Student Success Story: Jay
In the summer before his senior year, Jay received a call inviting him to visit the Jobs for Ohio’s Graduates (JOG) office in Medina to begin his enrollment. Excited about the opportunity, he dove right in, looking forward to getting started. Shortly after expressing his initial interest, Jay approached his Career Specialist and asked to officially join her class. Together, they completed the necessary paperwork, and Jay became part of her JOG roster. Feeling anxious but determined, Jay took his first step into the JOG program!
At first, he kept his distance. He wasn’t convinced that any program, or any teacher, would be different. But over time, weekly check-ins began to break down those walls. Through honest conversations, Jay opened up about challenges at home and how he often spent hours at the gym to cope. With encouragement from his career specialist, he began working on healthier ways to manage anger and stress.
Recognizing Jay’s strengths, his specialist encouraged him to compete in the Financial Literacy event at the Career Development Conference. After a tough competition, Jay placed third in the competition! He still holds this as a proud moment that showed him what he could accomplish through his own effort.
Just weeks before graduation, Jay faced another challenge: his mother informed him that he would need to move out after finishing high school. His career specialist immediately helped him explore options and connected him with Job Corps, where he would have housing, meals, and the opportunity to learn a trade. Jay graduated and was accepted into the Job Corps program.
Today, Jay is training as a CNC machinist with the Job Corps and is already working toward an internship with the US Navy. With a clear path ahead and continued support from his Career Specialist, Jay is building his future one day, one goal, and one success at a time. We are so proud of his growth and can’t wait to hear all about his future successes.
