Pratt JAG-K students show off skills at regional meet

By Kahrie Stegman – Hutchinson News

Pratt High students in JAG-K (Jobs for America’s Graduates) competed at the Regional Career Development Conference on March 4, where Pratt earned third as a team and qualified two students for State in their respective events. There are many events students could choose to compete in, such as: Public Speaking, Math, Employability Skills, Poster Project, Senior Portfolio, Project Based Learning, “Mapping My Future,” and Entrepreneurship. These events are designed to assure students in the JAG-K program have the skills they need to be employable and responsible in the future when they enter the workforce.

“Giving presentations to strangers or doing mock interviews for jobs are skills that JAG-K students will take with them into adult life,” said JAG sponsor Shaphan Staats.

Qualifying for State from Pratt were Tyler Reimer who earned first in Employability Skills and Olivia Muntz, placing second in Public Speaking. Aiden Falkinburg will be an alternate at state for earning second in Senior Portfolio. All Pratt JAG students competed at the local level to qualify for regionals. There were 17 JAG students who competed at regionals. Tyler Reimer and Dalton Weber competed in Employability Skills; Alexa Roberts and Olivia Muntz competed in Public Speaking; Lexi Walker and Madison Hunt competed in Project Based Learning as a team; Dustin Cox and Tristin Sheets competed in “Mapping My Future;” Nikita Melhorn and Zach Lamatsch competed in Entrepreneurship; team Xannica Szary and Jayven Teets and team Mylee Gerber and Kilynn Ray competed in Students For Service; and Carson Hoeme, Bennett Patranella, and Kody Canfield competed in math.

“This was new for most of the students and they really took on the different challenges with enthusiasm,” said Staats. “It was fun to see students come out of their comfort zones to not only try different things but compete against other students in doing so.”

Staats has enjoyed working with the students and helping them be successful not just in JAG, but in their own lives.

“My favorite thing about being a JAG-K Career Specialist is being able to facilitate students’ growth and learning,” Staats said. “Watching students succeed when they’ve questioned themselves or believed something is too difficult has been very rewarding.”