The Community Times Dispatch

Wade Hampton High School Wins 1st Place Wade Hampton High School was named the 2009 Career Association State Champions last Thursday at the Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) Conference held at Brookland Baptist Church in Columbia, SC. Wade Hampton, the only school from the Low Country, placed in six out of ten competitions to accumulate enough points to secure first place. The competitions at the conference require the participants to display job-related skills that are related to or can be transferred to various careers.

WHHS had two finishes of first, second, and third places on their way to the State Championship. They won first place for the Chapter Manuel competition, which was a team contest. Kendria Badger obtained the other first place in the Poster Design competition. Badger composed a beautiful image of a student positioned at a desk. The image was designed based this year theme for the conference “Imagine”.

Other victories for Wade Hampton included, second place in Public Speaking, Oscar Dobson, and Essay Writing, Brittany Shaw. Their third place finishes were Team Challenge contest; Antonio Green, Dennelle Thompson, Ikeisha Joyner, Jamel Pinckney and Marcus Jackson and the Critical Thinking contest competitor was Cortney Jones. Latifa Bryant received this year Secretary Award, which is awarded one per school for students demonstrating outstanding support and commitment to the JAG program.

The Job for America’s Graduates program was established four years ago as a dropout prevention mechanism. Often referred to as the JAG program, it provides the students with social and professional development. The students attend the program daily just as they do any other course. While in JAG, they are exposed to Character Education, Leadership, Professional Development, Financial Education as well as several other life enhancing skills.

Wade Hampton High School’s Job Specialist, Terry Sanders is totally committed to the students in the program. Sanders is more than willing to go beyond the call of duty to help her program participants. In addition to being the course instructor, Sanders serves as a counselor and friend to her students. “They often bring their problems to me because I make myself available to be used in that capacity. Sometimes their friends that aren’t even in the program come to me seeking help and I am more than happy help,” explained Sanders.

The 2009 Career Association 1^st Place is just a testament to Sanders’ hard work and dedication. She bought out the best in a group of students from the Low Country at a school considered to be on the “Corridor of Shame” and led them to succeed above over 15 high schools from across the state.