The Wisconsin Newspaper Association Foundation (WNAF) has announced that the management of the Foundation’s Wisconsin Civics Games will transition to the Universities of Wisconsin, effective this year. The WNAF launched the Wisconsin Civics Games in 2018 to address the growing need for civic education for high school students.
Working in close collaboration with educators, journalists, and civic partners, the staff of the Wisconsin Newspaper Association designed the Games to be classroom-ready with interactive competition that encourages student participation. Under the leadership of the WNA Foundation board of directors, the Civics Games have expanded steadily, becoming a recognized educational tool for encouraging civics instruction.
Based on the success of the Games and the program’s continued growth, the WNAF determined that the Universities of Wisconsin are uniquely positioned to assume management and steward the Civics Games into its next phase. The state’s 13 public universities bring established relationships with K–12 schools and the institutional capacity to expand the program.
WNAF’s decision to transition the Games to the Universities of Wisconsin reflects its commitment to the responsible stewardship and long-term sustainability of the program. By entrusting management of the Games to the Universities of Wisconsin, the WNAF ensures that the Civics Games will continue to evolve and serve students with the highest academic standards.
Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman noted that the Civics Games are a good fit with the UWs’ civic education initiatives for UW students and teachers. When commenting on the transition President Rothman stated, “This is consistent with our strategic plan focusing on freedom of expression, civil dialogue and really having students learn more about civics, which is important to our state and our nation. We are really excited about this opportunity.”
In addition to the Games, the Universities of Wisconsin’s Office of Civic Engagement will, according to Rothman, also host civic education workshops for teachers from across the state over the next three years. The workshops will be funded by a $1.1 million grant through the U.S. Department of Education’s American History & Civics Seminars program.
“I’m really proud that the WNA Foundation developed such a dynamic project – and I know the Universities of Wisconsin will grow these projects to include more students in our state,” said WNAF board member and Wisconsin Newspaper Hall of Famer, Rusty Cunningham.
“The WNAF will remain a proud sponsor of the Civics Games. We are grateful to the educators, students, sponsors, and partners who have made the program successful, and we look forward to its continued growth under the leadership of the Universities of Wisconsin,” said WNAF President and Wisconsin Newspaper Hall of Famer, Scott Peterson.
The WNAF recently announced the winners of the 2025 WNA Foundation Editorial Writing & Cartoon Contest, which has been renamed the First Amendment Editorial Writing and Cartoon Contest.
Registration for the 2026 Civics Games is open. The competition, which aims to promote civics education and encourage Wisconsin high school students to develop an interest in public service, will host play-off competitions virtually on Wednesday and Thursday on April 8-9.
The top-performing teams will advance to the state finals on Friday, May 1, at the Wisconsin State Capitol. Members of the state championship-winning team will receive $2,000 scholarships to the Wisconsin college or university of their choice. Registration deadline is Sunday, March 1, 2026.
The WNA Foundation is a not-for-profit organization created in 1980. WNAF works to improve the quality and future of Wisconsin’s newspaper enterprises, the industry and the communities they serve. The foundation solicits, manages and disburses funds and other resources for the benefit of Wisconsin’s newspaper industry and, ultimately, the citizens of our state.
