Over 400 volunteers from 100+ organizations and 15 sponsors came together to host 4,100 8th graders from 65 schools for CareerSpark, a hands-on career exploration on October 5-6, 2022. Representatives from Junior Achievement’s USA’s national team also joined the fun!
During the event, the region, in partnership with the Success Network, hosted leaders from Chicago Public Schools, the Champaign Education for Employment Office, the Quad Cities Junior Achievement Chapter, Black Hawk Region Pathways, and the Aurora Regional Chamber of Commerce, all of whom were interested in learning more on how to replicate similar efforts in their communities. At the meeting, Sarah Hartwick from the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association shared strategies to engage employers.
At our first convening of the 2024–25 school year, the Student Advisory Council (SAC) members participated in small group workshops focused on college and career...
