By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
Jobs for America’s Graduates – Kansas was created to offer an elective class that provides academic and other positive supports to ensure students earn their diploma. The program has been offered at Great Bend High School and for the third year the Great Bend Middle School has provided the class.
The 2024-2025 school year marks the second year that Brenna Thompson has taught the JAG-K class at Great Bend Middle School. The class is open to both seventh and eighth graders.
"I love seeing the growth from the beginning of the year to now," said Thompson. "I've looked back at some of the projects we have done and just seeing how much they change in a year. It's crazy."
There are currently 54 students enrolled in the JAG-K course at the middle school. The course also explores career opportunities and practices soft skills, preparing students to successfully transition to post-secondary education, military service or into the workforce.
"The cool thing about this program is that once students are in it, they're in it the rest of their academic career," said Thompson. "We even follow through a year after they graduate. It allows us to check in to see if they're on the right path in whatever they chose whether that be college, military, work or a trade school. We're there another year so they have that support."
Great Bend JAG-K students are preparing the Career Development Competition (CDC) in Hutchinson on April 9. All of the students will compete in at least one event.