Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) is a state-based national non-profit, working with young people who are most at-risk. In more than three decades of operation, JAG brings consistent, compelling results, helping students stay in school through graduation, pursue post-secondary education and secure quality employment and sustaining jobs and careers.

  • Youth unemployment is at a record high, especially for urban and minority teenagers, and we know this impacts their lifetime earnings and prospects. Yet at the same time, AT&T and other businesses are struggling to find workers who have the mindset, habits, and skills to help us succeed. Click here for the full article.CTNJ 5 7 16

  • neysha flores

    Looking for more JAG workers!

    Like many Connecticut employers, Neysha Flores, above, a vendor services supervisor with National Waste Associates of Glastonbury, is continually looking for workers who are smart, willing and able to learn, and who have the good work habits to fit in and help her company.

    In JAG, Neysha found a great worker, and she would like to find more.

    “Rossana came to us without any business experience, but she impressed us from the first interview, and she has gone on to learn many different elements of our business,” Neysha said, of Rossana Bustamonte, a Manchester High School JAG student she hired six months ago.

    “When she interviewed with us she was well-spoken and outgoing and made a very good impression. She’s doing a really good job, handling everything from cold-calling new vendors to dealing with emergency situations and different types of contracts.

    “She is a good fit for us,” Neysha continued. “I would definitely hire another JAG student in the future.”

  • Zakeya Herring

    zakeyah herringCongratulations to Zakeyah Herring of James H. Hillhouse High School in New Haven! Zakeya received a $1,000 Kenneth M. Smith Scholarship. The scholarship, named for JAG National President Kenneth M. Smith, is open only to JAG students; Zakeyah was one of 23 recipients, from 108 applicants from around the country. The scholarship is renewable next year. 

  • Design Thinking: JAG’s Strength and Effectiveness

    "My support for JAG is also that it is not an adjunct program; it is really built into the school day.

    "The strength of this program… is designing backwards from what we want graduates to look like in the end. Working with industry the message is consistently same: They want graduates that think and can problem solve and have the habits of mind to be part of an organization. The JAG Program, and schools that have that focus built in as part of their day, are better able to achieve this. The JAG program really focuses on teaching explicitly those soft skills and what we call habits of mind . You don’t always find that in conventional education."

    ~Steve Pynn. JAG CT Advisory Board member

    "Having been in education for a long time, I have never had a role like this, and it’s very rewarding."

    ~Justine Meyer, Lead JAG CT and Manchester High Specialist

    Excerpts from MetroHartford Alliance's Pulse of the Region, November 21, 2015

  • Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) is a state-based national non-profit organization dedicated to preventing dropouts among young people who are most at-risk. In more than three decades of operation, JAG has delivered consistent, compelling results – helping nearly a million young people stay in school through graduation, pursue post-secondary education and secure quality entry-level jobs leading to career advancement opportunities.

Sep
14

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Journal Inquirer Profiles EHHS JAG Program

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Patty Damiani’s East Hartford High School JAG classes had a visitor last week: Journal Inquirer reporter Kathleen McWilliams, who wrote a story for Friday’s paper about how JAG came to Connecticut and showcasing some of Damiani’s activities.

Creativity is an important part of the JAG Specialists’ job, McWilliams reported. JAG teaches core competencies which have been time-tested and are in demand by employers, she wrote. But Specialists can be creative in how they teach them.

McWilliams observed Damiani leading a class discussion on values, asking them to take a position and then discuss their opinion on provocative questions: Does everyone need a high school diploma? If you see a co-worker stealing from your employer, are you obligated to report it?

Damiani also demonstrated the notion of value by taking a $20 bill, writing on it, crumpling it up and stomping on it.

“Does this still have value?” she asked the class. “…Well, the same is true of people. You can go through things that mark you, but every person still has the same value. No one is worth more than you.”

Click here for the full Journal Inquirer story.

 

Sep
11

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JAG Participants at James HillHouse High School Explore the Skill of Professionalism!

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It is only the second week of school and these JAG participants are ready to learn and work hard.

This week the students explored the skills and characteristics of Professionalism. They were informed that in order to succeed and move ahead not only in the JAG program, but in life, they will need to demonstrate professionalism. Through small group discussions, they identified and described what it means to be professional. They discovered how important it is to be professional through an in depth class discussion.

The participants realized that professionalism means conducting oneself with responsibility, integrity, accountability, and excellence.  After this lesson, many of the students pledged to demonstrate professionalism at all times. This activity helped establish a positive learning environment for the JAG classroom. In addition to this, it also helped students understand how much the skill of professionalism can help them communicate effectively and appropriately.

Sep
9

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Structural Teamwork at N.B.H.S.

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The Jobs for America’s Graduates students at New Britain High School started off the school year with a challenge! The small groups of students were given a yards length of masking tape and string, twenty pieces of uncooked spaghetti, and one marshmallow as their structures’ final piece to stand strong at the top.

Seniors Ousmane Sylla, Myleisha Ortiz, Shatyln Caquias, and Deybrion Hamilton (seen in photo) demonstrated their skills by building the tallest, sturdiest structure. Throughout the activity, these students displayed and discussed real leadership qualities with their use of effective communication and creative strategies.

The students really proved that there is no “I” in team. As a whole, they worked as a collaborative unit and reached a successful outcome. The classroom competition added excitement and projected what is in store for the 2015-2016 JAG Program at N.B.H.S.

 

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