BEREA, Ky. (LEX 18) — The Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) program at Berea Community Schools is one of the top JAG programs in the state. This year, 10 students in the middle school program are representing Berea in a national competition.
“It gives me such insight into my future and what I can do with my future,” said Dallas Connor, president of the middle school JAG program.
Connor was in seventh grade when the program put on its first Berea bed build in March of 2024. Now, these students are continuing the charge to keep building beds for kids in the community.
“Last year, we had aimed for 20 beds,” Connor said. “We were able to build 37 and provide 37 kids in our community with beds.”
“It’s helped me learn that helping people is one of the best feelings you could ever feel,” said Tye Le, a seventh-grade JAG student.
These students learn a lot of skills in the JAG program. At the middle school, students make and sell a number of items, like freeze-dried candy, to learn about real-world work experiences.
When Berea Schools announced budget cuts last month, the middle and high school JAG programs did not make the cut.
“I was completely heartbroken,” said Delaney Lemaster, a high school freshman. “The first thing I did was I told my grandma, I was like, ‘I can’t lose this program. This is not just a program. This means the absolute world to me.’”
Lemaster helped organize the first bed build in 2024, and she’s now the vice president of career development within the high school program. Now, Lemaster is helping lead the charge to try and save the JAG programs in Berea.
“We are working on a community event to hopefully bring everyone together, and also get donations from,” Lemaster said.
Students and community partners are working together to put on the Sing and Save event on Friday, May 2, from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The event has a $20 entry fee, and students hope that fee, along with more donations, will help their efforts to raise money. They need $37,000 from that event to save both the middle and high school JAG programs.
It’s a tall task, but it’s something Lemaster feels her time in JAG has prepared her for.
“Every adversity I’ve ever had, JAG has taught me that it’s just a knock at the door, and that I can walk through it,” she said. “One of the biggest things I’ve learned is that this is just another knock at the door. We can all persevere, and if the community comes together, we can accomplish anything.”
The Sing and Save event is taking place next Friday at Union Church in Berea, featuring music from Berea students, graduates, and community supporters.
If you would like to help out with the Berea bed build, that is also coming up on Saturday, May 10. You can volunteer, or you can also donate money or supplies for that effort.
