WonderTrek Children’s Museum announces Prozinski as executive director

By Dispatch staff report

February 11, 2022 04:45 AM

WonderTrek Children’s Museum announced Maria Prozinski as its new executive director. Prozinski has 25 years of strategic planning, fundraising and grant application experience including leadership experience with United Way in Crow Wing County and most recently as development director for St. Francis of the Lakes Catholic School, Foundation and Parishes.

WonderTrek Children's Museum is a museum serving Region Five children, families and educators. Within the last 18 months the museum provided programming to nonprofits, schools and libraries through its “Playful Explorations” at the Franklin Arts Center and pop-up venues throughout the region.

More than 4,000 children so far have participated in the WonderTrek Children's Museum's mobile programs, funded by the Humanities Center committee for the Legacy Fund. The museum’s stated mission is to bring together the region’s children and families in shared experiences grounded locally and open to the wider world, with dynamic, material-rich environments, exhibits, events and programs to engage children in the joy of play and the wonder of learning.

“I am honored to be a part of the continued development of WonderTrek Children's Museum,” stated Prozinski in a news release. “I look forward to supporting the foundational work put in place by some of our strongest community leaders and organizations. The museum is fortunate to have a board of directors who are deeply rooted in our region."

WonderTrek’s board of directors includes Chuck Albrecht, Mid Minnesota Federal Credit Union; Cheryal Hills, Region Five; Paul Drange, Sourcewell; Ellen Haglin, Lindar Corp.; Matt Kilian, Brainerd Lakes Chamber of Commerce; Steve Northway, Construction Advocates; Melissa McKay, Essentia Health; Shannon Wheeler, Pequot Lakes Early Childhood Education; and Quinn Swanson, Happy Dancing Turtle.

WonderTrek is a recipient of a second Legacy grant to support the "Playful Connections" programs. The museum hopes to engage children and adults in play-based studio explorations to help design a signature climber experience reflecting regional art, culture and heritage and to engage families from a diversity of backgrounds and lived experiences as well as families experiencing participation barriers.

By bringing together diverse perspectives to share ideas in a studio learning process, “Playful Connections” empowers children to lead the way to a more connected region and state through the power of play, the release stated.

For further information, visit wondertrekmuseum.org or call 218-454-8990.

Related Topics: NONPROFITS

By Dispatch staff report

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WonderTrek Children’s Museum announces Prozinski as executive director

More than 4,000 children so far have participated in the WonderTrek Children's Museum's mobile programs, funded by the Humanities Center Committee for the Legacy Fund.