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High-Stakes Trading Meets High-Energy Competition: Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa Hosts 2025 Stock Market Challenge
By Cathy Essick
Community Involvement
Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa is bringing back the 6th Annual JA Stock Market Challenge on April 24, 2025, at the Olympic South Side Theater in Cedar Rapids. This exciting, fast-paced simulation lets students and corporate teams experience the thrill of stock trading in a risk-free, high-energy environment.
How It Works: Participants start with a hypothetical $500,000 portfolio and navigate...
3DE™ Educator Spotlight: Madie Hilbert
By Cathy Essick
Work Readiness
Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa highlights Madie Hilbert, an English teacher at the 9th Grade Center in the College Community School District, for her contributions to the transformative 3DE™ instructional model. This innovative program connects classroom learning to real-world experiences through case-based challenges, fostering critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving...
Junior Achievement Alumni Spotlight: Josie Bedard
By Cathy Essick
Work Readiness
In celebration of National Alumni Month, Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa is thrilled to spotlight Josie Bedard, a University of Iowa graduate and Marketing Coordinator for South Slope. Josie’s JA journey began in elementary school with programs like JA BizTown®, where she developed teamwork, financial literacy, and decision-making skills that shaped her education and career. She credits JA with...
Celebrating National Mentoring Month: Junior Achievement’s Group Mentoring Approach
By Cathy Essick
Corporate Responsibility
Empowering the Next Generation Through Mentorship
Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa leverages a group mentoring approach to equip students with essential life skills, real-world knowledge, and confidence to achieve their potential. By connecting students with professional mentors, we bring career readiness, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship to life through collaborative, hands-on...
Explore Careers at the Junior Achievement Equipment Exploration Fair
By Cathy Essick
Work Readiness
Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa is hosting the Equipment Exploration Fair on Friday, January 31, 2025, at the CRCSD Educational Leadership and Support Center. This event will engage 500 4th-grade students from the Cedar Rapids Community School District, introducing them to a variety of careers through 15-20 interactive stations led by industry volunteers. Students will explore tools, skills,...
Educator Spotlight: Abby Turley
By Cathy Essick
Community Involvement
Abby Turley, a dedicated educator at Roosevelt Creative Corridor Business Academy in Cedar Rapids, has been shaping young minds for 10 years. Initially a history teacher, Abby transitioned to launch Iowa’s first middle school Business course in 2022, focusing on career pathways and employability skills.
Her partnership with Junior Achievement (JA) has been transformative, bringing programs like...
Celebrating National Mentoring Month with Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa
By Cathy Essick
Community Involvement
Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa (JAEI) is proud to honor National Mentoring Month by celebrating the educators, volunteers, and community partners who inspire and empower students. Mentors play a vital role in JAEI programs, helping over 41,000 students in the 2023-2024 school year develop skills in financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship.
Mentoring bridges the gap between...
Junior Achievement Volunteer, Melissa Winter, Honored with Top National Award
By Cathy Essick
Community Involvement
Cedar Rapids Business Leader Receives National Junior Achievement Honor
Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa is proud to announce that Melissa Winter, Vice President of Wealth Management and Insurance at GreenState Credit Union, has been honored with Junior Achievement’s Gold Leadership Award—the organization’s highest national recognition for...
Spotlight on Entrepreneurship: Tim Guenther and Clickstop, Inc.
By Cathy Essick
Entrepreneurship
The blog post "Spotlight on Entrepreneurship: Tim Guenther and Clickstop, Inc." highlights the entrepreneurial journey of Tim Guenther, the founder and CEO of Clickstop, a company known for its innovative approach to e-commerce and business management. Starting in 2005 with a focus on selling products online, Clickstop has grown into a successful, multi-faceted company with a diverse portfolio of...
Cabin Coffee Company in Waterloo Brewing Up Support for Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa This GivingTuesday
By Cathy Essick
Community Involvement
Cabin Coffee Company in Waterloo is supporting Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa (JAEI) this GivingTuesday, December 3, by donating proceeds from every bag of coffee sold (up to $250) to JAEI. The initiative aligns with GivingTuesday’s global focus on generosity and community impact. Funds raised will help JAEI provide essential programs in financial literacy, career readiness, and...
