Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) provides developmental skills and empowerment to students in order to help students have successful careers after high school. JAG is an accredited class elective that takes place during the school day so students can learn powerful and useful life skills. 

Skills like  building relationships with local employers, engaging in project-based learning, developing leadership, civic and social responsibility through a student-led career association. Along with engaging in career research that will lay the foundation for job opportunities after high school graduation.

According to the JAG class description, “classes integrate project-based learning and employer engagement through hands-on, realistic learning experiences where students master up to 87 competencies translatable to the workforce. JAG also provides leadership development experiences through extracurricular activities which include student-led planning and engagement for public service and social awareness projects and activities.”

However, implementing a new program into a school is a noteworthy process. East is set to pilot in the 2023-2024 school year, putting it into a class format. Students will have a set time during the day for when this program can provide its students with the identified leadership based skills.

But, starting from the beginning, JAG was founded in 1978 and has been dedicated to helping students across the country with social and important life skills to students in public schools. Over the years, JAG has sought out different schools to provide their program to those who signed up. Recently, JAG sought out Bellevue Public Schools to continue offering the program to new students.

After BPS administration met with JAG and heard about the how JAG wanted to continue  expanding in Nebraska, the staff went and talked to different schools within the district.  The discussions included visiting the secondary schools, talking with their administration and staff, and what students would most benefit from the JAG program. One of the persons who reached out was Assistant Superintendent Robert Moore.

“The district is adding this program to 5/6 secondary schools this year. We took each school’s building principal and a counselor to visit the JAG program in Blair, Nebraska,” Moore said. 

Schools have to then sign an agreement to support the program and work with JAG-Nebraska to meet the program’s expectations. These schools also will develop an advisory committee for the program and start the process of advertising the program to students. Schools must identify students best suited for the JAG program and invite them to attend informational sessions. Fifty students will be chosen for the program starting in the fall of 2023.

With all the possibilities, the program looks to be a promising and helpful class for the students here at East. Students will be able to learn valuable life skills during school hours and work with their peers in higher capacity. While the process of piloting the program is long, it’s worth it to be able to help students and spread a program built to better people throughout the country.

“After our visit, all of our principals thought the program would benefit and serve our students facing various challenges,” Moore said.