Student Success Stories: Elijah

12/05/2022

Our students are a voice for change in their schools and their community. As part of the national Jobs for America’s Graduates (or JAG) curriculum, some students are elected as officials to represent their fellow classmates. These titles range from President to Treasurer and some in between. The Coordinator of Social Awareness at Garfield Community Learning Center or CLC, Elijah, is an excellent example of a JOG student that wants to make an impact on his community.

As Coordinator of Social Awareness, Elijah wants to put forward anti-bullying efforts in his school and all other schools across Ohio. When asked about safety in his school, Elijah said, “I want kids to feel safe. I want my friends and classmates to feel safe. I want to see anything and everything that can be done to help the lives of kids [at Garfield] done.” Elijah continued, “I want to help spread awareness of bullying and how to stop it. The cycle of bullying is very prevalent in my school. You don’t need to take your pain out on others. Choose your own path and help people.”

Elijah, a sophomore, recognizes the importance of different educational environments. He believes that being involved in Jobs for Ohio’s Graduates (JOG) has provided him a place to excel and focus on his schoolwork. As he said, it is important to make safe areas where students can really blossom into their own. He appreciates having teachers like Ms. Porter who allow him and his classmates to exercise who they are and what they care about in a safe environment.

Elijah is an outstanding young man with a heart to help his fellow classmates. JOG works hard to support students in Elijah’s position flourish. Through the JAG Model, we help by bringing trauma-informed Career Specialists like Ms. Jessica Porter to help students overcome obstacles like bullying to help them thrive.

We are excited to hear more about the officers of Jessica Porters’ JOG officers at Garfield CLC and are proud of their educational tenacity!