Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa enhances student experience with 3DE

Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa is ramping up efforts to implement its new learning model, 3DE, in local schools. On Nov. 20, approximately 50 leaders in business and education gathered at Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa’s headquarters in downtown Cedar Rapids to hear about the new program, which officially launched this past August in the Alburnett and College Community school districts. “Our main goal is to inspire students to lead choice-filled lives,” said Nate Klein, vice president of education for Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa. “The goal of 3DE is not only to build these competencies and confidence, but also to expose (students) to what's available in the Corridor.”

What is 3DE?

A business curriculum designed to bring project-based learning to high school students, 3DE connects schools with businesses and presents students with real-world challenges, helping cultivate the skills needed to succeed in a career pathway after graduation. “We’re going to change the landscape of the students coming out of the schools,” said Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa regional board chair and 3DE sponsor Melissa Winter, senior vice president of wealth management and insurance at GreenState Credit Union. “As an employer, here’s what I’m going to be looking for: I want the collaboration. I want the communication skills. I want them to be problem solvers, and this is going to do that.” Students participating in the program are divided into small teams to address a specific industry challenge. Over a five-week period, these teams research and analyze the problem, guided by industry professionals who serve as coaches and advisors. The collaboration includes direct input from company representatives, helping students refine their approach and develop viable solutions. At the conclusion of the program, teams present their findings and proposals to industry leaders, offering their perspective on the presented challenges. “When we talk about real-world connectivity (in schools), typically, what's happened across the U.S. is that real-world connectivity happens in the electives,” said Jack Harris, CEO of Junior Achievement USA and president and CEO of 3DE Schools. “But it's been really hard to pull that real-world connectivity across the core academic subjects. And it's those core academic subjects where we're losing students.” In 3DE, core academic disciplines, including math, English, and science, are refocused to tackle practical challenges presented by both local and national businesses. Should Van Meter build a new facility or renovate an existing one to accommodate growth? How can Arby’s make roast beef sandwiches attractive to the younger generation? “As a business teacher, we've done projects all 12 years that I've been teaching, this is so different. I see a different attitude and buy-in from students that I've never seen before,” said Matt Sima, business and 3DE launch teacher with College Community School District. “(What) I've seen this year that's different than the years prior, is the students’ self advocacy, their ability to communicate, and, more recently, their ability to collaborate effectively,” said Rachel Combs, 3DE instructional coach and science teacher with College Community.

She also highlighted a practical example of 3DE’s integration of core subjects in the classroom. In one instance, an English teacher utilized a decision tree as part of a lesson. Students selected a character from a book, analyzed the character's decisions using the tree, and expanded on their findings through class activities. Interest in 3DE has expanded to other schools, and Junior Achievement estimates there will be 10 additional schools by 2030. “It’s making a difference for our kids,” said Christine Landa, president of Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa.