Emporia High School Senior Awarded JAG-K Scholarship

Every year, one outstanding Jobs for America’s Graduates – Kansas (JAG-K) senior is awarded a $500 dollar scholarship for being an exemplary student in the program. This scholarship is awarded during the annual State Career Development Conference, which was held on March 10, 2026. 

This year, Angel Bahena from Emporia High School was selected to receive this scholarship. “Angel naturally builds up other members of our program by offering encouragement, guidance, and support,” said Ramsey Siebert, the JAG-K specialist at Emporia High School, who has been working with Angel for the entirety of her high school career. “He leads by example and helps create a welcoming, motivating environment where others feel valued and capable of success.” 

“Angel didn’t just attend JAG-K classes; he made the decision to invest in JAG-K as a freshman,” explained Beverly Mortimer, Chief Innovation Officer for JAG-K. “He attributes JAG-K for helping him develop the skills, confidence, and professionalism that will carry him to his successful future. He knows that his CDC events were more than competitions, and they helped him prepare for real-world career readiness.”  

Angel aspires to be a history teacher and has completed a course in Teaching as a Career, a Teaching Observation, and a Teaching Internship. These are just a few of the many ways Angel proves that he is already taking the necessary steps to work toward a meaningful career in History and Education.  

Kansas’ 120 JAG-K programs serve over 6,000 students in 54 school districts across the state. JAG-K Career Specialists help students graduate and learn career, leadership, and life skills by executing a nationally-accredited, evidence-based model. Participants must meet criteria to be selected for the program and have potential to overcome various barriers to post-secondary success. 

The 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization is a state affiliate of the national JAG program network which operates in 36 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, EagleU, Goldstein Charitable Trust, the JB and Anne Hodgdon Foundation, Honeywell, John Deere, Johnson County Community College, the Kansas Chamber of Commerce, Kansas Gas Service, the Kansas Insurance Department, Mark One Electric, the Office of the Kansas State Bank Commissioner, United Way of Kaw Valley, United Way of the Plains, U.S. Bank and Walmart. 

To learn more about JAG-K, visit  www.jagkansas.org, or ‘Jobs for America’s Graduates-Kansas’ on Facebook, X and LinkedIn. 

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