Wewoka Public School District is proud to announce that they are one of five Oklahoma school districts to be selected to participate in a pilot program of Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG). Wewoka will join Oklahoma City, Mid-Del, Broken Arrow, and Bartlesville in working with The Oklahoma Office of Educational Quality and Accountability (OEQA) in implementing the program during the school year 2020-2021. OEQA will be the driving force for the JAG program in Oklahoma and will provide guidance and the training throughout the year.

JAG is an evidenced based youth development program dedicated to helping at-risk students graduate from high school and make the transition to postsecondary education or employment. The mission is to provide work-based learning experiences and services to support keeping young people in school through graduation.

In participating schools, a full time career specialist will work closely with administrators and teachers to ensure that program activities and goals are integrated into each student’s educational planning. The career specialist will work with approximately 35-40 students in Wewoka High School, local businesses, and community organizations to develop classroom instruction, extracurricular activities, and work-based learning opportunities.

The JAG model includes these components:

Employability Skills – The JAG National Curriculum equips participants with a minimum of 37 employability competencies and intensive career exploration and training opportunities.

Adult Mentoring – Specialists provide 180 contact hours and the individual attention at-risk students need to overcome barriers that stand in the way of personal and academic success.

Advisement and Support – Specialists provide guidance as students make significant career and life decisions and connect participants to other services in the community as needed.

Summer Employment Training – Job placement is provided and partnerships are developed with summer youth employment programs to maximize yearlong learning. Student-Led Leadership

Student-Led Leadership Development – Participants join a highly motivating student-led organization to develop, practice, and refine their leadership and teaming skills and serve their communities.

Job and Postsecondary Education Placement Services – Career Specialists provide youth with assistance and access to employment postsecondary education opportunities to support students’ postsecondary goals and successful transition to those opportunities following graduation.

12-Month Follow-Up Services – JAG provides no less than 12 months of follow-up services and support to participants after graduation or completion of a GED.

Accountability System – JAG utilizes a computerized system to track participants served, services delivered, and youth and program performance outcomes.

JAG is designed to raise student aspirations, teach teamwork and leadership, and instill workplace values while helping young people successfully transition through and beyond high school. The program also works to increase the capacity of communities to assist graduates with effective school-to-life transitions. Students will have to qualify for the program based on a list of predetermined criteria. The list of criteria is expansive and a large number of Wewoka students will qualify. We are excited about the new program and the opportunities that our students will have through JAG.