Prairie teachers help kids ‘dream’ by getting insight into Cedar Rapids workforce

CEDAR RAPIDS — Educators in the College Community School District toured businesses in Cedar Rapids this week to gain a better understanding of the local economy and better prepare their students for the future.

On Monday and Tuesday, almost 500 educators teaching preschool to 12th grade were welcomed into 32 area businesses, getting firsthand insight into the local workforce in a partnership with the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance. Teachers each toured one business and took their experience back to their schools to share with each other.

Prairie High School English teacher Macee Tracy said it’s one of the ways the College Community School District is embracing the “spirit of innovation” this school year, which starts Friday, and continuing to create curriculum “as real-world applicable as possible.”

College Community Superintendent Doug Wheeler said it’s difficult for students to “dream” about a career path if they don’t know it exists. Bringing awareness of different industries to teachers is an “innovative” way to begin exposing students to more opportunities and encourage them to stay local after they graduate high school, he said.

At Prairie High School, students can explore college and career pathways including agriculture, health care, culinary and — beginning in the fall 2025 with the launch of a new program — aviation mechanics.

Many K-12 schools in Iowa — and across the nation — are turning to the college and career learning model to better prepare students for life after high school graduation. The programs expose students to high-demand careers that sets them on a pathway to career and educational success beyond high school.

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But there are only a “small handful” of educators who teach these specialized programs, Wheeler said. “How do our core teachers — math, English, social studies, science — how do they know about these things, so they also can talk about career readiness?” he asked.

While test scores are important, it’s also important to expose students to experiences in school that aren’t measured, like job shadows, Wheeler said, adding that he believes exposing students to careers they’re interested in will encourage them to be more engaged academically and perform better.

The experience educators gained this week could help inform the school district’s next strategic plan, Wheeler said.

Tracy, the English teacher, toured Pactiv Evergreen, one of the largest manufacturers of fresh food and beverage packaging and filling machines in North America. The Cedar Rapids location is one of the company’s 51 manufacturing plants.

Tracy and the other educators that toured Pactiv Evergreen on Tuesday learned about the various job opportunities at the company, including engineering, finance and sales.

Michael Schulte, a ninth grade Earth and Space Science teacher at Prairie who also toured Pactiv Evergreen, said it was “eye opening” to see the different industries and opportunities in Cedar Rapids for students.

“It’s a massive opportunity for our kids and businesses,” Schulte said.

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Other businesses on the tour included BAE Systems, The Eastern Iowa Airport, ImOn Communications, Van Meter Inc. and Arlo Steel.

Educators Monday and Tuesday also heard from area professionals who talked about why businesses locate in Cedar Rapids, skills that employers are looking for and the role schools play in economic development.

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Doug Neumann, president of the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance, said businesses have long been a “cheerleader” for education. Now, they are getting involved more actively.

“We are excited when young people get to explore the community, do experiential learning and understand what makes up the local economy,” he said.

Emily Kaiser, a senior key account manager for Alliant Energy who was on the professional panel, said the work businesses do can’t be done without teachers.

“You’re building the next generation of pilots, public works employees and engineers,” Kaiser said, encouraging teachers to reach out to local business partners to create more experiences for their students.

Teri Myers, leader of knowledge and engagement at BAE Systems, said businesses are looking for people who are “curious” and can “bring out your inner 3- and 4-year-old” and innovate by continually asking “why.”

Bill Micheel, director of Economic Development Services for the city of Cedar Rapids, echoed Myers, saying that many employers are less concerned whether a person has a college degree. “What they are interested in is a learning mindset,” he said.

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