Students from eight high schools recently participated in the Work One Region 11 Career Development Conference.
The students are part of the Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) program and compete each year locally with winners advancing to the State competition.
JAG students compete in 13 different categories either as a class or individually. Competitions are judged by local business representatives and community leaders. Class competitions include: Brochure, Commercial, Service Learning Blog, and Entrepreneurship Plan.
Individual competitions include: Cover Design, Writing, Public Speaking, Financial Literacy, Employability Skills, Critical Thinking, Creative Solutions, and Career Presentation.
Southridge High School was well represented as far as local school groups and individual students earning a right to advance to the State competition on March 15.
Southridge moved forward in the Service Learning Blog, Commercial and Entrepreneurship Plan.
Individual winners from Southridge include:
Critical Thinking: Jose Gutierrez,
Employability Skills: Jeovany Dubon,
Financial Literacy: Alexsandra Gonzalez,
And Writing: Grace Middleton, once again all from Southridge High School
Also Jaydlyn Goeppner of Pike Central High School advanced in Cover Design.
The JAG program provides services to young adults to help them get a high school diploma or equivalent, secure a quality entry-level job or pursue post-secondary education that leads to advancement in their career field.
Jobs for America’s Graduates is a state-based, national non-profit organization within the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.
Among the local counties in the department’s Region 11, include: Pike, Perry, Warrick, Spencer and Dubois counties. The program is administered within the WorkOne system and directed by the region’s Workforce Development Board.
In Region 11, the JAG program started in the 2007-2008 school year at Vincennes Lincoln High School. It is now offered in eight high schools including Southridge, Pike Central and Tell City.
A Jobs for America’s Graduates specialist in each school leads, guides and encourages the students as they participate throughout the school year in a number of classroom activities and projects, including career presentation, creative solutions, critical thinking, public speaking, writing and financial literacy.
In addition to structured activities, the Jobs for America’s Graduates specialists provide counseling, understanding and encouragement.
