News Release: JAG-K teams up with Kansas Department of Agriculture to host Agriculture Summit

A few short weeks ago, Jobs for America’s Graduates – Kansas partnered with the Kansas Department of Agriculture to host their first annual Ag Summit at Kansas State University.

This event was all about putting the “AG” in JAG-K! 45 students from 5 schools around the state came to learn all about the agriculture industry and the various careers and opportunities it has to offer. For many students, this was the first time they were introduced to the world of agriculture.

JAG-K wants every student to have a successful future, no matter what industry they choose to work in after graduation. Experiences like this one are an integral part of the time spent in JAG-K, because they introduce students to the many career opportunities in Kansas.

“Career exploration events are essential for JAG-K students because they turn future goals into real, tangible experiences,” says Emily Gartner, JAG-K Specialist out of Marysville High School. “By interacting with professionals, asking questions, and presenting their own work, students gain a deeper understanding of careers while building confidence and communication skills.”

Agriculture is Kansas’s largest industry, supporting 137,142 jobs in the state during 2025. Throughout the month of March, JAG-K partnered with the Kansas Department of Agriculture to celebrate Kansas Agriculture Month.

“Exposing high school students to the wide range of careers in agriculture is important to inspire the next generation to be involved in the industry,” explained Dana Ladner, Workforce Development Coordinator at the Kansas Department of Agriculture. “The JAG-K and KDA partnership creates relationships, with students, their schools and career specialists, to aid in building a pipeline for the future workforce needs for the agriculture industry in Kansas.”

For the students, the experience proved to be valuable. There are careers in agriculture that often go unnoticed, and this event did a great job at showing JAG-K students the variety of career fields within the agriculture industry.

“Agronomy was a field of study that I didn’t know existed until I learned about it at the event,” said Owen Malcolm, a freshman at Marysville High School. “I found out that I knew a lot more than what I thought.”

Multiple learning sessions were held throughout the day. From agronomy to veterinary science, to robotics, the day was full of learning opportunities!

“I loved getting to be on the K-State campus and being able to find different careers in agriculture, especially as an FFA member and officer,” stated Marysville High School Senior Emily Rockwell. “I knew about most of the careers just because I’ve always been surrounded by agriculture, but I was interested in the robot that K-State built to go survey the land.” 

JAG-K and the KDA are looking forward to maintaining a working relationship and hosting this event annually. 

“We hope JAG-K students walked away with a stronger appreciation for agriculture in Kansas— not just as a key driver of our economy, but as an industry full of diverse opportunities,” said Ladner about the overall event. “Whatever their career interests and passions may be, there is a place for them in agriculture.” 

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. Kansas’ 120 JAG-K programs serve approximately 6,000 students in 54 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 AT&T, Barton Community College, EagleU, Independence Community College, the JB and Anne Hodgdon Foundation, John Deere, Johnson County Community College, the Kansas Chamber of Commerce, Kansas Gas Service, the Kansas Insurance Department, 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, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.