North Putnam, Cloverdale students to showcase skills at statewide JAG contest

INDIANAPOLIS — Three Putnam County teens are among those from around the state showcasing their employability skills in a statewide competition Friday.

Students from North Putnam and Cloverdale are competing at the 14th Annual Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) State Career Development Conference at Ivy Tech’s anchor campus in Indianapolis.

North Putnam students Kyla Willis and Camrym Wolfe will present their entrepreneurship plan, while Cloverdale’s Veronica Carter will compete in financial literacy.

They will join more than 150 students from across the state as they contend for cash prizes and the chance to secure statewide attention for their local JAG programs in disciplines that are essential to gaining employment, showcasing skills that range from entrepreneurship, to critical thinking, to employability skills.

Willis, Wolfe and Carter earned first place awards during the JAG regional career competition in Terre Haute in January. More than 200 JAG students participated in the competition, which was sponsored by Ivy Tech Terre Haute, Duke Energy and the Western Indiana Workforce Development Board.

Jobs for America’s Graduates is a national workforce skills readiness program for high school students. It focuses on the importance of earning a high school diploma and acquiring the soft skills employers require. Skills which are developed include problem solving, leadership, job seeking, team building, and academic skills; all necessary to complete post-secondary training and success in today’s job market.

“We are proud of the JAG programs in our region for developing young leaders and positioning them to compete against some of the best minds in our state,” said Greg Lee, who oversees nine JAG programs in western Indiana. “The JAG experience not only sets young people up for success after high school, it also teaches valuable personal and career skills they will carry with them throughout their lives.”

More than 135 JAG programs operate in Indiana. In the Wabash Valley, thanks to the support and cooperation of local school administrations and the Western Indiana Workforce Development Board, JAG programs operate at Northview High School in Brazil, Riverton Parke Junior/Senior High School in Montezuma, West Vigo High School in Terre Haute, North Putnam High School in Roachdale, Sullivan High School in Sullivan, Terre Haute North Vigo High School, Terre Haute South Vigo High School, Cloverdale High School and Parke Heritage High School in Rockville.