MANSFIELD – The Jobs for Ohio's Graduates (JOG) program is the Ohio affiliate of the national program Jobs for America's Graduates (JAG). JAG is a state-based nonprofit organization dedicated to dropout prevention, graduation resources, post-secondary options and employment and training. The four pillars of the JOG program are leadership development, career development, social awareness and civic awareness and community service. Students learn and practice competencies related to these pillars throughout the school year and beyond.
Toward the end of each school year, students have the opportunity to participate in the Career Development Conference (CDC) where they can practice learned skills, such as how to develop their resumes, filling out job applications, interviewing skills and decision making, as well as service projects, leadership activities and social awareness, by competing with other JOG programs in their district. Students also have the opportunity to network with colleges during the conference. This year's North Central JOG conference was held on April 14 at the Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center in Mansfield, Ohio, where over 120 students from four districts participated in 20 different employability and career-based competitions. Schools in attendance included: GOAL Digital Academy, GOAL’s JAG Credit Recovery Program, Mount Gilead, Northmor and Delaware Hayes.
Here are the JOG and GOAL placements for each competition:
Students for Service
1. Keirsten Barney and Kylee Bilancini, Northmor High School
2. Grace Shipman and Madalyn Elson, Mount Gilead High School
Interview Techniques
1. Adria Taylor, Northmor High School
2. Beaman Speakman, Northmor High School
3. Camille Churn, GOAL Digital Academy
Application Techniques
1. Shelba Fisher, Mount Gilead High School
2. Hannah Kanagy, Northmor High School
3. Aubrey Thomas, Mount Gilead High School
10th grade Public Speaking
1. Alexis Calsmer, Mount Gilead High School
2. Lia Alexander, Mount Gilead High School
3. Riley Cardwell, Mount Gilead High School
11th and 12th grade Public Speaking
1. Ashleah Levings, Mount Gilead High School
2. Kyndra Irwin, Mount Gilead High School
3. Kiley McCann, Hayes High School
Decision Making
1. Adria Taylor, Northmor High School
2. Hannah Kanagy, Northmor High School
3. Beaman Speakman, Northmor High School
Visual Display
1. Mia Fidler, Devada Huvler and Makayla Carver, Northmor High School
2. Olivia Long, Faith White and Cheznee Hart, Mount Gilead High School
3. Ryan Lowry, Sawyer Bailey and Blake Schwartz, Northmor High School
Ninth grade Leadership Collage & Essay
1. Abby Leonhard, Mount Gilead High School
2. Alesha White, Mount Gilead High School
3. Alana Patterson, Mount Gilead High School
Employability Skills Testing
1. Hannah Kanagy, Northmor High School
2. Nick Cavanaugh, Northmor High School
3. Shelba Fisher, Mount Gilead High School
Team Challenge
1. Dakota Brocklesby, Logan Klemann, Will Baker and Savanna Wilt, Mount Gilead High School
2. Joey Baldwin, Natalie Jagger, Kimberly Staley and Riley Cardwell, Mount Gilead High School
3. Bri York, Billy Prince, Cheyenne Arnett and Katie Statler, Northmor High School
Chapter Scrapbook
1. Keirsten Barney and Kylee Bilancini, Northmor High School
2. Aubrey Thomas and Shelba Fisher, Mount Gilead High School
Employment Process - Graduate Recovery Program
Reception/Resume
1. Kyle Hill
2. Brandon Hernandez
3. Jacob Mancilla
Interview Techniques
1. Alexis Baylous
2. Kyle HIll
3. Brandon Hernandez
Application Techniques
1. Alexis Baylous
2. Kyle Hill
3. Brandon Hernandez
Overall Winners
1. Kyle Hill
2. Alexis Baylous
3. Brandon Hernandez
Telephone Techniques
1. Kylee Bilancini, Northmor High School
2. Aubrey Thomas, Mount Gilead High School
3. Toby Pryor, Northmor High School
Ninth grade Career Manuals
1. Kendall Neal, Mount Gilead High School
2. Danielle Porter, Mount Gilead High School
3. Alana Patterson, Mount Gilead High School
Cover Design
1. Joey Baldwin, Mount Gilead High School
2. Madisen Hale, Northmor High School
3. Kimberly Stacey, Mount Gilead High School
11th grade Financial Planning
1. Kierra Main, Mount Gilead High School
2. Shelba Fisher, Mount Gilead High School
3. Aubrey Thomas, Mount Gilead High School
10th grade Applications
1. Kaydence Arndt, Northmor High School
2. Bre Lott, Northmor High School
3. Kate Statler, Northmor High School
10th grade Decision Making
1. Lia Alexander, Mount Gilead High School
2. Macy Miller, Northmor High School
3. Natalie Jagger, Mount Gilead High School
Ninth grade Decision Making
1. Owen Hershner, Mount Gilead High School
2. Kendall Neal, Mount Gilead High School
3. Abby Leonhard, Mount Gilead High School
Two of the students in attendance participated in Florida’s Jobs for America’s Graduates National Competition April 20-22. Kyndra Irwin and Ashleah Levings of Mount Gilead High School participated in a Prepared Speaking challenge in Orlando. Levings placed second overall, and both students answered how Jobs for America’s Graduates provided them employment support. Both contestants also attended several educational workshops, along with a College and Career Expo. Levings and Irwin listened to motivational speakers and even attended a hypnotist show during the event. They are grateful for the opportunity JAG/JOG has given them to attend the National Career Association Conference.
Judges included current and former staff members, a former JOG student, business professionals and community members. The judges expressed how impressed they were at the professionalism of the student participants.
GOAL Assistant Principal LeRoy Smith said he was "so impressed by all of the students he encountered throughout the day.”
"I thoroughly enjoyed my experience," Jim Smith, Mid-Ohio ESC and GOAL Board member, said. "I was so impressed with the students I judged and the lasting impact of the service they provide to their school and community."
Tami Cox from Kokosing also expressed her appreciation for the event, stating, “What you guys do to help the youth is amazing.”
GOAL Digital Academy is dedicated to celebrating students with events such as this one. GOAL serves 12 counties in Central Ohio with its seven learning labs, and celebrates students’ diverse learning styles, interests and talents by going beyond academics and providing students with well-rounded opportunities to meet new people and engage in their passions. GOAL offers regular family education and networking opportunities and continually works to remove family or community barriers that impact student success.
