JAG PERSPECTIVES
Insights
Strengthening Youth Voices: JAG Students Take Civic Action at NSLA
by Zoë Jenkins Young people are not the future—they are building it right now. At the National Student Leadership Academy, we witnessed this truth in action as Jobs for America's Graduates students prepared to meet with their congressional representatives,...
A reflection on the people who make JAG possible
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,...
JAGCA Secretary Shelby Williams on the Opportunities JAG Presents
I discovered JAG, and suddenly the world felt bigger. Growing up as a young adult in a small town, I often felt limited, like there weren’t many paths to explore or opportunities waiting for me. Everything felt small: the community, the options, the expectations....
Reflections from the FullScale Symposium: Authentic Conversations About the Future of Work
Recently, I had the privilege of representing Jobs for America’s Graduates at the FullScale Symposium in New Orleans, a gathering that brought together some of the most committed, inventive, and future-focused minds in education. It was one of those rare events...
Spotlight on President-Elect X’Zaeviun Sims
X’Zaeviun Sims proudly serves as the 2025-26 National President-Elect of the JAG Career Association. A native of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, X’Zaeviun is a freshman at Grambling State University, where he is studying Secondary Education and Teaching. In his role on the...
Why Our Specialists Matter
Remember summer camp? I can still hear my mom scolding me for bringing home a week’s worth of clean underwear and a barely squeezed tube of toothpaste. Hey, I was a 10-year-old boy. That’s how I rolled. We recently held our specialist state training at Fall Creek...
SRP and JAG Arizona Show the Impact of Local Investment
In Gila Bend, Arizona, a small town west of Phoenix, the partnership between Salt River Project (SRP) and Jobs for Arizona’s Graduates (JAG Arizona) demonstrates that when an employer invests in a school, it makes a lasting impact on the entire community. Through...
Looking Ahead: Vision, Goals, and Growth for the Year Ahead
By Austin Small, 2025–2026 National JAG Career Association President As we step into this new year together, I find myself energized, focused, and full of gratitude. The opportunity to serve as president for nearly 80,000 students across the nation through the JAG...
JAG Fuels Future Trades & Apprentices
JAG Programs Align with Executive and National Push for Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship Pathways A new Executive Order is refocusing federal workforce efforts on skilled trades, non-college pathways, and stronger transitions from school to work. These are areas...
This Isn’t Gen Z. It’s Gen JAG.
How one student is defying Gen Z stereotypes — with the help of a powerful program. Some Gen Z young people break the mold. Damien Gunter shatters it. He’s poised. Purposeful. Sharp in the ways that matter to employers — and humble enough to credit the program...