“You Down With O.P.P.?”

Students in the JAG Program at New Britain High School have started to create their individual Development Profiles (IDP’s). In doing so we began to explore post secondary options. Chaz Gatewood from Our Piece of the Pie (O.P.P.) came in discuss what their program has to offer. O.P.P.’s mission is “helping urban youth become economically independent adults” by providing a hands-on training in fields that are in high demand for employment. Some include healthcare, advanced manufacturing and technology pathways at Asnuntuck Community College.

The students were very interested in what this program had to offer. Not to mention, Chaz’s high energy and motivation inspired the JAG students to share their future dreams. The JAG students were asked by Chaz what they aspire to be once they move on past high school. Some of their responses included physical trainer, social worker, corrections officer, and nurse. It was nice to hear how many of them wanted to give back to people in need!

We are looking forward to Chaz’s return in the early spring to help those interested in the program to register as they approach high school graduation.

Team Building at MHS

This week my MHS JAG students were hard at work constructing Balloon Towers.

For the task,  students worked in teams of about six students and were given 24 balloons and a role of masking tape. The only requirements were that teams had to use all of their balloons and the towers had to be be free standing.

Activities such as these help to reinforce JAG’s Leadership and Self-Development competencies. The students demonstrated excellent teamwork and the activity also exposed the natural leaders within each group, serving as a prompt for us to discuss the different roles and dynamics found in effective teams.

Students have also been busy preparing her students for the upcoming Career Association elections. The Career Association is a student-led club that gives students the opportunity to develop, practice, and refine personal, leadership, and employability skills.

Mayor to MHS JAG Students: People Skills Prevail

Manchester High School JAG’s first guest speaker of the year was Mayor Jay Moran, who answered questions on everything ranging from his sleep schedule, parliamentary procedure, how he balances his two jobs and prioritizing family.

MHS’s JAG Specialist Justine Meyer arranged the visit, asking Mayor Moran to speak in particular about how elected bodies make decisions, since JAG students will soon be electing officers to lead them through the JAG Career Association projects that will take place over the year.

But the Mayor touched on far more, including the death of his daughter more than 10 years ago, and how that experience has shaped his outlook.

“Once I had a boss tell me, ‘Nothing seems to bother you,'” Mayor Moran told the class. “People also ask me how I can get along with so many different people… You need to respect other people. You may not agree with everything they say, but you can take a little of what you said and a little of what I said.”

Mayor Moran also works as the director of athletics for Southern Connecticut State University. That makes for a very full schedule, and means he sometimes emails his staff at 3 am.

“I could never be a 9 to 5 person,” he said.

He told students about his own college experience and early career, and advised students to find a mentor, and to look for ways to get along with everyone.

“People skills are the most important thing,” he said. “When people throw punches at me – I just let them throw the punches. I don’t punch back.”

MHS’s JAG students had many questions, and also invited Mayor Moran to their upcoming Installation and Initiation Ceremony, which will honor JAG’s elected officers and also all the student members of JAG’c Career Association. The Career Association is led by students and is a core element of JAG. Students will design and carry out community service projects throughout the year to reinforce the leadership and professional skills they are learning in JAG.

Pictured above are MHS English teacher Angelina Dale, who will be a member of JAG’s Advisory Committee, at left, with Mayor Moran and Justine Meyer, at right.