Star City High School's JAG Program was honored last week at the State Capitol after being awarded $20,000 from Arkansas Ed and AT&T. JAG Specialist Lori White, Principal Jason Williamson, JAG student Anna Wright and Superintendent Jon Laffoon attended the event and were recognized by Governor Asa Hutchinson.
Jobs for Arkansas Graduates (JAG) is a broad based School-to-Work program designed to assist students whose ability to successfully graduate from high school and obtain meaningful employment could be in jeopardy. The program’s goal is to ensure student’s graduation (or GED) and prepare students for workplace success whether their career begins immediately upon high school graduation or requires them to complete postsecondary education/training. Superintendent Jon Laffoon said, “We are very excited to receive this funding from ACTE and AT&T to benefit our students. We know the JAG Program is another resource for our students to help them be successful as they transition to the military, workforce or postsecondary. This course provides soft skills and an internship/work release program that can help them improve employability and success.”
JAG can be utilized in any Career and Technical program of study and can count as credit toward a student’s career focus/major. The program’s goal is to ensure student graduation (or GED) and prepare students for workplace success whether their career begins immediately upon high school graduation, includes entry into military service, or requires them to complete postsecondary education/training. The course will consist of the following areas:
1. Career Development Skills
2. Job Attainment Skills
3. Job Survival Skills
4. Basic Skills
5. Leadership and Self-development Skills
6. Life Survival Skills
7. Workplace Skills
“The skills taught through JAG are highly valuable life skills which our students need to attain all of their future goals. We are helping build and shape the foundation, but they will continue to finetune these skills for years to come as they grow in their careers and lives. The opportunity to help guide them in their learning, watch as they grow as individuals and as a team, as well as assisting them through more difficult issues they may face is an experience which has enriched my life beyond words.” -JAG Specialist, Lori White on the experience & skills taught in the program
The model requires the completion of the 37 core competencies. The curriculum contains a total of 87 competencies. Arkansas high schools and alternative schools wishing to implement JAG may apply for New Program Start-up funds to operate the School-to-Career application or the Dropout Prevention application for 11-12th grades. The specialist is to be secondary certified in a vocational or any core academic area and endorsed through the completion of program management training developed and approved by the Department of Career Education. Training includes New Specialist Training (one to two days) and National Data Management System training (one day). Star City High School Assistant Principal Jordan Frizzell stated “JAG Specialist Lori White has done a phenomenal job on building this program from the ground up and we have seen a tremendous amount of community support thus far for our students involved.”