“What people know most about us is that it’s a sledding hill, but we want more folks to understand that Wingra is a place open to all,” said Torsie Judkins, Wingra School’s head of school, as it looks to mobilize the community for its annual gala fundraiser.
Wingra School, 718 Gilmore St., will host its annual gala fundraiser — but this time it’s at the school. The fundraiser looks to support the school and its ability to serve its students. Wingra, as a nonprofit, is reliant on tuition funds for its operations, but most of its attendees receive some type of assistance. Money raised goes directly towards scholarships to support families who want their kids to attend the school.
“We rely heavily on our tuition dollars, and families are feeling the financial struggles of the times. We want to be able to close that gap,” said Judkins. “That comes with a huge fundraising ask on my end.”
This is Judkins’ third year leading the school. Private school options changed his life as a student in North Carolina through its ability to provide the quality of education he needed, he said. At Wingra, he aims to have the same impact for its students.
(Photo by Rob Chappell)
The school prides itself on what it can offer. It boasts small teacher-to-student ratios of eight-to-one, science and technology classes, arts programs, Spanish curriculum and its central location to places like the Overture Center, The Glen, arboretum across the street and local businesses.
But despite what it can do academically, Judkins heralds its ability to help students advocate for themselves.
“We want to give them all the tools that they need to be positive human beings in the world when they leave,” Judkins said. “We really talk to kids about self-advocating for themselves when they leave here. A lot of high school kids, they certainly know they’re having problems with their schedule. [Wingra students] know how to advocate for themselves. They know how to figure things out.”
This year’s fundraiser will be at the school for the first time in recent years. There was a bit of a hiatus from previous fundraisers, and when Judkins took the helm, the last two years were at The Sylvee and The Majestic. Now, Judkins wants to bring the community into the school to see exactly what Wingra is about.
It will feature food, drinks, entertainment and a regular and silent auction headed by Geoffrey Sandler — Madison’s premiere auctioneer and an alumnus of Wingra.
Wingra’s annual fundraising gala will be held Nov. 21 at Wingra School, starting at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are currently on sale for $25.
