School District Spotlight: College Community School District
Author: Cathy Essick
Corporate Responsibility
Published:
Wednesday, 12 Feb 2025
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Image caption: Fourth graders complete JA Our Region
At Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa, we are proud to celebrate our long-standing partnership with the College Community School District, a district that has continuously demonstrated a commitment to preparing students for bright financial and career futures. For more than 20 years, the district has played a key role in bringing innovative Junior Achievement (JA) programs to their students, often serving as a pilot district for new initiatives that go on to benefit students across the region.
“College Community has partnered with JA for over 3 decades. The JA programming and student interaction with volunteers has been valuable to our learners. Because of this long history of success, we have been thrilled to be the first District to bring capstone experiences like JA BizTown® Mobile and 3DETM to our students. We have great trust in JA programming and appreciate the partnership and trust we have from JA. JA classroom programs and capstone experiences have become an important program to deliver on our vision of Success for All.” - Douglas Wheeler, Ph.D., Superintendent of Schools
District Name: College Community School District (Cedar Rapids Prairie)
- Student Population: 5,700 learners
- Counties Served: Linn, Johnson, and Benton
- Communities Included: SW Cedar Rapids, Ely, Fairfax, Shueyville, Swisher, and Walford
- Location: Situated in the Iowa City–Cedar Rapids corridor
- District Size: 137 square miles
- Campus Setting: All PK-12+ programs and buildings are centralized on an 800-acre campus
Making an Impact: By the Numbers
This school year alone, 2,009 students in the College Community School District have participated in JA classroom programming, building critical skills in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and work readiness. The district has also embraced several specialized JA experiences:
- JA BizTown® Mobile – All fifth graders (~450 students) will take part in this hands-on, immersive simulation, learning how to run businesses, manage finances, and contribute to a thriving economy.
- JA Career Inspire – 450 students engaged in this interactive career exploration event, connecting with industry professionals and discovering future career opportunities.
- 3DETM by Junior Achievement – 128 ninth-grade students are currently participating in 3DETM, an innovative learning model that reimagines education through real-world case challenges, critical thinking, and collaboration with local businesses.
Image caption: 3DE Case Challenge 9.2 Winners
Comprehensive JA Programs in the Classroom
Junior Achievement programs are integrated across multiple grade levels, ensuring that students receive age-appropriate financial education throughout their academic journey. This year, the College Community School District students are engaging with:
- Kindergarten – 6th Grade: JA Ourselves®, JA Our Families®, JA Our Community®, JA Our City®, JA Our Region®, JA BizTown® Mobile, JA Economics for Success®
- 8th Grade: JA Career Exploration Fair, JA It’s My Job® – Soft Skills
- 9th Grade: 3DETM by Junior Achievement
A Strong Volunteer Community
Bringing these programs to life requires the dedication of volunteers who share their time and expertise with students. This year, 60-80 volunteers are projected to support JA BizTown® Mobile, providing invaluable mentorship and hands-on learning experiences.
Image caption: Fifth graders participate in JA BizTown Mobile
A True Trailblazer in Student Success
The College Community School District has been an essential partner in pioneering new Junior Achievement experiences. From participating in the Junior Achievement Eastern Iowa longitudinal study to being an early adopter of JA BizTown® Mobile and 3DETM, the district’s willingness to embrace innovation has created unparalleled opportunities not only for its own students but also for youth across the region. Their leadership in fostering financial literacy and career readiness has set an example for schools everywhere.
“The College Community has often been our pilot district for experiences/initiatives (e.g. JAEI longitudinal study, JA BizTown® Mobile, 3DETM). Their willingness at all levels (administrative through classroom teaching) to try new things creates opportunity not only for their own students, but also for other local youth to be successful with JA experiences.” – Katie Langrehr, Experiential Learning Director
We are grateful for our continued partnership with the College Community School District and look forward to many more years of empowering students together!
🔗 Learn more about the College Community School District: https://www.crprairie.org/
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