Hocker Grove Students Take First Place in Employability Skills Event

Hocker Grove Takes First Place in JAG-K
Shawnee Mission School District

A group of eighth-graders from Hocker Grove Middle school earned first place at the Jobs for Americas Graduates – Kansas, (JAG-K) Career Development Conference at The National Guard Training Center in Salina, Kansas this spring. 

Middle School JAG-K programs from across the state of Kansas compete against each other in different employability skill events.

Here is a list of  Career Development Conference Events and the accomplishments of Hocker Grove students that competed this year:

  • Employability Skills (mock job interview): Justin Gilmore, second place
  • Entrepreneurs (presented a custom-shoe painting business):  Spencer Davis and Thurston Rives, second place
  • Public Speaking: Lucas McGriff, third place
  • Community Service: Baylee Doolin and Payten Bush, second place
  • Math: Daimein Pool, second place
  • Project Based Learning: Blake Ramsey and Julissa Gutierrez shared a class project
  • Art Competition: Kaleb Deckard, fourth place and Riley Donaleski, third place
  • JAG-K promotional video: Damien Pool, second place
  • Digital Scrapbook: Baylee Doolin and Payten Bush, first place
  • Community Business Poster: Damien Pool, first place

These competitions allow students the opportunity to showcase the skills they are learning in the competency-based curriculum of the JAG-K program.

“Each one of these students worked incredibly hard to earn their spots to go to this state competition,” Ali Fisher, lead career specialist, JAG-K, said. Their classmates helped them practice and prepare. It was a team effort and I am so proud of how they gained confidence in themselves and represented Hocker Grove at state.

Students began work in January preparing their specialized event.

“The best part about state was being nervous for our competition, but then walking into the room and not being nervous at all,” Baylee Doolin said

Hocker Grove students at JAG-K Conferenc