Forward. Thinking.

"That's what gives us hope"

The morning—foggy, gray and damp—brought the seminar to the Lincoln Hills School in Irma. The campus looked much like that of any school, with low-roofed buildings scattered across several acres of land, and sidewalks connecting housing and instructional space. Surrounded by a quiet woods filled with budding trees, it seems an idyllic setting for education.

But unlike most schools, fences and razor wire separate this campus from the rest of the world, and entering the facility requires a photo ID and a trip through a metal detector. That's because Lincoln Hills is home to about 250 young men who have committed crimes including murder, sexual assault and arson.

Inside, the students wear green pants and jackets and black Velcro shoes as they move between classes, their quarters and counseling sessions. They are soft-spoken but seem comfortable, and interact freely with their teachers, who work with them on remedial education, career development and skills like welding and basic construction. The rooms have posters on the walls, and lockers line the halls—all trappings of a typical school, but this one also has locked doors and teachers who wear body alarms.

The young men get two phone calls home a month, but more frequent family visits are encouraged. However, since much of the population hails from the southeastern part of the state—and transportation is problematic—Lincoln Hills runs a free bus twice a month to help families stay connected.

In a small, tear-shaped chapel on a slight ridge above the grounds, Paul Westerhaus, the superintendent, told the seminar that people need to be involved in their communities—he highlights Big Brother and Big Sister programs as positive influences in the lives of young people.

When asked why staff stay at Lincoln Hills, Westerhaus says that "getting contact from kids who get out and are doing well makes it all worthwhile. That's what gives us hope."

Care for an underserved population

The Family Health Medical and Dental Center—La Clinica do Los Campesinos—in Wautoma, represents another part of the spectrum of underserved populations in Wisconsin. The only migrant health center in the state, it administers the federal Women, Infants and Children nutritional program, offers counseling for domestic abuse, and provides health care to low-income populations, with a focus on migrant workers.

Each year, about 6,000 migrant workers—many from south-central Texas—travel to Wisconsin in search of seasonal employment in farm fields and canneries. The center sends a mobile unit out to camps and canneries, and offers check-ups, prescriptions, acute care and other basic medical services.

The clinic particularly focuses on diabetes, says Executive Director Ted Kay, "which can be a death sentence for a migrant worker." It also tries to address some of the mental health concerns that migrants face, including marital problems, depression and anxiety.

"We're part of a safety net to help fill in places where traditional health care systems leave gaps," he says.

Education in Milwaukee

Students in the PEOPLE program, which introduces middle school and high school students from Milwaukee and Racine to life and academics at the UW-Madison, answer questions for UW-Madison faculty and staff. Students who complete the program and are admitted to the UW-Madison are eligible for a tuition grant. Photo: Katie Weber

The Wisconsin Idea Seminar wrapped up with a Friday spent discussing education in Milwaukee schools. From advanced placement tests to the PEOPLE Program, a pre-college program designed to encourage youth from Milwaukee and Racine to consider UW-Madison, several speakers explained the challenges and successes involved in forging a stronger connection to the university.

The afternoon concluded with a tour of the Milwaukee High School of the Arts and a talk by Howard Fuller, director of the Institute for the Transformation of Learning.

As the participants reflected on their Wisconsin Idea Seminar Experience, many volunteered that they felt more connected to the state—and more aware of their students' backgrounds.

"I've learned that there are some things that are important to some communities that are not as important to others, but that things are often very interconnected," says Patrick Sims, an assistant professor in the Department of Theatre and Drama. "To me, this experience has brought home the importance of stepping outside of your perspective and getting a sense of what the challenges are for other folks."

Another seminar participant, assistant professor of East Asian languages and literature Yongping Zhu, says that he now feels that he has roots in Wisconsin. "It makes me think that this is my place," he explains. "It makes me want to work hard to stay here."

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