Improving Young Lives Forever
THE workforce development program for TN.
Whether students go directly into the workforce or go to Post-Secondary institutions for education and training, JAGTN give them the skills needed to be mature, long-term employees, who are ready and willing to enter the work place.
JAGTN leverages opportunities to rethink high school to best support pathways for students with data-driven, proven results.
So many employers are hearing what JAG is about and they are also interested in offering internships. It has the power to truly change the trajectory of student lives and combat poverty in Kingsport. Im just happy to be a part of it….
- Julie Kumar, Dobyns-Bennett High School
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The mission of JAG Tennessee is to guide this generation of students, empowering them with the essential skills to excel in employability, education, and life.
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JAGTN is an affiliate of Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) and is a non-profit organization. Jobs for Tennessee Graduates is one of JAG’s longest serving affiliates, launched in 1981 under Governor Lamar Alexander. It was exclusively state funded until 2013. Since then, diverse funding sources (school districts, private businesses, and regional nonprofits) have allowed JAGTN to thrive in 42 schools in 30 counties throughout Tennessee. In 2014, JAGTN was approved as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, which includes a high level board of directors.
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JAGTN makes young people employable; whether that is directly after high school or through post-secondary education, they have a plan and purpose after they graduate. JAGTN gives students an edge and a plan and simply improves their lives forever.
“JAGTN means everything, at least to me. It has helped me to develop a sense of what the real world is going to be like and how I needed to prepare more for it, knowing the job I was going to pursue and knowing how to manage my income more efficiently. I definitely know how to manage more effectively because of JAGTN.”
-Jasmine Maddox, Riverside High School, Class of 2024
JAG provides a unique opportunity to make a tangible difference in the lives of American youth by empowering us with skills such as education, mentorship, and career readiness. It's inspiring to see the transformative impact we can have on individuals, families, and communities, paving the way for brighter futures and a stronger nation.
-Ian King, Polk County High School, Class of 2024
Who We Are
JAG Tennessee (JAGTN), an affiliate of Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG), is a non-profit organization dedicated to stewarding high school students toward graduation with follow through toward post-secondary education and/or job opportunities.
Data consistently shows - year after year - that JAGTN students perform better academically, graduate at higher rates, and see higher positive outcomes than their peers, both nationally and in Tennessee.
By the Numbers
Success Stories
JAGTN’s highly-trained Teachers track graduates for one calendar year to ensure they are staying on track with their chosen path into a career or college.
Principal’s Perspective
Williamson County’s Fairview High School has one of the longest-running JAGTN programs in the state. We sat down with principal and former FHS JAGTN alum Chris Butler to talk about the program’s impact on his career and the continued impacts on the community he serves.
