On April 10, Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen and Shawna Forsberg, president and CEO, United Way of the Midlands (UWM) (UnitedWayMidlands.org) announced a big expansion for the JAG Nebraska program.
They also welcomed Janelle Duray, president and CEO of the national JAG program, who was in Nebraska to highlight JAG’s success. “Nebraska is one of the highest performing JAG programs in the country,” Duray said. “It’s amazing to see the strong support JAG has here and I’m excited about its ongoing growth potential, which will benefit so many youth across the state.”
Since its beginning in 2019, JAG Nebraska has grown from three schools to currently serving 1,500 students in 34 middle and high schools for the 2023-24 school year. This new expansion will add an additional 51 programs for the 2024-25 school year – increasing the number of programs in Nebraska to 85, with a capacity to serve 4,000 students.
“We need more of our young people to pursue and find meaningful careers that interest them and connect with employers in Nebraska – and the JAG Nebraska program is helping us with both of these goals,” said Governor Pillen.
Powered by UWM, JAG Nebraska is a for-credit, classroom elective for middle and high school that helps students develop their personal and professional skillsets to overcome challenges they face. It provides hands-on instruction, career development, leadership skills and more to help students graduate and find success in college, the workplace and life.
For more information about the JAG Nebraska program, go to JAGNebraska.org.
To learn more about United Way of the Midlands, visit UnitedWayMidlands.org.