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Empowering Young Innovators: How JA Sparks the Entrepreneurial Mindset Early
By Cathy Essick
Entrepreneurship
In a world where careers, industries, and technology are evolving faster than ever, today’s students need more than traditional learning to prepare for what comes next. They need the confidence, capability, competence, and connections that help them think creatively, solve problems, and recognize opportunity. That’s why Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa is committed to nurturing the...
Staff Spotlight: Colene Stauffer, Education Coordinator
By Cathy Essick
Financial Literacy
Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa is thrilled to spotlight Colene Stauffer, who joined our Education team in August as an Education Coordinator! Though she’s only been with JAEI a short time, Colene already brings a warm, mission-driven passion to her role—supporting volunteers and educators as they create enriching, hands-on learning experiences for students across Eastern...
2024–2025 Annual Report: A Year of Impact and Momentum
By Cathy Essick
Corporate Responsibility
We are proud to share Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa’s 2024–2025 Annual Report—a snapshot of the incredible impact our volunteers, educators, partners, and supporters made possible this...
JAEI’s Dani Carter Helps Shape Iowa’s Future Social Studies Standards
By Cathy Essick
Community Involvement
Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa’s (JAEI) Content and Curriculum Director, Dani Carter, was recently selected as one of just 22 education professionals statewide to help review the proposed updates to Iowa’s Social Studies standards. Her participation reflects not only her deep expertise in curriculum design but also her long-standing commitment to supporting student success across...
Volunteer Spotlight: Sarah Zelinskas
By Cathy Essick
Community Involvement
Since 2014, longtime JA volunteer Sarah Zelinskas has brought her 20+ years of banking experience—and a genuine love for teaching—into classrooms across Eastern Iowa. From JA BizTown® to elementary programs, Sarah is known for sparking “light bulb” moments as students connect lessons to real life.
“Students light up when she walks through the door,” says Dani Carter, JAEI Director of Content and...
Volunteer Spotlight: Deb Vogt
By Cathy Essick
Corporate Responsibility
Retired Transamerica trainer Deb Vogt brings her passion for helping others learn and grow into the classroom as a dedicated Junior Achievement volunteer. Whether she’s guiding kindergarteners through their first JA lessons or leading second graders in hands-on activities like the popular “pizza production” exercise, Deb makes financial literacy fun and relatable. Her energy and enthusiasm have...
Staff Spotlight: Meet Liv Allen
By Cathy Essick
Financial Literacy
Olivia “Liv” Allen joined JAEI in October 2025 as an Education Coordinator, where she helps connect volunteers, educators, and local businesses to JA programs and supports major experiential learning events like JA Career Inspire®, Career Speaker events, and equipment exploration...
Celebrating 60 Years of Junior Achievement: How It All Began and How It’s Evolved
By Cathy Essick
Financial Literacy
60 Years of Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa
For six decades, JAEI has delivered hands-on, real-world learning that equips students with the skills and confidence to succeed. Rooted in JA’s national legacy and continuously evolving to meet the needs of today’s learners, JAEI remains committed to accelerating economic mobility through education. Join us as we celebrate 60 years of impact—and look...
The ROI of Investing in Youth: Why Economic Mobility is a Community Imperative
Blog from JA USA
By Elizabeth Stepanek
Corporate Responsibility
When we talk about “return on investment,” our minds often jump to balance sheets, bottom lines, and quarterly reports. But what if the greatest ROI isn’t financial in the short term but social, economic, and generational in the long...
Nominate an Extraordinary Leader for the 2026 Corridor or Cedar Valley Business Hall of Fame
By Cathy Essick
Community Involvement
Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa is now accepting nominations for the 2026 Corridor and Cedar Valley Business Hall of Fame events — honoring outstanding business leaders and entrepreneurs who have made a lasting impact on our communities through their vision, integrity, leadership, and...
