The Wisconsin Rural Schools Alliance (WiRSA) is proud to announce that the Ronald & Joyce Wanek Foundation and Ashley Furniture Industries have been named the 2025 Community Partner of the Year. This recognition honors their extraordinary commitment to transforming rural STEM education through innovative partnerships with the Whitehall School District. Since launching their Mobile Skills Laboratory in 2018, they have brought cutting-edge robotics, automation, and emerging technology training directly to schools across the Trempealeau Valley Cooperative. Their visionary leadership culminated in the 2024 opening of the Whitehall Regional Emerging Technology Laboratory, a 16,400-square-foot innovation hub equipped with drones, robotics, 3D printers, and AI tools. Through strategic partnerships, they have created pathways for students to earn college credits and industry certifications while remaining connected to their rural communities. WiRSA is honored to celebrate the Foundation and Ashley Furniture Industries as partners who truly understand that investing in education means investing in the future of Wisconsin's communities and workforce. (Press Release)