Jobs for Montana’s Graduates Honors Local Students and Teachers

The Department of Labor and Industry’s Jobs for Montana’s Graduates (JMG) program honored local students and teachers at the 16th Annual Jobs for Montana’s Graduates http://wsd.dli.mt.gov/jmg/jmg.asp Leadership Conference in Helena.

Jana Tihista from Nashua High School will travel to Washington D.C. on an all expense paid trip, to present her winning essay in the AgCareers contest at the Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) National Student Leadership Conference. Five other students from across the state will also be going on the all expense paid trip to the JAG Conference in DC, they are: Brooke Marshall, from Bridger High School; Alacia Cole, from Glasgow High School, Kayla Reichelt from Havre High School; Brielle Harding from Helena PAL; and Mackenzie Lapke, from Scobey High School.

Three JMG teachers were also recognized as "Outstanding Specialists" during the conference in Helena. They Are: Amy Stops, from Butte High and Butte Webster Garfield School; Jill Page, from Glasgow High School and Ray Boksich, from Whitefish Independent High School.

Fifteen schools received individual 5 for 5 awards from the JMG Program. JAG, serving 30 states, established five performance outcomes for students enrolled in the program. The standards include graduation rate, positive outcomes of transitioning to work, post secondary education, or military, and full-time job placements. The schools that received the award include: Columbia Falls High School, Helena High School, Plains High School, Havre High School, Havre Suns (Students United for Success), Butte High School, Glendive- Dawson County High School, Whitehall High School, Culbertson High School, Malta High School, Nashua High School, Scobey High School, Philipsburg-Granite High School, Helena Capitol High School and Whitefish Independent High School.

Plains High School won this year’s JMG logo event, with Powell County High School in Deer Lodge taking second and Judith Gap taking third.

JMG is dedicated to helping young people graduate from high school and make successful transitions to postsecondary education, the military of meaningful employment. JMG underclassmen have a return to school rate of 95% statewide and a 94% return in schools serving Indian youth.