Iowa High School Tackles Real Business Problems for Credit

High school seniors in Oskaloosa, Iowa are trading traditional classrooms for downtown offices, where they're solving real business challenges and building skills that matter.

The Innovation Hub launched this year with 10 students who spend their school day partnering with local businesses. Instead of hypothetical projects, they tackle actual company problems while earning credits toward graduation.

Seniors Paige Drost and Alicia Falconer recently pitched ideas to help a nonprofit thrift store recruit more volunteers. Across the room, classmates developed projects ranging from Black History Month programming to making school more engaging.

The program grew from a one week pilot last year into a full trimester course. It emerged from years of conversations between Oskaloosa educators and local employers who needed workers with strong soft skills.

"Businesses have told schools for years they need people who can collaborate, communicate, show up on time and solve problems," said high school principal Jeff Kirby. "That's not about training kids for one job. It's about developing productive citizens."

Teacher Carrie Bihn facilitates the Hub, matching students with business partners based on their interests. Students learn technical skills, but the real magic happens in the details: writing professional emails, making eye contact during conversations, proofreading presentations.

"Those are all little things that are really, really big," Kirby told the school board. "When they walk away from the program they may not remember all those technical skills, but they're gonna remember those other skills."

MidwestOne Bank became the first partner, with students planning and delivering a holiday customer appreciation project. The experience taught teamwork and workplace expectations while the bank got enthusiastic help with a real need.

The Ripple Effect

This model benefits everyone involved. Students build portfolios of actual work they've completed for real clients, giving them concrete examples for college applications or job interviews. Local businesses get fresh perspectives on their challenges from digitally savvy young people who bring energy and creativity.

The community keeps talented young people invested in staying local. When students see themselves as problem solvers who can contribute meaningfully before they even graduate, they're more likely to build careers close to home.

The program aligns with the district's "Portrait of a Learner," which identifies six core competencies every graduate should master. "When students connect learning to authentic work experiences, engagement goes up and skills become transferable," said Marcia DeVore, the district's director of teaching and learning.

As word spreads, more businesses are reaching out to partner with Hub students, creating a pipeline of real world learning opportunities that didn't exist before.

These 10 students aren't just earning credits; they're proving that education works best when it looks like the world students will actually enter after graduation.