LAS VEGAS, NV —Jobs For Nevada’s Graduates (JAG Nevada), a non-profit embedded in Nevada schools has been awarded more than three-quarter of a million dollars to boost graduation rates in the state, beating out 32 other states that applied for the "Go Deep" grant from JAG National. The money will be used to help more than 600 youth at Canyon Springs, Cheyenne, Mojave and Legacy High schools to boost graduation rates, assist with employment, college entrance and/or vocational training.
Go-Deep brings the highly-effective graduation-boosting JAG model to North Las Vegas schools through a partnership with the Clark County School District, Clark County, Governor Brian Sandoval’s office, AT&T, JAG National and JAG Nevada.
“North Las Vegas was selected as the demonstration site for Go-Deep because it reflects the current and future diversity of our great nation. It is a microcosm of the United States in many ways,” said Ken Smith, President of Jobs for America’s Graduates said. “Go-Deep will demonstrate that the JAG model can move the needle in an entire municipality when the right investments are made. Further, we believe that Go-Deep will demonstrate the JAG model’s effectiveness not only in increasing graduation and employment readiness, but also in reducing incarceration and welfare participation rates.”
“North Las Vegas suffered great economic devastation during the great recession; tens of thousands of residents lost their homes and jobs,” said Pat Skorkowsky, CCSD Superintendent and member of the JAG Board of Directors. “The youth of the community have also suffered as demonstrated by high dropout and youth unemployment rates. JAG Go-Deep will help our schools and community in need become revitalized through its highly effective, data-driven model.”
The Go-Deep Project combines annual contributions totaling $765,000 per year as follows:
AT&T through JAG National – $150,000
CCSD – $150,000
Clark County – $150,000
Governor Sandoval’s Office through DETR – $90,000
JAG Nevada – $225,000
The total program cost for the three-year period will be $2.3M.
“JAG has greatly benefited students in North Las Vegas and throughout the district by connecting them with the workforce skills and opportunities necessary to graduate and succeed," said Pat Skorkowsky, CCSD Superintendent and member of the JAG Board of Directors. "Expanding the program through the JAG Go-Deep initiative will continue to help our schools and the community by targeting students in more economically disadvantaged areas, with the goal of inspiring them and ensuring that they are college and career ready after graduation.”
“We want to thank Governor Brian Sandoval for committing three years of career development funding for this endeavor, which is designed to help prepare high school students for the workforce,” Frank Woodbeck, JAG Chair said. “The JAG Nevada board is also immensely grateful to Commissioners Lawrence Weekly and Marilyn Kirkpatrick for supporting our efforts to secure additional funding from Clark County, and CCSD Superintendent Pat Skorkowsky for committing resources to this worthwhile effort. The public and private partnerships that make JAG Nevada thrive exhibit the unyielding commitment by the business and education communities to ensure all of our young people have the tools they need to succeed in school and to become productive members of society.”
For more information:
René Cantú Jr., Ph.D.
(702) 810-3068
rcantu@jagnv.org