Preparing students for life after high school

One Whitefish High School class has been honored for making sure its students not only graduate from high school, but also become product citizens.

The Jobs for Montana’s Graduates program was recently given the “5 for 5” award, the highest honor given to participants of the national program. The award recognizes programs that meet a set of five criteria, including a minimum graduation rate and criteria that graduates must be employed, in school, or serving in the military.

Barb Sorenson and Tricia Palin co-teach the JMG class, which has about 15 students this school year. Juniors and seniors can apply for the class or can be recommended by a counselor or teacher.

Sorenson said JMG students are a mix of kids that range from “potential dropouts to valedictorians,” but the goal is always the same to prepare them for career, college and citizenship.

“A lot of our students have barriers to success,” she said. “Our major goal is to make sure they graduate with a purpose  — with a career path in mind.”

JMG has been in place at WHS for about five years and funding for the program comes from a state grant and class fundraisers. The program is one of about 50 statewide and part of the national Jobs for America’s Graduates.

JMG focuses on keeping students in school and graduating, and preparing them for life through learning leadership and teamwork skills, selecting career goals and teaching them workplace skills. Students also complete a number of community service projects.

“It gets students ready not just for the world of work, but ready for paying bills and being a good citizen,” Palin said.

Students participate in a number of career-oriented learning opportunities including hearing from guest speakers, job shadowing, career and college research, and resume building.

“We want them to not just say I want to go to college, but to actually pick a college and a field of study and investigate that,” Sorenson said. “This class is geared to transitioning them to being young adults.”

At every possible opportunity students are given the chance to learn a skill they will likely use later in life. The task of scheduling guest speakers falls to the students, with the idea they will learn how to set up an appointment.

Junior Sam Moorehead said a lot of students before joining JMG are failing classes, but once joining the program they begin to turn things around.

He said his goals aren’t specific yet, but he has “thought about where I want to go.”

JMG also has a strong focus on leadership and teamwork skills. Students formulate the classroom rules and select student leaders. Students become friends and learn to work together on classroom and community service projects.

“We want them to come together,” Sorenson said. “It’s not unusual for one student to ask another why they aren’t getting their homework done. They make each other accountable. Students have to make a commitment to being in this class.”

Senior Cody Boggs serves as one of the JMG leaders.

“The biggest thing for me in this class is team leaders — somebody has to step up,” he said. “I feel glad I stepped up to lead.”

Boggs said he wants his class to be successful at its spring conference and bring back trophies to the school.

In addition to the classroom work, students can participate in the Montana Career Association, a club within JMG it allows students to compete in career-related competitions. Students might go through a full job interview with a business professional or compete in public speaking by giving a talk on what JMG means to them.

In order for WHS to earn the “5 for 5” award, Sorenson and Palin had to track data on current students, as well as follow the progress of graduates for up to two years to demonstrate that former students were working or attending college.

“We’re very proud of [the 5 of 5],” Sorenson said. “It’s the students success. JMG wouldn’t be what it is if they didn’t come up to the bar.”