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Call for Nominations: 2025 Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame
By Cathy Essick
Community Involvement
Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa is now accepting nominations for the 2025 Business Hall of Fame events: the Corridor event on September 18th (26th Annual) and the Cedar Valley event on October 30th (31st Annual). These events honor outstanding business leaders who have shaped Eastern Iowa’s economy and communities. Three laureates and one entrepreneur will be selected for each event based on...
Cedar Rapids Community School District: January School District Spotlight
By Cathy Essick
Financial Literacy
Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa is excited to feature the Cedar Rapids Community School District (CRCSD) in our first School District Spotlight! A dedicated JA partner for over 25 years, CRCSD now implements JA programming district-wide, impacting 10,844 students across grades K-9 with hands-on financial literacy, career readiness, and entrepreneurship...
Celebrating a Year of Impact: Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa’s 2023-2024 Annual Report
By Cathy Essick
Corporate Responsibility
At Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa, we are proud to reflect on another incredible year of empowering students with financial literacy, career readiness, and entrepreneurship education. Our 2023-2024 Annual Report showcases the lasting impact we’ve made together with our volunteers, educators, and...
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...
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...
