Missouri has over 100 JAG programs in 74 schools. State First Lady Teresa Parson continued her tour of those in the Ozark region Tuesday by visiting Van Buren High School, telling students to seize opportunities.
Parson and her husband Gov. Mike Parson both came from rural families. She was inspired by her father’s work ethic as she grew up — he never graduated high school, but to support his family he raised cattle and apprenticed himself at a carpentry business, where he learned to build homes. Many of them still stand in the family’s hometown of Bolivar.
“I’m very proud that I can drive through and say, ‘My dad built that, my dad build that,’” Parson said.
Her mother later earned her GED, and Parson earned a math degree and went into banking.
Her family’s experience with and without higher education showed her, “Maybe we’re good examples that if (college) is not of interest to you … You can still do well in life,” she told students.
She encouraged those on the fence about college to pursue trade school and apprenticeship programs.
The values of hard work and community she grew up with were echoed in JAG, which stands for Jobs for America’s Graduates. Both Parsons attended a conference in Washington, D.C. to learn more about the program and were impressed by the words of a student named “Sam.” Sam joined JAG as an extremely shy high school student with a difficult home life, but Parson listened to him speak before 1,000 people after winning the national essay contest. He credited JAG with teaching him to move past his circumstances and make his own choices, ending his presentation with, “If it is to be, it is up to me.”
JAG offers field trips and other chances to explore potential careers. Parson urged students to take advantage of them.
“I encourage you to go out, find what life has for you,” she said.
After presenting JAG Challenge Coins and a copy of “You Can Too!” (a book written by all 36 female state senators in Missouri’s history), Parson invited Van Buren JAG students to share what they have learned in the program.
Chapter President Dylan Reed said he initially joined without expecting much of the class, but, “I actually learned it’s not a blow-off class. If you pay attention, you’ll get as much as you put in.”
Johnna Olivas-Zuniga, JAG secretary, said, “I’ve learned leadership, partnership with everybody.”
Senior Audrey Bressler felt centered as she neared the end of her high school career.
“JAG’s helped me realize I still have a little time left. I still make the decisions and I don’t need to know what to do with my life when I start college,” she said.
Bressler won this year’s JAG essay contest and will join other winners for lunch with the first lady at the governor’s mansion in Jefferson City.
VBHS Principal Larry Peterson was happy to see students engage with Parson and celebrate JAG’s imprint on their lives.
“It’s a big day for our school. Kids have a great opportunity to get in front of someone with some power and influence over the program. They’ve been excited about it since the governor reached out, they’ve been preparing. I think they represented us very well,” he said.
Accompanying Parson were five visitors with noteworthy careers in JAG, non-profits, community businesses and government. These were JAG regional manager Jeff Berry; JAG Program Director Teresa Smith; Elaine Libla, former executive director of The MASTERS program and wife of former Sen. Doug Libla; Herman Styles, owner of the Colton’s restaurant chain and a JAG board member; and Rep. Darrell Atchison of the 153rd Congressional District.