Dora School’s JAG program builds skills for the ‘real world’ to help students succeed in life


The Dora JAG students have undertaken a service project to provide hygiene kits and products in school bathrooms for fellow students to use and take as needed. JAG students are pictured here with a donation of personal hygiene and feminine products donated by Sam and Kayla Miller of Roy’s Store in Dora. Students, pictured from left, are Kaitlynn Brown, Shauna Lake, Loghan Bruce and Lauren Martin.

Mrs. Amanda McKee, Dora JAG specialist/sponsor, welcomes Missouri First Lady Teresa Parson during a recent of hers visit to the Dora School to visit with JAG students.

We wanted to bring you an update about the Dora Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) program. Out chapter is part of a national program that is dedicated to helping teach students skills to be successful citizens, students and productive workers when they enter the workforce. 

This is Dora's second year offering the JAG program to their high school students, following a very successful first year.  

 

Missouri’s first lady comes to Dora for a visit

On Monday, Oct. 3, Dora teacher Mrs. Amanda McKee and her 52 high school students welcomed Missouri’s First Lady Teresa Parson into their Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) classroom. 

Parson is a big advocate and supporter of JAG. She wanted to take the opportunity to meet the faces of Dora JAG students, hear their stories and what JAG means to them. 

During her visit Parson gave a motivational speech. She also recognized Mrs. McKee for receiving the award for National Specialist of the Year. Parson told us that it is an incredible achievement for a first-year JAG specialist (otherwise known as a teacher sponsor). 

Each student received a silver coin from Parson, and she left us with an inspirational quote: “If it is to be, it is up to me.”

 

Competitions

Mrs. McKee took six students this past spring to compete at the Missouri State Career Development Conference and then to the National Career Development Conference in to Addison, Texas, where students received certificates and plaques for the outstanding chapter and service learning events.  

 

Service learning: bringing awareness to bullying

This year our JAGsters have jumped in with both feet and have started a service learning and community project. Our focus for our service learning project is bringing awareness to bullying and the effects it can cause. Each class period has a focus area for their project: Third hour focuses on high school; Fourth hour focuses on middle school; Seventh hour focuses on elementary and eighth hour focuses on preschool. 

Each class is creating activities and lessons that they will be presenting to students the first week of November. We are excited to share the outcome with our community. 

 

Community project

Our community service project is being led by two of our seniors, Vice President Shauna Lake and Vice President of Leadership Development Lauren Martin.  

The project is called “Restroom Hospitality: a Pack of Security.”

Part of the project is introducing personal hygiene kits into the school that will be available to our high school and middle school students. Hygiene items will also be available to our elementary students. 

This is something that is dear to Lauren and Shauna’s heart, and all of the JAG students have jumped on board helping out.  

We also want to give a special thank you to Missouri’s 155th District State Representative Travis Smith, Pam Woodward from West Plains Savings and Loan and Kayla Miller from Roy’s Store in Dora for their generous donations for our restroom hospitality project. 

 

Life skills

Aside from these two projects students are also learning essential life skills. 

Some of the skills covered include the importance of setting and achieving goals, balancing a checkbook, how to budget, completing job applications, how to present yourself for a job interview and many other important life skills to better prepare students for the “real world.”

 

Find out more

Follow along with the “Dora R-3 JAG” Facebook page for updates throughout the school year. Specialist Amanda McKee can be reached at the Dora School by calling 417-261-2337 or emailing amckee@dora.org.
 

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Letter based on a real-life experience

 

Mrs. Amanda McKee received the following letter in regards to the Dora JAG program:

 

I wanted to share with you our experience here at SMCHC (Southern Missouri Community Health Clinic in West Plains) with two Dora JAG students.

Over the summer, SMCHC had a job opening for a customer service representative in which two of Dora’s JAG students applied for. I personally interviewed both recent graduates.

Both students arrived for the interview dressed very well and made an impression! Both students arrived with a printed copy of their resume in hand. Both things were impressive and showed that they were prepared for the interview.  

During the interview process both candidates were able to communicate and answer the questions even if they did not have the most experience and were nervous.

I will let you know that for this specific position I interviewed several other candidates, and these two JAG students outperformed the majority of candidates regardless of age and previous job experience.  

After my recent experience interviewing the two Dora JAG students, I had an opportunity to visit with Mrs. McKee and let her know how impressed I was with the two students.  

In my opinion every student should attend this JAG class. Almost everyone will need to apply and interview for a job in their lifetime and the skills obtained in a JAG course could really set them apart and set them up for success!

Thank you, 

 

Ashley Grisham, clinic manager

Southern Missouri Community Health, West Plains

 

Ozark County Times

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PO Box 188
Gainesville, MO 65655

Phone: (417) 679-4641
Fax: (417) 679-3423