Manning High JAG students 'bridge the gap' after career development converence

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Several Manning High School students joined more than 580 others from throughout the state last month in Columbia to participate in the annual Jobs for America's Graduates South Carolina 2017 Career Development Conference.

The annual event provides opportunities for JAG-SC students to hear speakers discuss career development; compete in academic and life-skills competitions; and be recognized in an awards luncheon.

"Manning High School is particularly proud of the strides their JAG-SC students have made this academic year," said Manning High School JAG-SC Administrator Ernest Cooper.

Cooper said that Leana Lemon received the Executive Director of Employment and Workforce Award and Kha'lea Pearson won the JAG-SC Job Interview Skills Award.

“Over the course of this year, the students have mastered 81 competencies identified by businesses as essential to successful employment,” said Cooper. “We want to launch them from here ready for more education or ready for employment. Either way they will be prepared to take the next step in life with confidence and eager to make a positive contribution to the community.”

Additionally, the group participated in the National Student Leadership Conference; visited the White House; assisted with Kids' Day; donated clothing to fire and flood victims; held a canned and pet food drive; fraised funds for leukemia and lymphoma awareness; held a voter registration drive; and also promoted gambling awareness. Voter

This year’s theme, “Bridging the Gap,” speaks to the organization's "goal of helping each student develop the skills they will need to bring people together to address issues that they may face in the future," according to a release.

"JAG is a dropout prevention program focused on academic success and career-readiness skills," the release states. "JAG-SC is administered by the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce. Over the past 12 years of service the program has assisted more than 10,281 youth and currently serves 901 active high school participants."

For six consecutive years, the JAG-SC program has been awarded the National Jag 5-of-5 Award for exceeding five of the national standards for graduation rate, school placement rates, total positive outcomes rate, job placement rates and full-time jobs rates.

It is a state-based, national, non-profit organization "dedicated to preventing dropouts among young people who are most at-risk," Cooper said.

"In more than three decades of operation, JAG has helped nearly three-quarters of a million young people stay in school through graduation, pursue post-secondary education and secure quality, entry-level jobs leading to career advancement opportunities."

The program is run by the state Department of Employment and Workforce, which invests in building a pipeline of quality workers, matches workers with jobs and is a bridge for individuals who find themselves out of work for no fault of their own.