Wired Production Group Shows Support to Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa
In recent years, Wired Production Group has been honored to be a part of Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa event programming. Junior Achievement (JA) is a national organization serving youth through financial literacy, career readiness, and entrepreneurial lessons.
What is Junior Achievement?
Across the United States, Junior Achievement has over 100 local areas. It is known as the largest organization dedicated to helping young people explore the knowledge and skills they need to create their own economic success and plan for their futures. According to JA’s publications, their efforts to empower the next generation are remarkable. Recent reports by JA’s alumni studies show that “JA Alumni are more likely to have a college degree, feel confident managing money, have career success, and have started a business as an adult.”
In Eastern Iowa specifically, JA reaches over 40,000 students in more than 1,600 classrooms in 156 schools. Additionally, JA is able to work with a large number of area businesses and organizations that allow their employees to serve as mentors to students. Between 2022 and 2023, JA of Eastern Iowa provided over 1,300 volunteers to students in the area. Volunteers are a critical part of JA programming. Those who volunteer with JA programs are those who inspire and prepare young people to stay active and engaged in our global economy.
Programs Offered by Junior Achievement in Iowa
Junior Achievement offers K-12 learning experiences inside and outside the classroom. In the classroom, programs like JA Our City, JA Economics for Success, and JA BizTown are popular across various grade levels. And these are just a few!
Outside of the classroom, JA of Eastern Iowa produces three core events annually.
Corridor Career Inspire
Most students do not have access to learn and explore Eastern Iowa industries firsthand. Career Inspire offers 9th-grade students the opportunity to learn about careers from industry representatives in time to ensure their high school coursework aligns with career goals and better prepares them for life after high school graduation. For businesses, higher education, and apprenticeship programs, this is an opportunity to participate in building Eastern Iowa’s future workforce.
Career Inspire is more than a career fair. It brings together the business community and local schools and is designed to help launch students into their futures: high school, college or technical schools, and careers beyond.
In 2021, Wired Production Group had the pleasure of creating the inaugural event’s highlight video.
Stock Market Challenge
Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa’s (JAEI) Annual JA Stock Market Challenge event allows participants to experience the fast-paced, cutthroat day in the life of a stock market trader. The Stock Market Challenge is a technology-based simulation of the stock market in which every 60 seconds represents a day of trading. Beginning with a hypothetical account balance of $500,000, the stakes are high, and the competition is fierce. There is a straightforward student competition during the day and a no-holds-barred adult version in the evening.
Approximately 150 high school students can complete five lessons on investments before competing in teams of four at the student JA Stock Market Challenge earlier in the day from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., allowing the students to experience all the rush with none of the risks. Students also have a chance to review their results and analyze the impact of their trades after the event. Student team registration is open to any 9th-12th grade students.
Wired Production Group has been proud to provide AV support for this event in recent years. In local event venues, the setup includes video screens and audio support for students to have the best visual and audio experience possible.
“Wired is always great to work with during our JA Stock Market Challenge event. Bruce and his team make sure we have everything we need, even walking through new venues to make sure the space will work for us. Thanks to Wired, the event is always a huge hit!”
Corridor Business Hall of Fame
The Corridor Business Hall of Fame celebrates distinguished business leaders who have established a legacy of leadership within their industries and our community. Three laureates and one emerging entrepreneur are inducted into the Corridor Business Hall of Fame annually, joining the elite group of past honorees.
The laureates and emerging entrepreneurs have influenced much of our community’s economic development and social welfare through leadership, vision, and innovation. These distinguished business leaders were nominated by community members and then selected by an independent committee. These individuals have lived and worked in Eastern Iowa and epitomize five key standards of excellence:
- Their IMPACT on their industry or organization;
- Their INTEGRITY as an ethical business leader;
- Their commitment to bettering the COMMUNITY as a whole;
- Their LEADERSHIP qualities which allow them to be exemplary role models for all of us – especially the children of Iowa;
- Their ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT in starting or significantly advancing local businesses.
This elite group of Iowa leaders will be inducted at a black-tie dinner held in their honor. Highlights of the evening include video biographies of each laureate, and students from local schools will serve as hosts and escorts to reinforce the event’s purpose: to inspire children to visualize success.
How to Support Junior Achievement
If you are interested in supporting Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa and its programming, please contact Emma Disterhoft via the Junior Achievement website. JA is seeking donations, sponsorships, and volunteers in 2024 and beyond.
Thank you to Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa for serving the young people in our community!