JOG students celebrate a triumphant year of learning
Tuesday, May 23, 2023CLEVELAND, Ohio
Completing a full year of Jobs for Ohio’s Graduates (JOG) training is nothing short of celebratory. Each school uses the opportunity to reflect on the success of the year and give the students completion certificates. Just like a high school graduation, the Career Specialist Instructors bring in a keynote speaker to instill the students with wisdom and inspiration. Their speeches focused on being mindful of the company you keep, perseverance, lessons learned from missed opportunities, focusing on the journey instead of the destination, and the ample options to try new things instead of quitting a project.
At John Marshall School of Civic and Business Leadership, the drum line escorted the students to their celebration. At East Tech the students celebrated in the Executive Grille, an establishment of the Cleveland Culinary Arts program. At Maple Heights ECAC they marked the occasion with a taco and cupcake bar.
Every JOG classroom does mock interviews and resume writing workshop, but each school offers personalized experiences. Students completed training through BrainWise, a renowned social, emotional, and critical thinking skills program.
Warrensville High School went to dinner and a movie with Y.O.U. Chief Program Officer Pam Macer. Chase Bank visited the school to offer some tips on building a minority small business and maintaining good credit.
At Maple Heights High School, students learned to write in cursive and sign their names. They created their own alphabets after studying ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs and inter-global fluency. The students started a program called Cards of Care where they sent greeting cards to members of the community and the VA hospital. They also completed a workshop with the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center about healthy relationships.
At East Tech, the school’s career association organized community service opportunities, such as making affirmation cards for their peers and helping organize the school career closet.
A shared highlight for all youth was the Youth Career Olympics in March. Students showcased business skills they’ve developed throughout the school year in team-based and solo competitive events. Six students medaled in their categories and went on to compete at the National Career Development Conference in Orlando, Florida.
After a full year of class focusing on career development, employability, and leadership skills, many students shared their post secondary plans for college and career forming jobs.