JAG-K Holds Career Development Conference Dedicated to Middle School Students

Jobs for America’s Graduates-Kansas (JAG-K) held its State Career Development Conference (CDC) dedicated to middle school students Wednesday in Hutchinson. Students visited the Kansas Cosmosphere and participated in outer space-themed competitions.

About 150 JAG-K students gathered at Hutchinson’s Boys and Girls Club of Shadduck Park to put skills developed in JAG-K to use launching rockets, planning lunar landing and community-building strategies, and other STEM activities.

JAG-K is a multi-year, in-school program for students in grades 6-12 that offers tools to successfully transition students into post-secondary school, the military, or directly into the workforce with marketable skills. Among Kansas’ 114 JAG-K programs across the state are 15 middle school programs.

In most years, middle school JAG-K students have joined high school participants for CDCs. This year, JAG-K developed a day of learning and competition aimed specifically at the younger participants. Both high school and middle school CDC events were sponsored by the Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner.

“As our presence in middle schools continues to grow, we wanted to provide these students an event that would engage and inspire them,” JAG-K President and CEO Chuck Knapp said. “We placed an emphasis on group activities and creativity to give them a dynamic experience.”

The students were hosted by the Kansas State Cosmosphere for tours and discussions of the history of NASA as well as the skills involved in the study and exploration of outer space.

“We were excited to watch our students participate in this event, which was designed around STEM activities,” said Bev Mortimer, JAG-K Senior Vice President of Programming. “The competitive events allowed students to participate in events that demonstrated the same skills as our high school competitions, doing it through fun and engaging STEM themes. 

“After the competitions, students participated in three different activities at the Kansas Cosmosphere, Dr. Goddard’s lab, planetarium, and touring the Hall of Space Museum.”

Middle school students who placed in competition were: 

• Lunar Landing: 1 ^st Hunter Russell, Kevin Funes, Turner Middle School; 2 ^nd Zachary Suderman, Sebastian Medina, Anthony Middle School; 3 ^rd Jakoby Council, Giovanni Cruz, Great Bend Middle School

• Rocket Launch: 1 ^st Diego Garcia, Evette Reyes-Rodriguez, Alexander Urbina, Carl Bruce Middle School; 2 ^nd Jack Reeves, Khloe Hulsether, Shawnee Heights Middle School; 3 ^rd Anjiliyah Smith, Logan Sprinkle, Hannah Wellman, Fort Riley Middle School

• Moon Community: 1 ^st Luc Kouassi, Donavan Inzurriaga, Jameson Holmes, Fort Riley Middle School; 2 ^nd Gwendolyn Diaz, Kendall Beery, Turner Middle School; 3 ^rd Janice Jiang, Shyanne Castaneda-Mardis, Bianca Puentes, Chisholm Middle School

• Poster Project: 1 ^st Avary Domme, Bijou Schmidt, Ashlyn Mattox, Shawnee Heights Middle School; 2 ^nd Ruth Peralta, Lia Garibay-Fernandez, Turner Middle School; 3 ^rd Payeton McBride, Addy Phillips, Jayden Willinger, Winfield Middle School

• Outstanding Digital Scrapbook: 1 ^st Annika Marquez-Tresvan, Franchesca Mendez, Turner Middle School; 2 ^nd Maycee Murphy, Kate Reinhardt, Russell Middle School; 3 ^rd Delaney Little, Addison Minyard, Jemma Ploger, Kiowa County Junior High

Middle school teams were also awarded recognition based on their collective performance. The top three high school teams were Turner Middle School (1 ^st place), Shawnee Heights Middle School (2 ^nd place) and combined programs from Junction City (3 ^rd place).  

Kansas’ 114 JAG-K programs serve approximately 6,000 students in 48 school districts across the state. JAG-K Career Specialists help students graduate and learn career, leadership, and life skills by executing a nationally-accredited, evidence-based model. Participants must meet criteria to be selected for the program and have potential to overcome various barriers to post-secondary success.

The 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization is a state affiliate of the national JAG program network which operates in 36 different states and territories. It is primarily funded through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grant to the State of Kansas administered by the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF). In addition to school districts and DCF, JAG-K partners with the Kansas Department of Education. Other JAG-K funding sources include ADM, AT&T, Barton Community College, EagleU, Goldstein Charitable Trust, Independence Community College, the JB and Anne Hodgdon Foundation, Honeywell, John Deere, Johnson County Community College, the Kansas Chamber of Commerce, Kansas Gas Service, the Kansas Insurance Department, Magellan Financial, Mark One Electric, the Office of the Kansas State Bank Commissioner, United Way of Kaw Valley, United Way of the Plains, U.S. Bank, Walmart and Washburn Tech.

To learn more about JAG-K, visit  www.jagkansas.org , or ‘Jobs for America’s Graduates-Kansas’ on Facebook, X and LinkedIn.

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