June 4, 2024

By Lane Kimble

A high school senior from West Allis who intends to study aerospace engineering will get a boost toward earning that degree thanks to her commitment to roadway safety.

Tuesday, WTBA announced Clara Haass as the first winner of its Work Zone Safe Wisconsin scholarship.

Haass, a senior at Nathan Hale High School, was one of nearly 200 people to take the online Work Zone Safe Wisconsin course since its statewide launch April 23. She will attend the University of Minnesota this fall.

“Clara stands as a great example for us all,” WTBA Executive Director Steve Baas said. “She took the time and effort to learn about the risks everyone faces in a work zone and, in doing so, made all of us a little safer. I encourage everyone, no matter your age, to follow her lead.”

Work Zone Safe Wisconsin (WZSW) provides a modernized approach to work zone education.

The free online platform teaches teens the latest laws, guidance, and information through the personalized stories of the actual men and women working behind the barrels and along roadways. Students must watch all 14 videos incorporated into the four-part course in their entirety in order to advance to each section’s quiz.

Each month, a teen driver who successfully completes the course will be chosen as a winner of a $500 scholarship. The Wisconsin County Highway Association (WCHA) is the exclusive sponsor of the monthly prize.

“WCHA is excited for Clara as the first Work Zone Safe Scholarship winner. She’s now equipped with the knowledge to keep her and those working around work zones safe,” said Patrick Vander Sanden, Executive Director of WCHA. “This should inspire more young people to learn and prepare for what to expect on Wisconsin’s roadways.”

WZSW gives driving schools a turnkey solution to comply with a new state law requiring each student receive at least 30 minutes of work zone safety education.

In addition to WTBA and WCHA, the program is sponsored by the Transportation Education Fund (TEF), Operating Engineers Local 139, Wisconsin Laborers’ District Council (LiUNA), Wisconsin Counties Association, League of Wisconsin Municipalities, North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters, and Daar Engineering.