News Release: Kansas Bankers Association Meets With JAG-K Students Across the State

Members of the Kansas Bankers Association (KBA) teamed up with Jobs for America’s Graduates-Kansas (JAG-K) this week to educate students about opportunities in the banking industry as well as tips on financial literacy.

“JAG-K Day with the KBA” was observed by JAG-K programs throughout the week in collaboration with banks in their respective areas. Employees of participating banks visited local JAG-K classes in person or virtually or hosted groups for visits to their facilities.

April is both community banking month and financial literacy month. Through interactions with banking professionals, students learned about the many career opportunities in the financial industry. They also were introduced to the tools made available to them by financial institutions.

“The visit from First State Bank of Beloit was very informative for my students,” said Jacee Tice, Career Specialist at Beloit High School. “From savings and checking accounts, debit, credit and interest rates, my students gathered insight that will forever benefit them in their financial futures.”

JAG-K partners with public schools to help some of the most educationally at-risk and economically disadvantaged students overcome barriers to success. The in-school program helps its participants – 75 percent of whom qualify for free or subsidized lunches – transition into post-secondary school, the military, or directly into the workforce with marketable skills.

Kansas’ 81 JAG programs, which serve approximately 4,300 students in 43 school districts across the state, reported a graduation rate of 97 percent for the Class of 2020.

In conjunction with the events across the state, JAG-K President & CEO Chuck Knapp discussed his organization’s partnership with the KBA in a video with Grant Paitz, INTRUST Bank, Derek Bailey, Great Western Bank and KBA’s Senior Vice President of Government Relations Alex Orel. You can watch the video by clicking here.

“The Kansas Bankers Association recognizes the benefit of helping Kansas employers connect with talented and trained young employees,” said Orel. “Well-trained, qualified employees at every level are essential to the future of the Kansas banking industry. We are excited to help JAG-K learn about these exciting opportunities.”

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 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, Evergy, Goldstein Charitable Trust, John Deere, the Kansas Health Foundation, the Kansas Insurance Department, the Kansas State Bank Commissioner, Stormont Vail Health, 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.