” Esser and Nonn developed an interest in banking more gradually—and a bit by accident.

Betty Nonn started working part-time in high school as a teller. Today she is the Senior Vice President-Technology Officer at Lake Ridge Bank. “My advice to anyone starting out is to stay curious and say yes to opportunities that stretch you,” Nonn shares. “Take advantage of training, learn new functions, and never stop building your skills. If you surround yourself with great people and keep challenging yourself, you can build a career you’re proud of—and enjoy the journey along the way!”

Those opportunities to grow and learn and take advantage of new challenges also influenced Esser’s decision to build her long career at Lake Ridge Bank.

“Over the last four decades, the bank has always challenged me with rewarding opportunities to professionally develop within my career,” says Kathy Esser, Vice President and Senior Personal Trust Officer on Lake Ridge Bank’s Wealth Management Team. “Those continued opportunities for growth made it an easy decision to stay loyal to Lake Ridge Bank. It really just came down to the fact that I have loved my job.”

Lake Ridge Bank President Paul Hoffmann says that everyone wins when people with this level of expertise and dedication commit their careers to one place. “Community banking is built on local relationships by people who live here, work here, and invest their time and energy into helping their neighbors succeed,” Hoffmann explains. “When associates grow, develop, and flourish here over decades, everyone benefits. While Steve, Kathy, and Betty may have contributed in different ways, they all had the same vision of building a great bank where our clients can prosper and grow.”

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Lake Ridge Bank’s mission is to “build prosperous communities, one relationship at a time.” For more than 100 years, this has meant getting to know each of our clients to offer personalized services to meet their specific financial goals. Lake Ridge Bank offers a full line of financial products and services. We focus on offering products and services to make your banking easy. Our business banking and mortgage lenders are trusted leaders in their field with the expertise to provide the right loan at a competitive rate for our clients. As a community bank, we are dedicated to reinvesting in, and making our communities great places to live, work and raise a family. Visit lakeridge.bank to learn more about how we can help you.

Vote for raSmith’s photo for cover of Engineering News-Record (ENR) magazine

raSmith is always thrilled to share the impact that our clients’ projects make, from reshaping infrastructure and improving communities … to potentially highlighting the cover of a national magazine!

raSmith’s project image, shown here, is one of 10 finalists selected from 1,100 entries worldwide for Engineering News-Record (ENR) magazine’s annual Year in Construction photo contest. Industry professionals and others will choose their favorite finalist, which will appear on the cover of ENR’s February 2 issue.

If you’d like to participate, we welcome your support by voting for raSmith’s photo. (One vote per internet-connected device.) The contest ends Thursday, January 22.