PATCH WAUSAU

Serving all northcentral Wisconsin communities

Working together to improve health care experiences

for youth in our community.

At PATCH Wausau 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.

Email PATCH Wausau!

Meet the 2022-2023 Teen Educator Team!

Alyiah, 15

Hi there! I am a 15 year old named Alyiah (she/they), and a 10th grader at D.C. Everest Idea Charter school. I am a proud Afro Indigenous Latina who devotes much of my time to the three A’s: Academics, Arts, and Activism. I joined PATCH Wausau to execute my passion in activism and healthcare for those who are under privileged and under represented.

Brady, 17

My name is Brady, and I use he/him pronouns. I am 17 and a senior at Rhinelander High School. When I’m not in school or working, I enjoy spending time with my friends and family. I joined PATCH because I want to help my community be more knowledgeable with their health care.

Gwen, 15

Hi my name is Gwen. I use she/her pronouns and I'm 15 years old. I am a sophomore at Marathon High School. In my spare time I enjoy singing, drawing, and spending time with my friends. I joined PATCH because I want to make a difference and help educate teens about their rights in healthcare.

Lauryn, 17

Hi, my name is Lauryn, and my pronouns are she/her/hers. I am a senior at Mosinee High, and after graduating, I plan to attend UW-Madison, majoring in both neurology and pharmacology/toxicology. I love spending time with my doggies, my nieces, and my sisters. I joined PATCH because I feel that teens should be educated about their rights in healthcare, how to navigate the healthcare system, and how to take control of their own healthcare.

Lindsey, 16

Hi! My name is Lindsey. I'm a Junior at DC Everest. I use She/Her pronouns. I grew up on the West Coast, I have 2 dogs and cats and when I graduate, I want to work in healthcare. I joined PATCH so I could help other teens learn about their healthcare rights and improve their experiences with their health care providers.

Lucy, 14

Hello! My name is Lucy, my pronouns are she/her, and I'm a Freshman at Wausau East High. I enjoy theater and I've seen Aladdin on Broadway. My favorite musical I've seen is Wicked. I joined PATCH in hopes of being given a platform so I could help educate my peers and healthcare providers in my community

Malina, 17

Hi, my name is Malina Carattini. I am 17 years old and I am a junior at Mosinee High School. My pronouns are she,her,hers. I love to spend time with my family camping in the summer. I joined PATCH because I want to give teens the most knowledge they can about their health care.

Mallory, 16

Hello! My name is Mallory and I'm a 16 year old junior at marathon high school! I use she/her pronouns and a fun fact about me is that I love to play the piano, and spend time with my dog Stanley. I joined patch so that I could be an advocate for the Wausau community and learn more about healthcare.

Piper, 16

Hi! I'm Piper, I use she/her pronouns, and I'm a junior at Marathon. My favorite thing to do right now is driving around the Wausau area and interacting with people at stoplights. I'm most excited for this upcoming year at PATCH to learn about and use more resources in and around Wausau!

Sylvia, 16

Hello! My name is Sylvia and my pronouns are they/them. This year I am a Junior at Wausau East. Something you might not know about me is that I have three snakes! I'm very excited for my third year with PATCH because this program has opened so many doors for me, and has helped me work towards my goal of spreading mental health awareness.

Tolu, 17

Hi! My name is Tolu. My pronouns are she/her/hers. I'm 17 and a senior at D.C. Everest Senior High School. In my free time I enjoy golfing, watching dramas on Netflix, and learning new languages. I joined PATCH to get a better understanding of my peers and community.

Contact PATCH Wausau Staff

Our Site Coordiantor, Paula, is ready to answer your questions about: workshops, Teen Educator applications, joining the Community Advisory Team, or anything else!

E-mail us at wausau@wipatch.org. Or, give us a call 715.227.2640.

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 Wausau. Current members include:

Allison Lourash | Children & Youth with Special Health Care Needs

Amy Pruneske | Medical College of Wisconsin - Central WI

Corrie Norrbom | Medical College of Wisconsin - Central WI

Emily Ramthun | Wausau School District

Kimberly Pufahl | The Women's Community

Michelle Steffen | Wisconsin Promise

Patty Zemke | John Muir Middle School

Carol Pond | Boys & Girls Club

Financial Support & Donations

We especially thank the following organizations for their support of food, space, or resources during the 2021-2022 program year.

Boys & Girls Club of the Wausau Area

Glass Nickel Pizza