By TONY GUERRERO
Hays Post
Hays students are finding new confidence and career paths through Jobs for America's Graduates-Kansas as early as middle school.
Hays High School has offered the program for about a decade. JAG-K Career Specialist for Hays Middle School, Sally Giddens, said this is the program’s first year at the middle school.
"JAG-K states that the students we serve are anyone who has a need, want or can benefit from the JAG program," Giddens said.
JAG-K is a nonprofit that partners with schools to provide an elective course to support students at risk of not graduating.
The program offers academic support, career exploration and leadership development to help students successfully transition to post-secondary education, military service or the workforce.
JAG-K Career Specialist Bryan Zollinger said Hays High students must meet at least six selection criteria to qualify for the program.
"It could be that you come from a low-income family, somebody in your family is incarcerated, maybe you're from the bottom quadrant of class rank. Students who are not doing well for one reason or another, but have the potential to do well," Zollinger said.
According to JAG-K, among the class of 2024 in Kansas, 36% of students come from single-parent households, 57% are students of color, 44% rank in the bottom quarter of their class and 70% qualify for free or reduced-cost lunch.
Giddens said she oversees 58 students and focuses on building their skill sets. Her class completes monthly objectives centered on communication, decision-making and organizational skills.
Giddens said JAG-K places a strong emphasis on student voice and student choice.
"Ideally, they help me create who our guest speakers will be that month and who they want to learn from," she said.
Giddens said students regularly engage with local employers and take part in service projects. Recent activities include touring an Ellis County EMS ambulance and helping with football game set-ups and clean-ups.
Her students are scheduled to ring bells for the Salvation Army on three dates in December.
One recent speaker at the middle school was Remy Stull, a young barber at Fade Factory in Hays and a former JAG-K student. He also presented to JAG-K students at the high school on the same day Hays Post interviewed Zollinger.
Zollinger said the high school program has grown quickly since he started five years ago, expanding from 35 students to 120, with about 180 students now participating districtwide.
"We do what is called project-based learning. We don't have a textbook. We look at the competencies, and then we develop projects that teach those competencies," Zollinger said.
Zollinger said that last year, students engaged with 170 businesses, ranging from tours and guest speakers to job shadows, internships and apprenticeships. This is in addition to community service hours throughout the year.
"It's very student-centered. If we have a kid who's interested in automotive technology and repair, they can develop a project to cover those competencies," he said. "We do a lot of financial literacy education to hopefully keep them out of credit card debt, teach them how to save money, invest money and budget."
Zollinger said the program also offers a 12-month follow-up period after graduation, allowing him to stay in contact with students and help with tasks such as college applications and job opportunities.
According to JAG-K, the class of 2024 statewide exceeded national standards in the top measured success categories:
98% graduation rate
78% employement
67% further education
Zollinger works alongside JAG-K Career Specialist Ashley Kazenbach at the high school. Giddens said her middle school roster is nearing its limit of about 60 students, and she expects it to be at full capacity next semester.
Giddens emphasized that the program is not for “bad kids,” but for any students who may face challenges in different areas of their education.
"They all have a need, and they can all benefit from this program," she said. "That's something that's really special and different about this program that students may not always get in the normal classroom setting."
There are 121 JAG-K programs in the state serving 6,500 students for the 2025-26 school year, according to JAG-K.
You can learn more about JAG-K on its website.