By Staff
Melissa Cason
RED BAY – Students are learning more than just basics in school these days. Since the addition of the Jobs for Alabama's Graduates program, students are learning essential skills that can be used in the workplace after graduation.
Tabitha Crowder will be a senior next year, and she participated in the JAG program at Red Bay this year.
"It's given me more confidence in everything," Crowder said. "I couldn't even talk in front of a class at the beginning of the year,"
Crowder is one of 35 students at Red Bay who participated in the class, which was offered for the first time last year.
Instructor Jarod Massey said the students learn a wide variety of skills from work ethic to public speaking.
"We are trying to make our graduates more successful after high school," Massey said. "We try to give them things they will need after graduation."
Crowder plans to be enrolled in the class next year as a senior if it gets approved for another year in Red Bay.
In it's inaugural year in Red Bay, several students have received statewide recognition for their hard work.
Crowder won first place in the state competition for her essay about how JAG has changed her life.
"Before the announced the winner, Tabitha told me I'd have to go get the award for her because she could not bare to get up in front of all those people," Massey said. "But, when her name was called, we both got up and went to the stage to accept it."
Crowder plans to run for president of the JAG program next year.
Massey said Heather Maxwell, Tasha Grimes, Laken Tucker, and Morgan Maxwell placed second at the district competition for creative problem solving.
"They were given a problem, and 30 minutes to create a solution before presenting it to the judges," Massey said. "They did great by placing second in our district competition."
The class is offered to grades nine through 12, but classes are mostly comprised students from grades 10 through 12.
"We are really proud of our students for their hard work this year," Massey said.
Other than Red Bay, JAG is offered at Phil Campbell and Tharptown.