March 6, 2025

By Lane Kimble

The monthly Work Zone Safe Wisconsin scholarship winners truly are chosen at random, so it’s rewarding and fun to see a WTBA member’s child collect the $500 prize.

Milana Koutnik, a sophomore at Brookfield East High School, was chosen as the February WZSW winner.  She successfully completed the online work zone education course this winter.

Koutnik is CORRE, Inc. Project Lead Bill Koutnik’sdaughter.

“Thanks so much for this opportunity,” Milana Koutnik said.  “It makes me happy seeing organizations giving back to kids trying to pay for the increasing costs of college. I’m beyond excited and grateful!”

Click HERE to take the course yourself (open to drivers of ALL ages)

Koutnik said she took the course because she wants to become a better driver and prevent crashes. She hopes to study biology in college and become a pediatrician.

Koutnik intends to use the scholarship money to buy a new laptop for school.

WZSW is a free online platform that teaches young drivers the basics of work zone safety, laws, rules, and what they’ll encounter.  It uses real-life stories from actual Wisconsin workers and first responders.

WTBA launched the program along with a coalition of partners in April 2024. The Wisconsin County Highway Association generously sponsors the monthly scholarship drawing.

WisDOT has encouraged all drivers education programs in the state to utilize WZSW to fulfill a new law requiring at least 30 minutes of work zone-specific education.