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New Des Moines County CEO program and JA Titan student experiences highlighted at board meeting

Burlington Community School District Board of Education · March 31, 2026

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Summary

Volunteers, staff and students described Junior Achievement (JA) Titan competitions and introduced a new Des Moines County CEO entrepreneurial program launching this fall for juniors and seniors with possible college credit and supports for student access.

Volunteers and students presented Junior Achievement (JA) Titan and stock-market simulations at the March 30 meeting, and Tully Van Ricky of the Greater Burlington Partnership outlined plans for a Des Moines County CEO (Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities) program to start this fall.

Brian Ross (S11) and teacher coordinator Katie Salisbury (S14) described JA Titan and said teams practiced simulations that require budgeting, production planning and corporate social responsibility decisions. Freshman participant Maylon Olsen (S15) said the Titan CEO simulation was "very exciting," noting the steep swings in simulated income and the skills students practiced.

Tully Van Ricky (S6), regional director of workforce innovation at the Greater Burlington Partnership, detailed the CEO program: a year-long experience meeting mornings (07:30–9:00 a.m.), hosted at industry partners for tours and mentorship, with a spring pitch day and a trade show. The program aims to offer 2–4 college credits through concurrent enrollment at no cost to students, and organizers said they hope to enroll about 20 students; the application window was extended to April 30.

Van Ricky noted a Friends of CEO fund to cover transportation and clothing costs so the program can be accessible to students who need support. Board members expressed appreciation for the volunteers and partners who helped run JA Titan and welcomed the CEO program as a regional collaboration that could benefit local students and employers.

The board invited the presenters to share a post-meeting video of student reflections and said it looks forward to information about enrollment and the spring trade show.