Being a teenager is hard. Trying to figure out what to do after high school is even harder for some students. But programs like Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) are trying to make it easier to navigate these years.
“Most of our kids are looking at dropping out and never graduating before they join JAG,” says Memorial High School Senior Career Specialist Sara Gates.
JAG is a national program that aims to prevent school dropouts while connecting teens and young adults to careers through academic support, workforce training, leadership development and career and career exploration. Students learn real-world skills like how to build a resume or search for a job. Once enrolled in the program, participants have access to monthly check-ins for 12 months after graduation to support the transition from high school into employment, military service or college. Gates says the support serves as a safety net of sorts.
“We have a student who just started an apprenticeship with the YMCA, she’s going to get paid while she’s doing the apprenticeship and in three months she will be a certified assistant lead teacher.” Gates says the program has also helped the student navigate transportation challenges in getting to and from the apprenticeship.
Gates’ dedication to the program was recently recognized on a national level when she became one of ten program leaders to receive the National JAG Impact Award for her work making connections and creating memorable moments with students. It’s an achievement that not only resonates with her, but with the 16 teens in her program who will now have a brighter path forward.
“This program is just everything I stand for… I am also a Boy Scout leader and a 4H leader and every aspect of my life is to make sure kids are prepared for life after high school.”
Her students will take part in a statewide JAG competition during the second week of February, which will test their career preparedness skills, including budgeting and creating a presentation about the career field they hope to eventually enter. Past competitions have included mock job interviews and public speaking portions as well. Gates is hopeful her team will do well, saying this year’s categories are right up her student’s alley. But regardless of the outcome, Gates says she’s proud of the work her students continue to put in.
“This is just what I enjoy doing, I want to see kids do better in life than I did.”
For more information on the JAG program, click here.