Orbis

09/18/2026

Attention Ankeny Students and Parents!

The Golden Circle College & Career Fair is THIS SUNDAY, SEPT. 20th! It’s your chance to explore what comes after high school in one place!

Whether you’re thinking about:
🎓 College or university
🔧 Skilled trades & apprenticeships & military
💼 Career opportunities
🚀 Exploring options you haven’t considered yet

There’s something here for YOU.

Don’t wait until graduation to figure out what’s next. Come explore your options THIS WEEKEND!

👉 Bring your questions. Bring a friend. Bring a parent.

We’ll see you at the College & Career Fair!

Explore the Golden Circle College and Career Fair, Iowa’s largest event connecting students with colleges, employers, and career planning resources.

09/17/2026

FINANCIAL AID NIGHT & HOW TO PAY FOR COLLEGE: A GUIDE TO THE FINANCIAL AID PROCESS

DATE: Tuesday, September 29, 2026
TIME: 6:00 - 7:00 PM
LOCATION: Ankeny High School Media Center (1155 SW Cherry Street, Ankeny, IA 50023)

The financial aid process can be daunting. From completing the application to understanding award letters, developing a plan to pay for college is one of the most important steps in the college process. This event is for both AHS and CHS parents – relevant for 11th and 12th grade families.

This program covers:

Financial Aid Process

FAFSA Application Review

Understanding the Results of the Application

Understanding Costs - College Comparisons

Aid Options

Scholarship Process

Where to Go For Help

09/11/2026

We were so excited to welcome Casey's teammates Brian Nuzum, Sr. Category Manager of Prepared Foods, and Corbin Clark, Category Manager of Pizza, to our Orbis Project-Based Experience Classroom this week! 🍕🥤

They pitched a fast-paced, high-flavor challenge to our student innovators: "How might we create a new beverage for the Made-to-Order beverage program that appeals to the high school generation?"

Our innovators are jumping right into design thinking: Understand, Define, Ideate, Prototype, Test.

This is a quick sprint, but we can’t wait to see the creative solutions our innovators whip up over the next week and a half!

09/03/2026

"A rising tide lifts all boats." - JFK

Rising Tides Networking day at Orbis is coming! Come be a part of lifting up our students and encouraging them in their career curiosities. You never know how your experience or network might end impacting a student's journey....and you might be impacted as well.

Join us on Thursday, September 24, as we bring together professionals and students for meaningful conversations, connections and career exploration. Join us for one or multiple time slots:

10:10 - 11:15 AM
2:25 - 3:30 PM (Greatest Need)

Location: 1102 N. Ankeny Blvd., Ankeny, IA

Please RSVP here: https://lnkd.in/gcbAyiM9

07/30/2026

Looking for fresh insights to tackle those "back-burner" projects?

The student innovators in our Ankeny Orbis Project-Based Experience class are ready to collaborate on real-world challenges for the upcoming semester! Whether you have a short-term design challenge or a long-term, complex project, our students are ready to dive deep, gather data, build prototypes, and present actionable solutions.1

We offer two ways to partner with us:

🔹 Case Study Partner (1–3 weeks): Perfect for short-term challenges focused on design thinking.

🔹 Project Partner (6+ weeks): A deep-dive experience to create, test, and refine tangible solutions.

We are looking for authentic, complex problems that don't have one clear solution—so bring us your biggest challenges!1

Ready to team up? Please complete our Project Discovery Form by August 28, 2026.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc-3sypKMISR1X0EnohmcY5EAWDS8MktdHTaUNkZD3nUdTufw/viewform

Have questions? Feel free to reach out to us at [email protected]. Let’s innovate together!

Please complete this form if you have an idea for an Orbis project. Once submitted, one of our Project Mentors, will reach out to you to schedule a time to discuss your proposal in greater detail. If you have any questions please contact [email protected].

07/01/2026

Looking to mentor the next generation of business leaders right here in Ankeny? 💼✨

We have a fantastic opportunity for a local business or accounting firm in the Ankeny area to host a high school intern for the upcoming Fall 2026 semester!
The student will be a rising senior at Ankeny Centennial High School, possesses a strong curiosity around accounting, and is eager to gain hands-on experience in the business world. Hosting an intern is a great way to give back to the community, bring fresh energy into your office, and help shape a local student's future career path.

If your business is interested, or if you'd like to learn more about our school's Internship program details and requirements, please reach out to [email protected]. Let’s connect and chat about how this partnership can benefit your team.

05/12/2026

🎓 Attention Ankeny Parents & High Schoolers: 4 Full Scholarships Remaining!

Looking for an incredible (and free!) way to boost a student's leadership skills and college resume this summer?

The Iowa Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) has extended its application deadline to May 31st, and there is still funding available to send 4 more Ankeny students on a full scholarship!

What is RYLA?
It’s a high-energy, 6-day leadership conference held at Grinnell College. Students from across Iowa come together to build confidence, solve problems, and find their leadership style.

Who: Current 9th, 10th, and 11th-grade students.

When: July 26 – 31, 2026.

Cost: FREE. Local Ankeny Rotary Clubs are covering the $530 tuition for selected students.

Where: Grinnell College.

These final spots are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. If you know a student who would be a great fit, encourage them to apply today!

👉 Apply at: www.iowaryla.org

04/27/2026

Attention Students!

DMACC’s Ankeny campus is hosting a FREE summer camp that combines CSI skills and AI:

When: July 13–16, 2026
Time: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Where: DMACC Ankeny Campus, 2006 S. Ankeny Blvd, Ankeny, IA 50023
Who: Incoming 9th grade through newly graduated 12th grade students
Bonus: Students can earn 1 DMACC credit!

To Register: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe6dMpIoCfX2Qf3bXBplU7JHl3c1EnQKUuqrU2W2lDWySY74Q/viewform

04/09/2026

What do Community State Bank, Baker Group, Snyder & Associates, Keen Project Solutions, and Ankeny Community School District Office all have in common? 🤔

Orbis Workforce Tours! 🚌💨

In just one day, our students stepped inside the engines of local industry to see what happens "beyond the surface." From finance and engineering to construction and education administration, these tours provide a front-row seat to the careers of tomorrow.

A massive THANK YOU to our incredible partners for opening their doors and investing in the next generation:
🔹 Baker Group – Shoutout to Dave Brown, HCI, sHRBP
🔹 Snyder & Associates, Inc. – Thanks, Katie Wade!
🔹 Community State Bank – Appreciate you, Jessi (Steward) McQuerrey McQuerrey
🔹 Keen Project Solutions – High-five to Brandy Easton
🔹 Ankeny Schools District Office – Thanks to Mike Maddalozzo, MBA Maddalozzo, Samantha Aukes, and Scott Litchfield and Teams

03/23/2026

Attention High School Students: Consider the Legacy Project: Career Ready Collective with the Greater Des Moines Partnership this summer!

You will have a chance to build confidence and explore future career pathways through hands-on learning and real-world professional experiences.

Over six weeks between June and July, participants will:
- Develop professional communication and networking skills
- Connect with regional employers
- Learn personal finance and goal-setting strategies
- Gain experience with interview preparation and workplace communication

Students also receive a stipend for the sessions they attend.

For more information and to register visit:

The Legacy Project: Career Ready Collective is a community-driven, career development program to prepare youth for the future of work.