AT&T recently provided two contributions for North County schools in the Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) program. It awarded a $20,000 incentive grant awarded to Normandy High School, which began offering JAG this year, and a $10,000 sustaining grant to Normandy High School and Jennings Educational Training School (JETS), now in its fourth year with the program.
Normandy has 23 students this fall, heading toward an ultimate goal of 45-50. JETS has 24 JAG students this fall.
“In the three years we have had the program, we have seen the students in the program find their passion, develop skills, graduate, and be successful after high school,” said Herman Harris, JETS administrator.
JAG is dedicated to helping young people who have potential, but who are at-risk for not graduating from high school. The JAG curriculum emphasizes a wide variety of employability skills. Missouri Governor Jay Nixon, who serves as a vice chair on the JAG national Board of Directors, attended an event to announce the contributions at Normandy High School on December 13.
“The program helps students feel better connected, which helps increase attendance, participation and graduation rates,” Nixon said.
Jobs for America’s Graduates-Missouri (JAG-Missouri) is a state-based nonprofit organization that is part of the national JAG network. Its goal is to help ensure students graduate from high school and are prepared to succeed, whether in post-secondary education, the military, or in jobs/careers.
One of the services JAG provides is monthly follow-up for 12 months following the senior year to assist students in their transition from high school. That includes attaining the high school diploma, placement in post-secondary education, a career, or enlistment in the armed services.
JAG-Missouri has 19 sites, including seven in the St. Louis area. Besides Normandy and JETS, the other St. Louis sites include Vashon High School, Roosevelt High School, Sumner High School, Riverview Gardens High School and Jennings High School.
The other JAG-Missouri programs are at the Central Academy of Excellence in Kansas City, Study Alternative School in Springfield, West Plains High School and Alternative School, Hillsboro Middle School and High School, Farmington High School, Bismarck High School, Central High School in Park Hills, West County High School in Leadwood, Kennett High School, Hayti High School, Caruthersville High School, and South Pemiscot High School.
For the class of 2015, the JAG-Missouri graduation rate was 99 percent (127 of 128), the best in the nation among the 32 states with JAG. For the class of 2016, the graduation rate is currently 95 percent (287 of 304) and is expected to rise over the next few months during the follow-up.
“We are confident this investment will help lead to higher graduation rates and better futures for the students JAG serves,” said John Sondag, president of AT&T Missouri.
For more information on Jobs for America’s Graduates, visit http://www.jag.org/.
