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The Jobs for America’s Graduates program is a dropout prevention and
school-to-career transition system for at-risk youth.
The JAG mission is “To assist at-risk and disadvantaged youth in graduating from
high school and to find entry level employment leading to a career opportunity
through a state-supported education and employment system.”
JAG focuses on keeping students in school through graduation and, during this
time, improving their rate of success in acquiring employability and
occupational competencies.
JAG classes in Zuni are being taught at Twin Buttes High School with a total of
18 students currently enrolled in the 2007-08 school year. The main objectives
of the program are:
(1) To help seniors graduate
(2) To seek post-secondary education
(3) To obtain a job
(4) To get started on a solid career path
Students in the JAG program must meet a minimum of 37 competencies including
Career Development
Job Attainment
Job Survival
Leadership
Self-Development
Personal Skills.
As part of the Career Development Competencies, students identify occupational
interests, aptitudes, and abilities. Then they research and develop a career
path for a selected occupation.
The Job Attainment Competencies include constructing resumes, completing job
applications, learning interviewing skills, learning proper telephone
techniques, learning decision making, and much more.
After meeting the basic competencies, students are then encouraged to volunteer
for job shadowing positions with local merchants in order to obtain valuable
hands-on experience in the work force. This can be accomplished during school if
time permits, after school, on weekends, and/or during the summer months.
Mr. A. J. Gilland, Principal at Twin Buttes High School, is the JAG Project
Director and Ms. Jan Williams is the JAG Specialist for the Zuni Public School
District.
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