Wins For Kansas: Answering ‘that’ question for students

KAKE News, Dec. 15, 2024 – click for original article and video

TOWANDA, Kan. (KAKE) – It’s the question just about every high school senior has to field all year. 

“What are you going to do after graduation?”

Inside Circle High School in Towanda, one of the dozens of programs all across Kansas to give some thought first to the student and answers, second, to anyone who asks that question.

“You get out and it’s ‘where am I supposed to be?’, said Kendra Cordts, the JAG-K career specialist at Circle.  “Parents are pressing you one way and you may not have the advocate to turn around and give you the best career exploration.”

JAG-K stands for Jobs for America’s Graduates-Kansas. On the group’s website, we counted about 40 different schools in the KAKE viewing area with a location.  

“Build a resume, mock interviews, how to dress, what leadership is and what roles are in the industry,” said Cordts on what a student can expect.  

For one student, the time and effort spent should help him get ready for the next stage and, far most importantly, thrive and have a focus going in. 

“It’s helping me out with my grades and holding me accountable and we’ve been doing programs on the cost of college,” said Liam Maholland, a senior at Circle H.S. “It’s been helping me out.”

All for when the Class of 2025 heads out of these hallways for the final time.

“We stay with our students for an entire year after graduation so we get to stay connected with them on their positive pathway,” said Christy Pray, regional director for JAG-K.