MADISON – A team from Platteville High school won the 2025 Wisconsin Civics Games State Championship. The competition, presented by the Wisconsin Newspaper Association Foundation, took place Friday, May 2 at the Wisconsin State Capitol.
The winning students were Guthrie Cline, Benedict Drefcinski, Ethan Roepsch and Captain Caden Charles. The team was advised by Garrett Jones.
Two teams from West Bend — West Bend #1 and West Bend #2 took second and third place respectively.
The Wisconsin Civics Games featured introductory remarks from Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction Jill Underly, Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman, Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, Wisconsin Chief Justice Ann Walsh Bradley and Dr. Eric Fulcomer, President & CEO, Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.
Due to a scheduling conflict, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers was unable to attend but sent each participant a letter. In his message, Evers emphasized the importance of civics education in the governmental process.
“Through this experience, I hope that students participating gain critical knowledge about what it means to be civically engaged, how anyone can decide to help lead and change lives for the better, and how important it is to pay close attention to the people and the world around us,” the governor wrote.
“We need dedicated public servants, elected officials, and community members like you now more than ever,” Evers added. “We need people who will lead with kindness, empathy, respect, and compassion; people who will treat others with dignity and kindness, regardless of their background; and people who will always try to do the right thing when it matters most.”
Wisconsin Civics Games Championship judges included Wisconsin 78th Assembly District Rep. Lisa Subeck, of Madison, Taylor Scott, co-owner, publisher and managing editor of Valley Sentinel in Spring Green; Nicole Aimone, co-owner, publisher and editor-in-chief of Valley Sentinel in Spring Green; and, Danny Zolp, freshman at Ohio State University and 2023 Wisconsin Civics Games State Champion from West Bend High School.
WNA Foundation Board Member Eve Galanter, who helped found the Wisconsin Civics Games, along with WNA Foundation President Scott Peterson, presented Platteville students with medals and a trophy, noting they would each receive a $2,000 scholarship to a Wisconsin college or university. She also presented members of the top three teams with Civics Games medals.
In addition to Galanter, Peterson welcomed contest participants to the competition, which was launched in 2019 by the WNA Foundation in an effort to boost civic education and engagement among Wisconsin youth.
Peterson also presented the inaugural Wisconsin A-Mark Prizes for Investigative Journalism to winners from The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and The Ozaukee Press.
About the Civics Games
More than 200 students on 49 teams from 27 schools in Wisconsin competed Wednesday, April 9 and Thursday, April 10 in Wisconsin Civics Games preliminary competitions. The Playoffs were held virtually and the top two teams from each division advanced to the state finals.
In addition to the WNA Foundation, additional support for the Wisconsin Civics Games has been provided by the Universities of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Counties Association, the Evjue Foundation, Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, Carol O’Leary (past WNA President), Multi Media Channels, WisPolitics, the MG&E Foundation, League of Women Voters of Wisconsin, Godfrey & Kahn, Wisconsin Association of Student Councils, WisconsinEye, Wisconsin Senate Scholars Program and News Tracker.
Civics Games swag
Purchase tote bags, t-shirts, polo shirts, sweatshirts and more Wisconsin Civics Games merchandise to benefit the Wisconsin Civics Games here.
Watch the Games
A broadcast of the Civics Games State Finals can be viewed on WisconsinEye using the following links:
• Welcome, Round 1 & Round 2: https://wiseye.org/?p=31430
• Round 3, Round 4 & Tiebreaker Round: https://wiseye.org/?p=31431
See More Photos
See more photos from the Wisconsin Civics Games finals on the WNA Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WisconsinNewspaperAssociation .
