ELLSWORTH — Jenna Stoltenburg, a soon to be junior at Ellsworth, became the first Middle Border Conference student-athlete to be named to the WIAA Student-Athlete Leadership Team for her two remaining years of high school. The Student Leadership Team is made up of 30 members who bring ideas to the table to improve the high school athletic experience for students and schools.

“It means a lot to me, because it shows that I can have the opportunity to be a leader for our whole state, and to set good examples, be a good role model, come up with new ideas for the state and create better opportunities for student-athletes,” Stoltenburg said.

Stoltenburg was one of 14 selected new members out of 177 applicants. She said her experience as a captain on the girls basketball team has helped give her the necessary leadership skills to take on the opportunity. Stoltenburg is also a member of the volleyball team. Her goal is to focus on the mental health side of high school sports.

“You can have a positive mindset, create culture within teams,” Stoltenburg said. “I think that’s really important to have good sportsmanship with other teams and bring teams together and teammates together.”

Stoltenburg has always tried to set a good example as a positive leader with a good mindset, something she wants to carry over to this opportunity. She is looking to combine the knowledge of her experiences in western Wisconsin with what she hears from talking to student-athletes throughout the state to bring fresh ideas to the WIAA.

“It’s just crazy, because I signed up and I was like, ‘You know, I hope I make this, it would be really great to, but I know there’s a bunch of people [applying], it’s hard to get into,” Stoltenburg said. “When I heard I got into it, I was so excited, I couldn’t wait. It gave me a lot of confidence and a lot of hope that I can make a big difference.”

Ellsworth Activities Director Kevin Haglund was the one who proposed Stoltenburg apply for a spot, and he had nothing but good things to say after she received the honor.

“The WIAA SALT team has been around for a few years now, but we haven't had much, if any, representation from our area. To have Jenna be not only the first Ellsworth student-athlete to get on the team, but also the first student-athlete in the [Middle Border Conference], speaks to how valuable she is to our school and athletics program. She's a model student who works hard and shows up every day, not just for herself, but for her teammates as well. She walks the walk when it comes to positive leadership and she does so by providing that example for all around her. We are extremely proud of Jenna for this accomplishment,” Haglund stated.