District receives $20,000 grant

CLINTONVILLE – The School District of Clintonville has been awarded a $20,000 grant from the ThedaCare Medical Center-New London Quasi Endowment Fund to support the Clintonville Schools Strength and Conditioning Program.
Clintonville Superintendent Troy Kuhn notified the Clintonville Board of Education at its July 13 meeting that the district had been awarded the grant.
In addition to the grant, the district had previously received $5,000 donations from each of the following organizations for a total of $25,000 in donations to also be used for the district’s Strength and Conditioning Program: Clintonville Quarterback Club, Clintonville Girls Fastpitch Softball, Clintonville Youth Baseball League, Clintonville Youth Basketball, and Clintonville Girls Hoops Club.
Kuhn told the Clintonville Tribune-Gazette that the grant and donation total of $45,000 is being used to add new padding to all the weight benches in the high school weight room, which is used by district students. Funds are also being used to purchasing new kettlebell and dumbbell weights, new jump stands, new machines that have cables, and a new sounds system for the high school weight room.
“A lot of the stuff that was in the weight room was hand me downs from the Rec Center,” Kuhn said. “A lot of the cables were frayed and a lot of the grips were worn or missing.”

Kuhn said 8th grade teacher Kristine Heyer headed the grant application process and should receive the majority of the credit for obtaining the grant. But he added that a special thank you needs to go to Kristen and Luke Retzlaff, Shawn Howe, Nick Raasch, Sarah Evans, the athletic coaches, and any others who were involved in improving the high school weight room.
“Not only were they involved in raising funds and the decision-making process for the high school weight room, but they are actively involved in coaching, encouraging, and showing proper techniques in the weight room,” Kuhn said. “Their dedication makes our students not only faster and stronger, but also future leaders.”
By upgrading the high school weight room, Kuhn said it shows that the district is not “giving up on athletics.”
“It’s not always about making kids faster and stronger, it’s about making leaders,” Kuhn said. “I said from day one, we have really, really good coaches. We just got to get the dedication from the students, the parents. If you want a good team, you have to get five to seven to 10 people dedicated. That’s why it’s a team sport. That’s why, where wrestling, track, and swimming are a little bit different because you can medal as an individual. But if you want to have a good team, it’s a culture and it’s dedication. Getting the weight room, getting new equipment, that always kind of boosts up your culture a little bit.”