CEDAR FALLS, IOWA, April 1, 2025 — The high school programs involved in the Cedar Valley Centers for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS) are hosting their signature event at the end of April to showcase the experiences of the student-associates and their project work with the Cedar Valley community and local businesses.
The 2025 Innovation Celebration will take place on Wednesday, April 23, from 5:30-7:00 PM at the Diamond Event Center in Cedar Falls, with admission being free and open to the public thanks to sponsorship support from the Cedar Falls Schools Foundation, Jam City, SciPlay, Kryton Metals, Viking Pump, Invision Architecture, Hawkeye Community College, Veridian Credit Union, Lost Island, Cardinal Construction, Curbtender, B&K Lawn Care, and UnityPoint Allen Foundation.
“Educating our student associates is a community effort, and we believe that involving the public in our Innovation Celebration Showcase is an opportunity to highlight our team’s talent and hard work,” said Cedar Falls CAPS Director Ethan Wiechmann. “This event also allows community members to engage with the next generation of leaders and innovators.”
Sixth grade teams from Cedar Falls Elementary Schools will also be exhibiting at the event as a way to highlight and encourage authentic learning happening at that level. These students will join their high school counterparts in showcasing the innovative projects they have completed this school year.
CAPS is a Profession-Based Learning program built around the four cornerstones of Innovation, Problem Solving, Professional Skills, and Career Exploration, with the mission to Prepare ALL Students for their Purpose.
Throughout their time in CAPS, student-associates engage in real-world projects and professional experiences, gaining invaluable skills that support the mission and goals of local businesses and organizations. Business partners and CAPS instructors support the development of the student-associates by nurturing durable skills. Ultimately, the work performed through CAPS has the goal of providing value to the business partner and impacting the companies, organizations, and communities of the Cedar Valley.
Cedar Valley CAPS began in 2017 with the Cedar Falls CAPS program and has expanded exponentially since then, serving 450 high school students region-wide during the 2024-2025 school year. The Cedar Falls High School program offers six CAPS experiences, while students involved with programs associated with Hudson, Jesup, Dunkerton, and Wapsie Valley high schools offer an all-inclusive CAPS pathway that helps prepare all students for their purpose through experience, skills, and exposure to various industries and professions.
The Cedar Valley CAPS programs are partners in the Iowa CAPS consortium and members of the national CAPS Network.
For more information on engaging with CAPS in the Cedar Valley, go to www.CFCAPS.org or email cfcaps@cfschools.org.