News Release: JAG-K Student Officers Learn About Leadership in Washington D.C.
A group of Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) participants from Kansas recently spent four days in Washington D.C., on a leadership development trip. In addition to touring the nation’s capitol and meeting with members of the Kansas Congressional delegation and staff, the students also participated in the JAG National Student Leadership Academy (NSLA), which was held virtually for the second consecutive year.
NSLA features nationally-renowned speakers who focus on leadership development. The four students, who were elected by their peers to lead the JAG-K student state career association, participated in virtual workshops and seminars designed to equip them for their responsibilities. Jobs for America’s Graduates-Kansas (JAG-K) is an evidence-based program that helps students prepare for post-secondary education and employment opportunities.
The elected JAG-K state career association officers who traveled to Washington D.C. were:
Devin Russell-Unger – Augusta High School, State CA President
Ryah Klima – Concordia High School, State CA Vice President
Karin Moorhous – Hiawatha High School, State CA Secretary
Kaden Nguyen – Emporia High School, State CA Treasurer
“Although COVID restrictions prevented a national in-person NSLA this year, we wanted our students to have the experience in Washington, D.C., which reinforces the importance of good leadership,” explained JAG-K President and CEO Chuck Knapp. “Meeting with elected officials, learning about leaders like George Washington, and seeing some of the actual sites where leaders work and reside is both inspiring and motivational.”
The students participated in the ceremonial laying of a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. They also met with U.S. Rep. Ron Estes to discuss the merits of the JAG-K program and the needs of the Kansas workforce.
The four students who participated in the virtual conference had opportunities to exchange ideas and learn from the experiences of their peers from across the country. They also met and collaborated with students from the JAG-Kentucky program who also were in Washington D.C.
Another group of JAG-K regional state career association officers did not make the trip to Washington D.C., but participated in the State Officer Track for NSLA virtually while at school. Those students were:
Dakota Aumiller, Great Bend High School
Jesse Bartlett, Stafford High School
Shyree Jackson, Royal Valley High School
Coby Mick, El Dorado High School
JAG-K is a multi-year, in-school program for students in grades 7-12 that offers tools to successfully transition students into post-secondary school, the military, or directly into the workforce with marketable skills. Participants in the program face multiple barriers to success that their JAG-K Career Specialist helps them overcome through a nationally-accredited, evidence-based model.
The 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization is a state affiliate of the national JAG program network which operates in 40 different states and territories. It is primarily funded through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grant to the State of Kansas administered by the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF). In addition to school districts and DCF, JAG-K partners with the Kansas Department of Education. Other JAG-K funding sources include ADM, AT&T, Goldstein Charitable Trust, John Deere, the Kansas Health Foundation, the Kansas State Bank Commissioner, Synchrony Financial, the Taco Bell Foundation and Walmart.
To learn more about JAG-K, visit www.jagkansas.org, ‘Jobs for America’s Graduates-Kansas’ on Facebook, and on Twitter at @JAG_Kansas.
To learn more about JAG-K, visit www.jagkansas.org, ‘Jobs for America’s Graduates-Kansas’ on Facebook, and on Twitter at @JAG_Kansas.