Partners celebrate opening of Lucas P. Wintrode Learning Laboratory

Thanks to the generosity of Paul and Maria Wintrode, South Dakota State University and the Sioux Falls School District are partnering to improve autism-specific education for both young adults and teachers who support them.

All three parties and their supporters gathered at the Southeast Technical College campus in Sioux Falls Monday to celebrate the opening of the Lucas P. Wintrode Learning Laboratory.

The new learning lab, co-led by SDSU’s College of Education and Human Sciences and the Sioux Falls School District, is located at the school district’s new Community Campus at Southeast Tech. The collaborative effort will support and enhance educational opportunities for students with disabilities including those with autism in Sioux Falls, provide practical academic experiences for SDSU students majoring in education and special education, and support mutually beneficial research activities.

“Essentially, it will be an educational and research hub for preservice and in-service teachers to learn more about working with students on the autism spectrum as well as those with other specific disabilities,” said Evan Ortlieb, dean of SDSU’s College of Education and Human Sciences. “It allows current and future teachers to learn from specialists who demonstrate best practice. So, whether it’s social-emotional supports or cutting-edge pedagogies, it’s in an environment where they can grow at an exponential rate.”

The space will include a Practical Assessment Exploration System (PAES) lab and Project Discovery curriculum, which will serve as a foundation upon which SDSU students, staff and faculty will conduct applied research, design and test innovative teaching interventions, and develop advanced teaching expertise.

SDSU students will get hands-on experience delivering curricula related to workforce and career readiness and contribute to creating and sharing new knowledge with the help of SDSU and Sioux Falls School District staff.

The updated Community Campus transition lab and programming will serve Sioux Falls School District students with disabilities ages 18 through 21 who are eligible for continued education after high school. It will also create a college pathway for Community Campus students who become ready for the rigors associated with higher education, including academic, social and life skills programming for college transition and success. This collaboration will create research and fieldwork opportunities for SDSU students to design, implement and evaluate transition supports, conduct studies on postsecondary outcomes, and build specialized instruction expertise to optimize student learning.

“There is a simulated apartment in the lab to promote life skills as well. So, these young adults get experience with daily tasks like making their own meals and doing household chores,” Ortlieb said.

“By the time Sioux Falls School District students leave the Community Campus, they will have achieved the eight Essentials for Living skills, which increases their likelihood of success in the work environment and independent living,” added Denise Kennedy, senior director of special services for the district. “This allows for optimum involvement in postsecondary education, employment and community events.”

Further, SDSU students will help develop and implement learning strategies across the Sioux Falls K-12 school system; collaborate on screening efforts for children ages 3-5 and promote parent education and community engagement to assist with early detection of autism; and be included in advocacy and outreach efforts as they earn their degree and transition into the workforce.

“It’s going to be an opportunity for our students to engage with families and communities in special education in facilitated ways with their teachers,” Ortlieb said.

Ortlieb also views the new lab as a way to help some Sioux Falls School District students on the autism spectrum transition to South Dakota State University, where they can further benefit from the support offered through the Lucas P. Wintrode Autism Support Services program.

“The vision for that pipeline is that just because an adolescent turns 18 doesn’t mean that support services should disappear,” said Keena Melville, director of the Lucas P. Wintrode Autism Support Services. “It’s our responsibility to carry that baton as we seek to become the college of choice for students on the spectrum.”

Paul and Maria Wintrode’s financial support is in honor of their son, Lucas, who was diagnosed with autism at a young age and now thrives as a high school graduate with a full and meaningful life. “Our journey has been filled with both challenges and triumphs. As we become increasingly aware of the gaps in autism-specific supports, especially in the Midwest, we wanted to serve as a catalyst for elevating the educational experience for others on the autistic spectrum,” Paul and Maria Wintrode said.

Making the new learning lab possible is just one of many ways the family has stepped up to fund autism-focused initiatives at SDSU. Their transformative gift has also supported the Lucas P. Wintrode Endowed Assistant Professor of Special Education – Autism Studies Lacy Knutson; the Lucas P. Wintrode Autism Support Services program, which launched in spring 2024, and its director, Keena Melville, and a new coordinator, Lara Langelett; graduate assistants and student workers; the recently launched Lucas P. Wintrode Nutrition Lab; student scholarships; peer mentors; faculty fellows and professional development; outreach programs and community involvement.