Governor Daugaard Meets with JAG Students Testifying to House Appropriations Committee to Expand JAG in South Dakota

Wagner Community School’s Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) students Jordan Drews, Ashton Zephier and Ebony Tiger, along with Superintendent Linda Foos and JAG Specialist Renee Van Der Werff, traveled to Pierre on Friday, February 6, to testify to the House Appropriations Committee in support of HB-1191, a bill to expand the JAG statewide program in South Dakota. 

Each student talked about why they believed the JAG Program has been important to them personally, as well as why expanding JAG would benefit the State of South Dakota.

While in Pierre, Wagner Community School JAG students met with South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard, State Secretary of the Department of Education Dr. Melody Schoop, South Dakota State JAG Director Margo Heinert, South Dakota State Representative Troy Heinert, D-Mission, and Operations and Information Director for the South Dakota Department of Education Mary Stadick Smith.

In addition to testifying, the students toured the State Capitol and visited the memorials, including the World War II Memorial outside the Capitol. JAG student Ashton Zephier poses beside the United States Marine Corp emblem that is part of the World War II Memorial since it is his long-term goal to join the U.S. Marine Corps post high school graduation.