Five Wagner Jobs for America’s (JAG) students recently represented South Dakota at the JAG National Student Leadership Academy in Washington, D.C., December 3-8, 2019, with Payton Mora, senior, earning second place of 200 students in the employability skills event at the national level.

In the 10 years that Wagner students have advanced to nationals, this is the first time a Wagner student has placed at nationals and only the second time a South Dakota student has placed at nationals.

Wagner students representing South Dakota included: employability skills-- Mora, senior; Derek Drews, junior; and Tawiyaka Star Comes Out, sophomore; public speaking—Ayana Bruguier, junior; and math--Danielle Twiss, senior. They were accompanied on the trip by Neil Goter, high school principal.

The students earned a trip to the national competition after winning both local and state level competitions.

Each state may send three representatives to nationals in three categories (employability skills, public speaking, and math) and only three students in each contest earn national placings.

The mathematics competition consists of an hour-long mathematics test with no calculators involved.

The public speaking students must write and deliver a three-to-five minute speech addressing an assigned topic. This year’s national speech topic was, “What is your JAG story?”

The employability skills competitors must complete for a job at fictious department store using their real, present-day skills. They must apply for a position that they self-determine is best-suited to their skills, and then complete an application and interview process, which includes filling out an application in an employment receptionareaandpreparingboth a resume and a cover letter.

In addition to the competitive events, JAG students received leadership training with about 1,000 peers from across the United States; met with Senator John Thune; toured the Capitol and the Pentagon; and visited a variety of other monuments, museums, and historical sites. A highlight of the trip was visiting Arlington National Ceremony where representatives of JAG students nationwide participated in a wreath-laying ceremony.

The national JAG program is more than 35 years old and Wagner’s program is in its eleventh year. JAG is a co-curricular career preparation and leadership development program that strives to help students meet their longterm goals of being prepared to enter the workforce right after high school, gain entrance into the post-secondary training program of their choice, or enter the military.Overthecourseof fouryears, students are taught 81 competencies or educational standards, most pertaining to leadership development, community service, and employment skills.

There is also a fifth-year follow-up component to the program to help JAG students make a successful transition to the workforce, a post-secondary educational institution, or the military after high school graduation.