Jefferson Foundation funds JAG Program in area schools

January10, 2008, Lakewood, CO - The Jefferson Foundation has awarded a $36,500 grant to help fund a mentoring program called Jobs for America's Graduates, or JAG, at Arvada, Jefferson and Standley Lake High Schools in Jefferson County. Additional funding for the Jeffco JAG program is provided through a WIRED (Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development Program) grant. 107 Jeffco students are participating in the program.

JAG's mission is to keep young people in school through graduation and provide work-based learning experiences that lead to career opportunities or to pursuing a college education. The program was designed to address students' barriers to success, such aslow academic performance, high dropout rates, and lack of marketable skills after graduation - leading to high youth unemployment. After a 21 month high school intervention through graduation or completion of a GED certificate, JAG tracks students to ensure their success in college and/or offers job placement skills including: self marketing, job development and placement.

Now in its 28th year, JAG is a school-to-career program implemented in 700 high schools, alternative schools, community colleges, and middle schools across the country. 550,000 JAG participants have demonstrated a 90% graduation rate, with an 80% positive outcome for students since 1980.

" Jobs for America's Graduates' facilitators take their students through rigorous core competencies and life skills development," said Mona Sandoval, Executive Director of The Jefferson Foundation. "These are students with the greatest untapped potential, who may just need direction and encouragement to succeed. We are thrilled to be able to offer the JAG program to Jeffco Schools."

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The Jefferson Foundation is one of the oldest Colorado non-profit K-12 public education foundation. The Foundation is in its 25th year of engaging community support and gathering resources to fund programs and experiences for the students of Jeffco Public Schools.

For more information on Jobs for America's Graduates: www.jagcolorado.org

For more information, contact: Anton Delgado: 303-982-2210

www.jeffersonfoundation.org