Where Vision Meets Impact: 2025 Board Celebration Recap

Author: Cathy Essick
Corporate Responsibility
Published: Thursday, 26 Jun 2025

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Image caption: Dr. Doug Wheeler, Superintendent of College Community School District and Cedar Rapids Board Member, shares the powerful impact of 3DE™ on student engagement and real-world learning.

Charting the Future: Highlights from the 2025 Celebration

On Tuesday, June 24^th, Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa (JAEI) welcomed 48 board members, who are comprised of superintendents and community leaders, to Cedar Ridge Winery & Distillery in Swisher for our 2025 Regional Board Celebration. The setting was perfect for a collaborative afternoon of reflection, recognition, and forward-looking discussion on how JAEI continues to empower students across Eastern Iowa.

The retreat began with opening remarks from President, Christine Landa, followed by leadership updates from Regional Executive Board Chair, Regional Director Katelyn Tungland, and Business Development Coordinator, Lindsey Gruber. The tone was set with gratitude and momentum, celebrating progress made and gearing up for the work ahead.

Celebrating Impact

Shelley Woods and Abby Scheitlin highlighted the incredible program impact achieved in 2024–2025. With 1,502 dedicated volunteers and an expanded reach into Cedar Rapids-area schools, JAEI made a record-breaking impact through our core classroom programming.

Steve Heyer guided the audience through our experiential learning portfolio, including:

JA Career Inspire®: Bringing real-world career opportunities directly into classrooms with interactive exhibits and industry professionals.
JA BizTown® Mobile: Achieving a 43% increase in student participation this year, bringing financial literacy and entrepreneurship education to more communities.
JA Finance Park® Mobile: Simulating adult financial decision-making for middle and high school students, strengthening their long-term money management skills.

Dr. Doug Wheeler, Superintendent of College Community School District, delivered a compelling presentation on our 3DE™ initiative—illuminating how this project-based learning model enriches student learning and builds stronger community connections.

image of a woman speaking to a group of people

Image caption: Dee McAlpin, Wealth Advisor at United Iowa Financial and Iowa City Board Member, highlights the hands-on learning and excitement students experience through the JA Stock Market Challenge®.

Honoring Events and Supporters

Troy Smith shared the success of the 2024 Business Hall of Fame, which raised $276,080—directly supporting programming for 3,830 students. Dee McAlpin reinforced the impact of community involvement with results from the JA Stock Market Challenge®.

Looking Ahead

Christine Landa closed the presentation with a preview of JAEI’s 2025–2026 initiatives, focusing on further program growth, deeper partnerships with districts, and alignment with JA USA verticals to enhance community engagement region-wide.

Distinguished Speakers

We were honored to welcome several education leaders whose insights deeply resonated with our mission:

Dr. Doug Wheeler, Superintendent, College Community School District
Dr. Tawana Grover, Superintendent, Cedar Rapids Community School District
Matt Degner, Superintendent, Iowa City Community School District
Kenyon Murray, Board of Trustees

Their perspectives reinforced the importance of collaboration in supporting youth economic readiness and driving systemic impact across Eastern Iowa.

View the Presentation

📊 Click here to view the Board Celebration presentation

Thank you to everyone who attended, spoke, and contributed to the success of this celebration. Your leadership continues to shape brighter futures for the students of Eastern Iowa.