Will attend conferences in Washington, DC
Glasgow High School Junior Harley Edwards was one of four statewide students to be recognized for his essay on leadership development during the state’s annual Montana senior conference Jobs for Montana’s Graduates (JMG) on October 28 in Helena became. This conference is held in the hopes of preparing students for the world of work. Edwards, along with fellow winners Anna Williams of Scobey; Destiny Cheuvront, from Plains; and Ava Metcalfe of Whitefish were given the opportunity to attend Jobs for America’s Graduates National Student Leadership Academy in Washington, DC in December.
“I started crying when I found out!” Edward exclaimed. “I had to write an essay on what it takes to be a good leader. When I started thinking about a good leader and role model, Mrs. Page immediately came to mind. She has helped me through many things in my life.” Edwards will be leaving after school on December 29th and will be back on January 5th. The program of the trip includes attending three different conferences, a twilight tour of the national monuments at night, laying wreaths on the tombstones and other fun things. “This will be the furthest time I have been away from home and my first time on a plane. I’m definitely nervous!” Edwards explained. Luckily, Edwards is able to put on a familiar face as Mrs. Page gets to go on this trip too. In addition to being the focus of Edward’s essay, Mrs Page is the counselor to Glasgow High School’s JMG class.
JMG is a Department of Labor and Industry program that provides students with the skills they need for college and career readiness. In 1990, the Montana Legislature provided JMG with funding to undertake the mission of helping students stay in school, graduate, and successfully progress from school into employment, post-secondary education, apprenticeships, or the military switch. Today, JMG is a Montana Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) funded program with the primary purpose of preparing middle and high school students for the job market.
JMG actively promotes student success by connecting students with local employers and providing them with workplace professional skills, leadership skills and career readiness. JMG helps empower and mobilize students to stay in school, graduate and be ready to enter the workforce as capable adults.
This is Edwards’ sophomore year at JMG and he encourages middle school students to take this extracurricular course as well. “There is an interview session that will be really helpful when you reach working age. It definitely helped me get my current job,” Edwards explained.
In addition to JMG, Edwards is involved with Art Club and Speech and Drama. When he graduates from high school his current goal is to become a ranger/park ranger and he is currently exploring different types of study opportunities to achieve that goal. “I recently moved to Washington and I’ve really enjoyed being out in the woods, so I want a career that can bring me that happiness,” Edwards explained. His stated side goal is to study graphic design or art to design prosthetics.
“I see a lot of people making prosthetics online and I’m following someone right now who is making them for veterans at a great price. If I could do something like that for someone else, that would be cool,” Edwards said.