Junior Achievement of Central Iowa and Ankeny Public School District Expand upon their District Wide Partnership

Author: Seherzada Devedzic
Corporate Responsibility
Published: Tuesday, 21 Feb 2023

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JA and Ankeny School District leaders are excited to expand on their district wide partnership, to continue to foster career readiness, financial literacy and entrepreneurship for Ankeny students.

Image caption: JA and Ankeny School District leaders are excited to expand on their district wide partnership, to continue to foster career readiness, financial literacy and entrepreneurship for all K-12 Ankeny students.

The Ankeny Community School District is excited to announce it has expanded its partnership with Junior Achievement of Central Iowa (JA). The expanded partnership will foster more career exploration, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship for Ankeny students.

Ankeny fifth-graders have been participating in JA BizTown, a program of Junior Achievement, in which
students interact within a simulated economy, since 2018. The popularity and success of student
participation in JA BizTown led the district to pursue additional JA opportunities for all K-12 students.
This year, all seventh-grade students will participate in JA Finance Park, a financial literacy laboratory
that produces a reality-based learning environment for middle and high school students. Additionally,
some high school students will participate in the JA Stock Market Challenge competition, where students
work hands-on in teams to compete in a live stock market simulation.

The partnership between the school district and Junior Achievement aligns with Ankeny’s new strategic
plan and the promise that all Ankeny students will graduate prepared for postsecondary success.
“Ankeny’s educational vision for the future is inspiring, and we want to help advance that vision,” said
Junior Achievement President Ryan Osborn. “We’re excited for the opportunity to help Ankeny students
create a bright future.”

District leadership and Mr. Osborn will continue to collaborate to develop new, exciting initiatives to offer
students in the future to further their postsecondary readiness.

“Our relationship with Junior Achievement is an important component of equipping our students with the
skills to flourish in and contribute to an ever-changing world,” said Ankeny Superintendent Dr. Erick
Pruitt.“This type of hands-on learning experience allows students to connect what they are learning in classrooms with the real world. In doing so, they are better able to imagine and work toward a successful
future.”