At the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, Marshalltown became just the third high school in Iowa and the first in central Iowa to implement Junior Achievement (JA) 3DE curriculum, which challenges students to solve real-world problems in unique settings.

As MCSD Executive Director of Education Services Shauna Smith recently explained, the students who participate work in small groups on a case challenge — a question they “wrap their heads around” and research in hopes of coming up with a solution. Karina Hernandez, a former school board member and Marshalltown Education Partnership (MEP) director, is leading the initiative as the 3DE School and Partnership Manager.

“I think my partnership with the district with the different roles that I’ve had really puts this one in a very high (place) just because it’s so innovative and it’s so into the time as (far as) bringing partners into the school, bringing those opportunities for skills, just even having those opportunities to learn about the different jobs within our community,” she said. “We’re partnering with Mechdyne, we’re partnering with MARSHALLTOWN. Our local Arby’s was in here last week… so they’re getting to know a lot of our local community business professionals that in the long run, could potentially be a job opportunity for them or for them to have the ability to see themselves in a position like that and maybe pursue those careers.”

Two MHS freshmen, Angeliyah French and Harper Squires, spoke to the T-R about their recent experiences working on their 3DE case involving Arby’s — specifically, how can the fast food giant known for its roast beef sandwiches and curly fries reach a younger audience? They worked on a survey of 34 fellow students to develop marketing strategies including a new mascot and social media outreach, to name a few things.

“What was surprising is (that) me and Harper were already talking about a mascot and social media, and that’s what we personally thought Arby’s could do better. And a lot of our classmates agreed on that,” French said.

French hopes to become a medical malpractice attorney as an adult, while Squires would like to be a physical therapist.

“Even though I don’t specifically have a career interest in marketing, I feel like 3DE has helped me build confidence and has helped especially with my public speaking and working with my peers, so that probably will help me in the future,” Squires said.

Their group participated in the national case challenge for Arby’s, and they are now headed on to a regional competition in hopes of moving on to the national level. Smith is excited to report that a third of the entire freshman class is involved in 3DE this year, and she hopes to see that high level of participation continue going forward along with next year’s freshman class.

“I’ve always loved the JA events that we had sometimes in school, and so when they introduced 3DE to us, I thought it was a great opportunity. And now that I’m in it, I really recommend younger middle schoolers to be in it,” French said.

Hernandez described the program as “a school within a school” that promotes healthy competition, and Squires feels that it has been an eye opening experience that helps to promote long-term student success.