Who better to research a potential site for a future service station than young, eager minds. A group of sophomores from Snider High School were extended that opportunity, thanks to Junior Achievement’s 3DE program. 

By giving education real-world context, the 3DE program empowers, inspires and better prepares students for life after graduation. With just six weeks to work on an assigned case, students utilize situational and cultural context, along with their own experiences, to determine a solution.

To prompt critical and analytical thinking, I&M staff provided a coaching session for the 140-plus students in early October. From there, students worked in groups to research and determine the best real-world outcome. Each group then had the opportunity to present their findings to a panel of judges on Oct. 18, where they also toured Northeast Service Center and experienced a safety trailer demonstration.

Since the 2022-23 school year, the 3DE program has served as a partnership between Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana and Fort Wayne Community Schools. The program, which targets learning beyond the walls of a classroom, incorporates a learning model focused on the Four Cs: cohorts, cases, collaboration and competencies.