Mental Health Advocate Savannah Montgomery Aspires To Study the Impact Trauma has on the Brain

MADISON, WI - Selected among seventeen outstanding finalists from across the state, Savannah Montgomery was crowned Youth of the Year by Boys & Girls Clubs of Wisconsin. Savannah plans to leverage her position to alleviate the stigma of mental health in communities of color, and to connect students with needed resources on trauma informed care as she advocates for more government resources at the local, state, and federal levels. If she wins at the Regional competition, she will compete for the title of National Youth of the Year and an additional $25,000 college scholarship, renewable for four years up to $100,000.

“We are honored and proud to have Savannah representing the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County as the 2019 State Youth of the Year,” said Michael Johnson, Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County CEO, “Savannah’s story is one many youth can relate to. Her focus on mental health is important work, and we are excited to see her grow and get even more involved in our community.”

During her junior year of high school, Savannah earned an internship in the NICU at the University of Wisconsin Hospital -- an opportunity she accessed through the Dane County Club’s career exploration and internship programming. This internship sparked her curiosity in researching the potential impacts of psychological trauma. Savannah plans on attending a selective university this fall, followed by medical school. Her overall goal is to become a brain surgeon, studying the impact trauma has on the brain.

Now in its 72nd year, the Youth of the Year program honors our nation’s most awe-inspiring young people on their paths to great futures. Each year Wisconsin clubs from 159 sites in 57 cities select representatives to compete at the local level, with winners advancing to state, regional and national competition. Each competing Club member has to meet academic and community service requirements, write essays, submit letters of endorsement and prepare a three-minute speech. The winners were selected by an esteemed panel of nine judges:

• Mark Tauscher, Founder of Trifecta Foundation, former Badger & Packer Offensive Lineman
• Caleb Frostman, Secretary of Department of Workforce Development
• Emilie Amendson, Secretary of Department of Children and Families
• JoAnne Anton, Director of Kohl Philanthropies
• Lisa Peyton-Caire, President of Foundation for Black Women's Wellness
• Lea Culver, Director of the Culver Foundation
• Arvind Gopalratnam, Executive Director of Milwaukee Bucks Foundation
• Alexzandra N. Shade, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility CUNA Mutual Group
• Mark Bakken, Founder and Managing Partner at HealthX Venture

Boys & Girls Clubs of Wisconsin serve 144,810 youth, and provide over two million meals and snacks for free each year. Their mission is to ensure all young people, especially those who need them the most, can reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. For more information about the Youth of the Year program, visit www.bgcwisconsin.org/youth-of-the-year-award

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You can see Savannah's presentation from Wisconsin Eye at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-W-xuCG4b8

Popular program extended until April 30th while federal government reviews state’s request to keep it in place until 2028.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/steelworkers-400x285.jpgSen. Smith writes about the budget process and the role the State Building Commission plays in approving Gov. Evers’ capital budget requests. We need bipartisanship throughout the budget process to support Wisconsin’s future.

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers and Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes today announced the second stop of their statewide budget listening tour to hear from people of Wisconsin about what the governor's budget means to Wisconsinites and their families.

Gov. Evers and Lt. Gov. Barnes will continue The People's Budget Listening Session Tour on Wednesday, April 10, in Kenosha at the Kenosha Public Museum. Wisconsinites interested in attending the Kenosha budget listening session can register online here.

WHO: Gov. Evers, Lt. Gov. Barnes, and members of the Legislature

WHAT: The People's Budget Listening Session Tour

WHEN: Wed., April 10, 2019; 5:30-7 p.m.; doors open at 4:45 p.m.

WHERE: Kenosha Public Museum

Daimler Chrysler Hall

5500 1st Avenue

Kenosha, WI 53140

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/shopko-s5.jpgShopko goes the way of many retailers before it, as local Senator says predatory hedge funds like Sun Capital are a threat to the retail industry and thousands of people who work.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/wis-supreme-court-s5.jpgBoth candidates in Tuesday's judicial election acknowledge that conflicts of interest are a serious problem for the fair and impartial execution for justice, but how serious are they about this goal? Take a look at the candidates’ responses before you head to the polls.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/mining_wisconsin_senate_s5.jpgIt’s important to understand the budget from afar, but we learn even more from looking closer to see how everything connects.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/madison_capitol_building-s5.jpgJudge issues temporary injunction blocking laws limiting the incoming governor’s power. Evers, Democrats claim victory for the people of Wisconsin.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/dane-county-circuit-court-s5.jpgCourt undoes laws limiting the incoming governor’s power, rules they were passed during an unlawful “extraordinary session”.

UW Eau Claire Science Building was among the projects voted down by Republicans on the State Building Commission.

MADISON - Republicans on the State Building Commission on Wednesday rejected every project included in Gov. Tony Evers' capital budget, voting down the entire $2.5 billion worth of construction projects across Wisconsin. Sen. Petrowski, Sen. Testin, Rep. Born, and Rep. Swearingen voted down each project, taking 84 individual 4-4 party line votes. All of the projects passed unanimously in Building Commission subcommittee meetings earlier this week.

The University of Wisconsin Eau Claire Science Building was among the projects voted down. Representative Jodi Emerson (D-Eau Claire) released the following statement in response:

“Republicans are now on the record with votes against public safety, investments in our UW System, youth mental health facilities, cancer research, improvements to veteran’s homes, and state parks.

“Not having the approval of the Building Commission makes it much harder to get the desperately needed new Science Building for UW Eau Claire, which will greatly impact the residents of the 91st District and beyond.

“My Republican colleagues need to follow through on their promises to the people of Wisconsin to make this happen. UW Eau Claire and the Chippewa Valley certainly need and deserve this building. This was about playing politics, plain and simple, not doing what’s best for the people of our state”