News Release: JAG-K Day at Cloud

Earlier this month, Cloud County Community College (CCCC) hosted a group of Jobs for America’s Graduates Kansas (JAG-K) students from all around the state for the third annual JAG-K Day at Cloud.

“JAG-K Day started from a deep respect for the impact JAG-K has on students,” said CCCC Vice President of Student Services Brandt Hutchinson. “Coming from the K–12 world, I saw firsthand how powerful the program is.”

Regarding the motivation to continually support our JAG-K students, Hutchinson believes it is simple. “Cloud and JAG-K share the same values: student success, career readiness, leadership, and building relationships,” He stated. “Hosting this event just makes sense.”

At the event, students and their specialists got a tour of the college campus, while also attending several breakout sessions on topics relevant to the college experience. There were six sessions throughout the day, with a wide range of topics such as financial aid, program options at CCCC, and even a session about how to smoothly transition from high school to college. Notably, there was also a session where the JAG-K students got to share their stories with one another.

“The JAG-K Share session is always a highlight,” Hutchinson stated when speaking about his favorite part of the event. “I love meeting students from across the region and hearing their stories. It’s a powerful reminder of the importance of student voice.”

JAG-K Day at Cloud benefits both CCCC and JAG-K students equally. The combination of learning sessions and tours create an amazing opportunity for students to explore life after high school, which is a crucial part of the JAG-K program. It also provides a recruitment opportunity for CCCC, and many JAG-K students in the region have started their post-high school journey there.

“This was the first time several of our students had ever been on college campus,” Minneapolis High School Career Specialist William Burton explained. “The ability to learn about all the different options at Cloud that have immediate employability options was impressive.”

“My biggest takeaway from the visit was to make the most of your college experience,” Emilie Sadler, a senior at Beloit High School stated. “I was exposed to so many clubs and pathways that are available at Cloud, it showed me that there are options for everyone.”

This event is always exciting for our students, and we are very thankful for this opportunity each year!

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. Kansas’ 114 JAG-K programs serve approximately 6,000 students in 48 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 32 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, Barton Community College, EagleU, Goldstein Charitable Trust, Independence Community College, 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, Magellan Financial, Mark One Electric, the Office of the Kansas State Bank Commissioner, United Way of Kaw Valley, United Way of the Plains, U.S. Bank, Walmart and Washburn Tech.

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