Hays JAG-K Students Fare Well in Regional Development Conference
Hays Post, April 28, 2022 – click to see original article
Jobs for America’s Graduates-Kansas (JAG-K) students from Hays High School competed in the JAG-K Region Career Development Conference recently, claiming three medals and qualifying three to compete on the state level.
“The CDC is a great opportunity for our students to demonstrate some of the skills they have gained in JAG-K,” said Hays High School JAG-K Career Specialist Bryan Zollinger. “We’re proud of their performance at regionals. Going to state competition will be a great experience.”
Individual medal winners from Hays High School were:
• Tea Hartman, 1st Place, T-shirt Logo Design
• Edwin Muller, 2nd Place, Career Preparation
• Chason VanderWege, 3rd Place, Financial Literacy
The Region 1 CDC featured JAG-K students from several schools competing in events that showcase the competencies attained in the JAG-K program. Employability skills, public speaking, financial literacy, and community service are just some of the events in which the students competed.
Students who placed in the top five in each category earned a medal, and the top three in each event qualified for the state competition, which was held at Barton Community College on April 5.
“These events are perfect opportunities for students to showcase their skills and network with our partners and supporters,” said John Linn, Regional Manager of Region 1. “It’s amazing to see students being proud of themselves and how much they’ve learned and developed through JAG-K. It’s a wonderful feeling to know the organization and our Specialists are making a difference in the lives of our youth.”
JAG-K is a multi-year, in-school program for students in grades 6-12 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 nonprofit 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. 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, Stormont Vail Health, Synchrony Financial, the Taco Bell Foundation and Walmart.