PATCH La Crosse
Serving all western Wisconsin communities
Working together to improve health care experiences
for youth in our community.
At PATCH La Crosse we are passionate about improving adolescent health care experiences and, since 2018, we've been working directly with youth and health care professionals to do just that!
Each year, 10-12 high school students are hired as Teen Educators to lead educational workshops with peers and health care professionals.
These youth experts are responsible for cultivating open and honest dialogue about adolescent health and prove that young voice do matter, because THEY are the experts.
Meet the 2022-2023 Teen Educator Team!
Lauren, 16
Hi I am Lauren! I am a Junior at Logan High School, I use she/ her pronouns. My hobbies are reading, skiing, tennis, and writing! When I am older I am hoping to become an Ob-Gyn. I joined PATCH because I love advocating for what is right. Also because I am going to be going in the healthcare field when I am older.
Ryan, 15
Hi, I'm Ryan and I'm a sophomore at Onalaska High School. I use He/Him pronouns. I love to play soccer and sing and dance in show choir! I joined PATCH to learn how to advocate for myself and others and to learn about health care providers and help them better understand teenagers struggles.
Porter, 17
Hello! My name is Porter, and I use he/him pronouns. I am a junior at Central High School, and some of my favorite activities are figure skating and playing tennis with friends. This year in PATCH I look forward to meeting and making connections with people through educational workshops.
Harper, 16
Hi! My name is Harper and my pronouns are she/her. I am 16 years old and a junior at Central High School. I love to play tennis and be outdoors! I joined PATCH to educate my peers on their rights and responsibilities about their healthcare and to help bridge the gap between providers and teens.
Alex, 17
HI! My name is Alex, I use she/her pronouns. I am a 17 year old senior at Onalaska High School and this is my second year in PATCH. I play golf, soccer, and I downhill ski. In my free time I enjoy hiking, cooking, reading, and painting. I want to go into neuroscience and I joined PATCH to learn how to create and advocate for an environment where teens can communicate openly with providers to receive the best possible care.
Cody, 15
Hello! My name is Cody Olson, I am a sophomore at Holmen High School, and I use he/him pronouns. I'm a proud member of the Holmen High School Color Guard, and my favorite thing in the world is my cat, Zara. As a queer and transgender youth, I joined PATCH to help people like me and make a difference for my community.
Kianah, 17
Hi my name is Kianah, I'm a 17 year old senior at Onalaska Highschool. My pronouns are She/Her. I like to ski and read in my free time, and want to go to nursing school. I joined patch because I wanted to learn more about our communities and the resources rooted in them.
Caroline, 17
Hi! My name is Caroline Kleven (she/her/hers) and I am a senior at Onalaska High School. In my free time I like to read, spend time outdoors with my dogs, make art, and downhill ski! I am also passionate about environmental issues. I joined PATCH to educate myself on how to take charge of my healthcare in hopes that I would then have the tools to help others do the same.
Jo. 14
Hello! My name is Jo, I am a freshman at Polytechnic High School, and I use they/them pronouns. I like to draw and read and I want to be an animator when I'm older. I joined PATCH because we, as teens, deserve to know our rights when it comes to healthcare, especially when it comes to mental health, and being a part of PATCH not only gives me the chance to educate other teens but also providers.
Ava, 17
Hi, my name is Ava! I am 17, a senior at central high school, and my pronouns are she/her/hers. I love to read, ski and swim. I joined patch to learn about teen health care rights and share them with my peers.
Thanks to Our Supporters!
Our work would not be possible without the support from individuals, organizations, and businesses in our community! From donating time and energy to money and materials we simply couldn't do it without these people! You can show your support by joining our Community Advisory Team, Donating to PATCH, or even scheduling a workshop!
Community Advisory Team
The Community Advisory Team is a group of volunteer community members who provide ongoing support and oversight to PATCH La Crosse. Current members include:
Karolee Behringer | Planned Parenthood of La Crosse
Kelli Cornett | Planned Parenthood of La Crosse
Erin Gutowski | Gundersen Health System
Jennifer Kleven | Gundersen Health System
Keely Rees | UW-La Crosse Health Education
Financial Support & Donations
We especially thank the following organizations for their support of food, space, or resources during the 2021-2022 program year.
Planned Parenthood of La Crosse
Contact PATCH La Crosse Staff
We'd love to chat!
Delanie, the PATCH La Crosse Site Coordinator, can be reached at lacrosse@wipatch.org or by calling 608.291.9784.