Guest Writer: Marissa Tanner, Creek Wood High School

This summer, we are featuring stories by 2018 JTG graduates and offering them a chance to share the impact JTG has had on their lives.

“Given a support system such as JTG, young men and women at risk of graduating high school will soon contribute to society, not take from it. Now that’s a sound investment”, according to John Dwyer, president and CEO of Jobs for Tennessee Graduates (JTG). This program is an affiliate of Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG), which is a nonprofit organization, dedicated to stewarding at-risk high school students toward graduation with follow-through toward post-secondary education and/or career opportunities. JTG programs achieved a 98 percent graduation rate in 2015. JTG specialists teach the JAG model during a student’s senior year, and then add a 12-month mentoring process to ensure success after high school.

My JTG class helped me in many different ways throughout the year, from bringing guest speakers to class, to doing projects about our dream job, to helping me figure out Financial Aid and TN Promise. JTG offers the opportunity to see real-world scenarios on the job and at college through field trips and mock interviews. Moreover, I could not be any happier to have taken this class; it was phenomenal to see past graduates at the colleges or jobs they chose, and how they are doing very well at them. JTG will continue to help their students for the next year after they graduate high school, which is a huge plus. Helping them make that transition is so important and if anything, that is what is most important to me.

JTG has influenced me to be even more passionate about my dream job after high school. I have completed all the research and even spoken with a person who just graduated college for the same career I want to pursue. JTG has supported me in my career choice as well as making me realize why I desire to become a mortician.

After I graduate I plan to work at my job at NHC Dickson as much as possible and get ready for college and orientation for Nashville State in June. Additionally, I plan to prepare myself mentally and physically before I go back to school to start my new life as college student. I am also glad to know Mrs. Orman will be available to answer any of my questions for that following year as I make the transition from high school to the real world.

In brief, I believe JTG is a very important class and every senior needs it. Schools do not have enough of these programs that focus solely on helping students go from school to college or school to the workforce. It has helped me realize my dream job is definitely what I want to do and has encouraged me to make good changes within my mindset on what I am capable of doing. Many of our students’ parents do not know how to help them, and this is an easy fix for that. This program, JTG, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to stewarding at-risk high school students toward graduation with follow-through toward post-secondary education and/or career opportunities.