On May 30, 2026, JAG class (also known as Jobs for America’s Graduates) will open its doors for the very last time at Seymour High School. The class didn’t disappear all at once. Due to state budget cuts, JAG teachers had to leave after the last school year, which resulted in fewer JAG classes. Two teachers who had to leave were Amber Murphy and Megan McKinney. Ms. Murphy taught a program for grades eleven and twelve that focused on career and college exploration, employability skills, decision-making, and other skills that are valuable for life after high school. Ms. McKinney taught grades nine and ten, which focused on leadership/self-development skills, maturity, goal-making, and decision-making. Now, with funding completely gone, the class itself is coming to an end. 

For students, JAG was never just another elective. It was a place for those who needed extra support to make it to graduation and beyond. Many came in unsure of their future and struggling to stay motivated. They left with resumes, job skills, and confidence. 

JAG focused on preparing students for life after high school in ways most classes don’t have time to cover. Students received help completing FAFSA forms, college applications, and job applications. They learned how to build resumes, practice interviewing, and present themselves professionally. Lessons also included emotional intelligence, communication skills, and how to navigate real-life situations. Guest speakers were often invited based on students’ career interests, allowing them to hear directly from people in fields they were hoping to enter. 

Beyond academics and careers, JAG provided school spirit by decorating doors for holidays and canned food drives. JAG teacher Mrs. Bowman even helped organize student-assisted volunteer opportunities like Gleaners2go, a program that provides food for those in need. For many people, including me, JAG made overwhelming steps toward the future feel possible. 

As state budget cuts forced teachers out and the number of classes diminished, students already felt the shift. When I joined JAG at the beginning of my senior year, the first thing I heard from students was how upset they were that the other JAG teachers and classes were no longer there. Now, students are losing an environment in which they felt comfortable and supported.

JAG ending means everything to SHS teacher Mrs. Bowman.

She poured years into the program and into the students she cared about deeply. She often referred to them as “my kids,” and that’s not just a figure of speech;  it’s how she treated them. Mrs. Bowman checked on students when they were absent or acting differently, celebrated their success, followed up after graduation, and refused to let them give up on themselves. Now, she may have to leave for another job. As of now, without funding, there is no position left for her to stay in. The idea of her having to walk away from the job and the students she cared about so much is heartbreaking. 

Mrs. Bowman says she “most enjoyed watching students excel in achieving their goals and overcoming challenges.” She went on to explain that “Seymour High School has been like my second home since I started working here in 2013; I will miss my family.” 

In the class, students can learn skills they wouldn’t be able to in most classes: how to plan for college or career, work on their emotional intelligence, and how to handle real-life responsibilities. But more importantly, they had an adult who listened when things were hard at home, who noticed when grades slipped, who pushed them to keep showing up even when it felt pointless, and someone who encouraged her students to always keep making and striving for their goals.

For many students, Mrs. Bowman and JAG played a huge role in their lives.

A student who is sad to see JAG go shared with us how JAG improved their life. They stated, “Before I came to JAG, I had bad anger issues and would get overwhelmed very easily. JAG and Mrs. Bowman helped me to understand what I was feeling and how to manage it.” Another student shared their experience in the class, “JAG helped me to be more outgoing and get better social skills. I have become less shy and made good connections with people here.” Another student reflected on appreciating the life skills they learned in JAG. They explained, “I liked how JAG helps with applying to college, jobs, and making resumes.”

Programs like JAG exist because not every student fits into the traditional system. Some need hands-on guidance. Some need encouragement. Some students just need someone to remind them that they’re capable of more than they think. Without it, those students will be negatively affected. This loss is emotional because of what the class taught, but it’s more than that. It represented a support system and a reminder that school could be a place that cared about who you’d become, not just what grade you get. 

As state budget cuts continue to affect education, the end of JAG presents a very painful reality: the programs designed to help struggling students are often the first to be overlooked and cut. 

When JAG class empties for the last time, it will leave behind a lasting legacy as the place that helped to form so many bright futures and friendships. For Mrs. Bowman, it means leaving behind “her kids” and a program she truly believed in. As for future students, it means losing someone who would have believed in them and helped them achieve their goals, no matter what.

For me, JAG was never just another class that happened to end. It was a place where I felt understood and supported. Knowing that future students won’t get the opportunity to experience JAG is painful. Although students and teachers are still exploring options to get JAG saved. We are hoping that funding or support will return so that future students can have the same opportunity that we did. Even though it is ending, the lessons, skills, and encouragement will stay with us. Maybe someday, another group of students will get to experience the guidance and care that made JAG so special. 

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JAG has a huge impact. on students