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Governor Kevin Stitt joined Jobs for America's Graduates (JAG), a national nonprofit that serves the nation’s youth who face significant academic, environmental and economic challenges, to launch a new state affiliate in Oklahoma on Monday.

Currently, JAG-OK programs have been implemented at Midwest City High School, Bartlesville High School, Wewoka High School, Capitol Hill High School in Oklahoma City, Broken Arrow High School and Star Spencer High School, with plans to expand to additional schools across Oklahoma in the future.

The JAG program includes classroom instruction, competency-based project-based learning, adult mentoring, summer employment training, student-led leadership development, job and postsecondary education placement services and 12-month follow-up services.

JAG serves more than 76,000 young people each year, who consistently achieve outstanding results, including a 95-percent graduation rate. JAG graduates are also 230-percent more likely to be employed full-time compared to their peers and twice as likely to go to college.  

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting school closures, JAG has pivoted to a virtual model to continue providing uninterrupted services to its students.

As part of his commitment to the organization, Gov. Stitt also joins 13 other governors from both major parties in serving on the JAG National Board of Directors. Governor John Bel Edwards (D-LA) and Governor Kim Reynolds (R-IA) serve as the Chair and Vice Chair of the organization, which has more governors on its board than any organization in the United States.