Earlier this month, six Urbandale High School students participating in the Iowa Jobs for America’s Graduates (iJAG) program, attended the Leadership Development Conference (West) along with 51 other iJAG programs across the state. Students were able to learn more about their officer roles and what it means to be a leader inside and outside the classroom.

Leading up to the conference, iJAG students were tasked with the challenge of creating a “hype video” for Urbandale iJAG. This was a competition across all programs participating in the Leadership Development Conference. UHS iJAG students took home second place for their hype video and $150 to go toward their fundraising goal. They also won a team building activity by creating a tower out of newspaper and tape which came in at a whopping 147 inches tall. View the hype video (Note: The original hype video included background music, but due to copyright restrictions, the music was removed so the video could be viewed on YouTube.)

In addition, UHS iJAG student Ryan Knight was selected as one of eight students – out of a total of 48 applicants – to attend the National Student Leadership Academy in Washington, D.C. When Ryan attends the conference, he will not only be representing Urbandale, but the entire state of Iowa.

“This is the first year for the iJAG program at Urbandale High School and it is off to such an amazing start,” said UHS iJAG Teacher Ashley Johnson. “Our students are receiving opportunities of a lifetime, exclusive to iJAG students, while gaining knowledgeable skills to prepare them for life after high school. I am so happy Ryan was selected to attend the National Conference and represent the state of Iowa. He will have the chance to collaborate with other JAG leaders across the nation, meet and chat with government officials that represent Iowa, tour Washington D.C., and gain so many new opportunities through this experience.” 

Urbandale Community School District congratulates Ryan and all six UHS iJAG students for their outstanding accomplishments. The leadership, project management, and collaboration skills they are learning and strengthening through the development of meaningful projects and initiatives are valuable lifelong skills. These students are creating a bright future full of opportunities. We are incredibly #proudofU! 

To learn more about the UHS iJAG program, contact Ashley Johnson.

Photo Credit: Ashley Johnson and Tim Carver

• Tweet