Dear Friends of JAG,
As this year comes to a close, I find myself reflecting on the people who make this work possible—and on the quiet, steady moments that rarely make headlines, but change lives all the same.
To our Board members: Thank you for your leadership, your stewardship, and your willingness to hold both urgency and patience at the same time. Your belief in this mission—and in the young people we serve—grounds every bold decision we make.
To our Affiliates and national staff: You are the connective tissue of JAG. You turn vision into action, strategy into systems, and ideas into real opportunities for young people across the country. This work is complex and demanding, and you carry it with care and conviction.
To our partners, supporters, and donors: Your generosity—alongside your advocacy, expertise, and collaboration—has made this work possible. Because of you, JAG is able to deepen our impact, reach more young people, and invest in the future with confidence and care.
And to our JAG specialists and staff who walk alongside them every day: You are the heartbeat of this organization. You remind us of a truth we return to again and again: real change doesn’t happen through curriculum alone, but through connection. Through consistent, caring relationships that help young people see themselves as capable, valued, and prepared to succeed in a changing world.
Together, this work is driving us toward a bold goal: serving 1 million young people annually by 2035. To reach it, we are strengthening and evolving the JAG model so it can meet students in more settings, with greater flexibility, and scale through partnerships with like-minded organizations.
We are also building new platforms for collaboration and learning, including EDGE, our new conference, which brings education and workforce leaders together to strengthen the bridge between learning and work. And to extend JAG’s impact beyond graduation, we are investing in a National Alumni Network—transforming decades of student success into a powerful force for mentorship, advocacy, and telling the JAG story at scale.
Thank you for being part of this community, and for moving this mission forward every day.
With deep appreciation,
Janelle Duray