New Endowment Supports Student Learning

Edwina Wolfe, a former Winona Catholic Schools teacher and current Winona resident, recently made a contribution to establish an endowment that will provide annual funding for K-3 teachers to enhance their teaching in the areas of reading, mathematics, or science. The funding will provide software and access to specific online activities, books for a classroom, project supplies, and activity kits. Currently, first-grade students at the St. Stan’s Campus are using math manipulatives purchased through the endowment.

Cotter Schools' endowment funds are invested and the earnings are used each year to support specific needs. Endowments can be started by donors who would like to provide a contribution that will continue to help the school many years into the future. If you have an interest in learning more about endowments, please contact Mike Swenson, Vice President of Advancement, at (507) 453-5802.

Edwina was born in the prairies of South Dakota where she lived with her family until moving to Fountain City, WI while in high school. She graduated from Fountain City High School in 1957 and attended Winona State University for one year. Following this, Edwina chose to earn her "Mrs." degree! During this time, she married her husband Duane whom she met in high school. Duane is a Fountain City native who taught math at Winona State University for 30 years. Duane and Edwina have 3 children, 9 grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren. In 1964, Edwina returned to Winona State University and graduated with a degree in Elementary Education. She received her Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from Winona State in 1971. She spent a significant amount of her teaching career teaching first grade and taught kindergarten for one year. When the schools combined in 1986, she taught junior high and senior high computer literacy as well as supervised the computer lab. When Cotter moved to the St. Teresa's Campus, Edwina started the Dorothy Kierlin Learning Center. She retired from Cotter in 1995.

The inspiration for Edwina's gift came from her experience in the classroom. “I remember how much money I put into buying supplemental supplies for my classrooms. I truly believe that the primary grades are where the basis is set for the rest of a student's education. I wanted to provide something to help early elementary students and teachers.”

"Edwina's donation is giving our math students a chance to visibly see how math works. It's powerful to watch a student take a concept from the abstract to the concrete. We are incredibly grateful for her gift." -Mr. Pat Bowlin, Elementary Principal