JAG-K Receives Donation to Help Students in Foster Care

TOPEKA – Jobs for America’s Graduates-Kansas (JAG-K) received a donation of 100 Chromebooks that will help students in foster care with their schoolwork.

The Children’s Circus Project raises money to help give children and families a day of fun and togetherness at the circus. But during the recent pandemic, the organization has shifted its emphasis to help students who need a laptop computer for school.

JAG-K helps students, including students in foster care, prepare for post-secondary education and employment opportunities.

There are 78 programs in schools across Kansas, serving more than 4,200 students, many of whom will do at least part of their schoolwork virtually this fall.

“We can’t thank the Children’s Circus Project and their donors enough for this generosity,” said JAG-K President/CEO Chuck Knapp. “During this time when so many students are doing at least some of their schooling remotely, it’s essential they have the tools to succeed.

“We will be giving these Chromebooks to students in foster care who are in our Transition Services program, a group of students who will really benefit from having a device that is theirs to take wherever they go.”

The Richardson, Texas-based Children’s Circus Project used donations from individuals and businesses across the country to provide the Chromebooks, valued at $38,240, to JAG-K.

“Typically we send tickets for organizations to go to the circus for a day of distraction, family time, memories and happiness,” said Katy Palasek, program manager of the Children’s Circus Project. “Normally, our main focus is to send children who have special needs, or who come from programs that serve at-risk youth or families who typically wouldn’t have the means to go to the circus.

“Since COVID-19 hit and entertainment events were cancelled, we still had a lot of sponsors who wanted to help, and helping students succeed at school is very important at this time.”

“We anticipate serving approximately 100 students in foster care this upcoming school year,” said JAG-K President/CEO Chuck Knapp. “Because they are so mobile, it is easy to fall behind in their academic pursuits. These Chromebooks will allow them to access credit-recovery programs and other learning platforms over which we can deliver our JAG competencies if in-person instruction is not always possible.”

To learn more about the Children’s Circus Project, visit https://www.thechildrenscircusproject.com/

JAG-K is a multi-year, in-school program for students in grades seven through 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 AT&T, Capitol Federal, John Deere, Synchrony Financial and Taco Bell.

To learn more about JAG-K, visit www.jagkansas.org, ‘Jobs for America’s Graduates-Kansas’ on Facebook, and on Twitter at @JAG_Kansas.