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TOP STORY OF THE DAY - Northview students participate in annual JAG conference
Over 200 JAG (Jobs for America's Graduates) students from nine high schools participated in the Regional JAG Competition hosted by Ivy Tech Community College on Friday.
"JAG is a national program that's state-based, so we're part of JAG Indiana. We've got nine programs in Region 7," said Greg Lee, JAG Manager for Region 7. "It's a program for juniors and seniors to figure out their path for graduation and after graduation."
JAG students have participated in the annual Regional Career Development Conference for over ten years. During this event, students compete in various individual and group competitions, from critical thinking to project-based learning, to demonstrate skills they've developed in the program.
"There are ten different individual competitions they can enter. All of them are related to the JAG curriculum that they learn in class every day," explained Lee.
Lee emphasizes that, unlike other classes, JAG offers life-long skills that won't be forgotten over time.
"It's just such a great program. I think it should be in every school in the nation. The skills that are taught are just so valuable. I wish it were around when I was in high school," said Lee. "We've seen all these success stories years after they've left the program, and they still talk about what they learned."
Local employers and community leaders volunteer their time to judge the event. In addition to the competition, students can network with peers and regional employers, tour the Ivy Tech campus, and hear presentations from Ivy Tech and Vincennes University.
"As Region 7, we have a six-county area; we've got representatives from employers all over the region. They are going to be judges, so it's a good chance for students to network with these people and maybe make some connections that could lead to things down the road like internships and work experience," described Lee.
The first, second, and third-place winners receive monetary prizes. The first-place winners of each category will advance to a state competition in March.
Northview students performed well at the conference. Camren Wright won first place in the Critical Thinking competition, and Aubrey Manion won first place in Public Speaking. Wright and Manion will now compete in the State Competition in Indianapolis.
Classmates Alex Lugiewicz finished second in Creative Solutions, and Kennedy Herring finished third in Career Presentation.
