46 JAG Nevada students attended JAG National Student Leadership Academy

46 Jobs for Nevada’s Graduates (JAG Nevada) students from across Nevada recently traveled to Washington, D.C. to attend the JAG National Student Leadership Academy (NSLA). More than 600 students from thirty-two states across the country attended the event. Leadership Development seminars, speakers and activities are a significant part of the NSLA, including tours of the nation’s capital for participating students. Nine of the 46 Nevada JAG students engaged in national competitions in Employability Skills, Public Speaking and Math Skills.

“At JAG Nevada, we made sure to have true statewide representation in this amazing event, as we had JAG students from 43 high schools and 12 of Nevada’s seventeen counties participating,” said René Cantu Jr., JAG Nevada Executive Director in a press release. “Students will bring back what they learn at the NSLA and become more vital contributing members of the JAG Nevada Career Association. Through NSLA, JAG Nevada students will graduate work ready!”

Olga Garcia from Reed High School in Reno, Nev. was the proud recipient of the first-place award for the Employability Skills competition. In this competition, competitors were to demonstrate their ability to secure employment through proficiency in the job application process and complete a job interview.

“The NSLA conference was like nothing I could have ever imagined. Not only was it a privilege to have been chosen to attend, but the endless amounts of learning and growing opportunities throughout the experience only added to it all,” said Garcia. “It’s an incredible feeling to know that as young leaders, we can all accomplish anything we set our mind to, most importantly with the strong support we receive from our dedicated JAG specialists. I’m proud to be able to say I brought home a first place award to my home state of Nevada and I cannot wait to take advantage of all the doors JAG has opened for me,”

“JAG is designed to help prepare high school students for the workforce and post-secondary education, and the NSLA serves as a catalyst to accelerate the development of workplace and leadership skills among JAG Nevada students,” said JAG Chair Frank Woodbeck in a press release. “Our board is immensely excited that JAG Nevada is competing nationally and exposing JAG Nevada youth to a much wider world with amazing possibilities for their future and the future of students in their Career Association chapters across Nevada.”