Drummond Success Story by Tana Narges: "Drummond School District is proud to celebrate a powerful collaboration between the Northwest Wisconsin Workforce Investment Board (NWWIB), the FORWD program, and our Youth Apprenticeship initiative—one that is already making a meaningful difference for both our students and our school community.
This partnership began with a shared goal: to support students exploring careers while addressing the ongoing teacher shortage faced by schools across the region. Ryce Davis from NWWIB introduced the Drummond team to a grant opportunity designed to help districts hire and retain qualified staff in early childhood and other high-need areas.
It all started with a Drummond senior who has spent the past year volunteering one hour each day in an early childhood classroom. Her dedication, passion, and hands-on experience made her a perfect fit for this innovative opportunity. Thanks to the collaboration between Drummond School District, NWWIB, and FORWD, she is now able to be hired by the district and earn wages supported entirely through grant funding.
At the same time, she enrolled in our Youth Apprenticeship program, allowing her to earn high school credit while gaining valuable real-world skills to prepare her for a potential future career. This experience gives her a head start on her pathway after graduation and strengthens our ability to support young learners right here in Drummond.
This is a huge win for Drummond! A motivated student gets paid, trained, and supported in her career pathway, our early childhood classroom gains a committed, familiar team member, and our district benefits from a creative solution to ongoing staffing challenges"
