iNNOVATION
Paving the path to a thriving Iowa
As we bridge the gap between education and the workplace, we continue to forge unique partnerships with school districts, employers, community groups, industry organizations, and legislators to meet the varied needs of our students. Our solutions are creative and forward-thinking to enhance outcomes for all iJAG stakeholders.
Read about some of our latest innovation initiatives:
Integrating technology-based tools with Kuder, Inc. across all iJAG programs (August 2024)
We partnered with Kuder, Inc., a global leader in college and career readiness solutions, to integrate technology-based tools into all 165 iJAG programs for the 2024-2025 school year. Kuder Navigator® is a comprehensive platform designed to assist students in making informed decisions about their education and career paths. This, in combination with our in-school programming, serves as an additional strategy for how we empower youth to succeed, thrive, and become future-ready leaders after graduation.
Through Navigator, students have access to career assessments, educational planning tools, and a wealth of occupational information to aid them in making informed decisions and life after graduation. Our in-class Education Specialists will benefit from data-driven insights and reporting so they can deliver guidance and employer services that are tailored to the unique skills, interests, and work values of every student.
This partnership represents a significant step forward in preparing Iowa’s youth for a rapidly evolving job market.
Opening the doors to postsecondary programming with Iowa Central Community College (August 2024)
The Early College Success Program (ECSP) is our first-ever program targeted to serve the unique needs of postsecondary students and institutions. The program is dually focused on increasing recruitment and retention for first-year students at ICCC while boosting workforce development for in-demand occupations.
A highly trained and qualified Career Success Coordinator will work on campus to implement programming alongside ICCC faculty. The curriculum will feature career readiness, on-the-job earn and learn, projects with employers, tailored career counseling, brain health support, and more. Like all other iJAG programming for middle school and high schools, the goal is to support the varied needs and situations of young people so that they can discover, plan, and prepare for the workforce.
Partnering with Molina Healthcare of Iowa to deliver health and hygiene support to youth (June 2024)
Perhaps one of our most unique creative partnerships to date, Molina Healthcare of Iowa has gifted $25,000 to support the health and hygiene of iJAG students.
With the support provided by Molina Healthcare of Iowa, we are establishing a “Molina Corner” student support pantry in 10 iJAG classrooms. Through this partnership, we will address the overall well-being of our communities and reduce barriers to success. Lacking access to quality health and hygiene items such as soap, toothpaste, shampoo, laundry detergent, and feminine products can lead to illness, bullying, and poor mental health. This creative partnership allows us to solve critical socioeconomic needs and support the academic and personal success of our students in these communities: Burlington, Clinton, Des Moines, and Ottumwa.
You can start a conversation with us to learn how you can creatively support the needs of more than 8,000 youth every year.
Hosting first-ever Skills Development Conference for iJAG students, grades 7-10
Similar to the State Career Development Conference for iJAG students in grades 11-12, we hosted an inaugural Skills Development Conference (SDC) in Ankeny to uplift the knowledge and talents of iJAG students in grades 7-10. Sponsored by Des Moines Area Community College and Cargill, the event brought together more than 300 iJAG students for competitions and professional development experiences such as skill-building workshops and career exploration.
As part of SDC, community volunteers joined our students to package 10,000 meals for local schools. Through The Outreach Program, this donation will continue to support our student-led commitment to fighting hunger in our communities.
Piloting concurrent enrollment through Des Moines Area Community College (January 2024)
We were integral in connecting our district partners at Des Moines Public Schools (DMPS) with Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) to launch semester-long “earn-to-learn” courses. The purpose of the concurrent enrollment program is to provide high school students with exposure and access to college-level education at little to no cost while promoting the value of continued education. More than xx students across two Des Moines high schools earned postsecondary credits during iJAG class time.
Courses featured project-based learning concepts to challenge students with real-world situations in the workplace as well as work-based learning which focused on developing employability skills such as professionalism, organization, and communication. Select students were able to translate their learning to job shadows and paid on-the-job training experiences.
DMACC, DMPS, and iJAG also believe obtaining postsecondary credits at an advanced age helps with self-confidence, overall wellness, and preparation for the real world. A full launch is expected next school year.
Launching expansive programming with Junior Achievement of Central Iowa in Marshalltown (January 2024)
In cooperation with Marshalltown Community School District, we integrated the Junior Achievement Career Success® curriculum with our proven program model to deliver added and tailored competencies for students in grades 7-12.
Notorious for advanced project-based learning (PBL) experiences, Junior Achievement of Central Iowa is helping deliver a fictional internship experience in a Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) business environment that is guided by a team of iJAG Education Specialists. Students are solving problems, creating and implementing ideas as well as collaborating across several departments to help them gain comprehensive exposure across a variety of career pathways.
Offering free work-based learning accreditation for staff through the University of Northern Iowa (January 2024)
Our commitment to a strong culture of care begins with a care for continued education. Following a statewide emphasis on work-based learning, we launched free and accredited course offerings through the University of Northern Iowa – the state’s top postsecondary institution for education – for our in-school support staff.
Coursework is designed to advance how we deliver work-based learning in middle school and high schools through concepts related to the implementation of occupational skill development and standard work behavior, evaluation of student performance, engagement with community and employer partnerships, and more.
This is just one way we continue to anticipate the needs of school district partners statewide. Click here to view the comprehensive list of our year-round training and education.
Introducing the (formal) launch of the iJAG ALUMNi NETWORK (October 2024)
“Stay together, go anywhere together” is the motto for the iJAG ALUMNi NETWORK to reflect the ongoing support our students receive beyond their time at iJAG. Not only do alumni receive one-year transitional services, they commonly remain connected with their peers, former iJAG Education Specialists as well as their network of employers and community leaders that they met during their time at iJAG. Our organization, and this network, are built to last a lifetime.
Click here to learn about the benefits of being part of the iJAG ALUMNi NETWORK.
Opening a new regional center for career and technical education with IGNITE Pathways (August 2023)
Thanks to our partnership with IGNITE Pathways and Woodbine Community School District, we helped launch the state’s first-ever 3+1 program model at the new IGNITE Pathways Regional Center in Woodbine. The center is home to 100 students in west-central Iowa and combines curriculum from iJAG (Trauma-Informed Care, Project-Based Learning, and Work-Based Learning) and IGNITE Pathways (Career and Technical Education). Six of the center’s staff members are employed by iJAG and participate in ongoing training and education targeted to CTE to expand on how we serve youth in grades 6-12 across rural communities.
Re-committing to wellness for students, staffs, classrooms with the Scanlan Center for School Mental Health at the University of Iowa (August 2023)
As a way to re-emphasize our commitment to wellness for students, staff, and our classrooms, we kicked off this past year by introducing a new curriculum from the Scanlan Center for School Mental Health at the University of Iowa.
The curriculum is titled BEST+Well and is made available to our nearly 200 staff members which enhances real-time knowledge about brain health through evidence-based applications for students and classrooms, as well as their personal lives. This partnership strengthens the foundation for inclusion and wellness at the schools we serve.
Learn about the BEST+Well curriculum here.