COURTESY PHOTO  While in Washington for the JAG National Student Leadership Conference, four Wagner Community School JAG students visited such D.C. landmarks at the National Mall and the National Museum of the American Indian which is part of the Smithsonian Institute. Pictured are Sage Zephier, Noah Leines, Tyler Provost and Clifford O’Connor. (Courtesy photo)WAGNER, S.D. (AP) – He’s only a high school sophomore, but Sage Zephier wants to accomplish something never done in his family. He not only wants to attend college, but he wants to attend medical school.



That’s a lofty personal goal, and it’s particularly good news for the Wagner school district as it works to increase its number of Native American graduates.

“I am looking forward to life after high school, looking ahead to college and what I want to be and what I am interested in,” Zephier said. “I am looking at maybe going to the University of Washington medical school in Seattle.”

Zephier credits his high career plans to his participation in Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG), a school-to-work transition program. The Wagner chapter, a pilot program for South Dakota, has motivated him and focused his interests.

JAG Specialist Renee VanDerWerff holds no doubts that Zephier will achieve his goals.

“Sage has quite a dream, to be a pediatrician, and he has the drive and ability to pursue it,” she said. “He has 14 brothers and sisters and would be the first from his family to go to college. He is one of those all-around excellent guys who is good at everything – the all-American type.”

JAG has created an impact on many students in only its second year at Wagner, VanDerWerff said.

“It is a career exploration and leadership development program,” she said. “What sets it apart from other similar programs is that it targets students who might not realize their full potential without guidance, mentoring and coaching with a trained JAG Specialist.”

VanDerWerff advises a dozen sophomores, while JAG Specialist Tana Langdeaux works with a dozen freshmen. They want to build the co-curricular program in succeeding years with 10-14 students per high school class. Wagner is also developing a middle school program.

The JAG program reaches students – both white and Native American – who might otherwise fall through the cracks, said Wagner High School principal Neil Goter. The program carries academic, community service and other requirements for membership.

The JAG students see VanDerWerff or Langdeaux for 1 1/2 hour sessions on alternating days. The students also receive assistance from teachers between JAG sessions.

“The teachers serve as a watchful eye to make sure attendance is good, the students are completing their homework and learning to assist others,” Goter said. “It is the daily contact from an adult in our school (who) cares that these students – who are not involved in many activities, if any – succeed.”

“All students need a connection to school, and JAG gives that connection to Wagner School for most of these students,” Goter added.

Then-State Rep. Tom Deadrick (R-Platte) saw a presentation on the JAG program, asking Superintendent Susan Smit if the Wagner school would be interested in starting the program. Because Wagner launched the JAG pilot program in South Dakota, Smit serves as the state’s leader for the organization.

Since Wagner established the pilot program, Andes Central started its high school JAG program last year and Bon Homme has started a middle school program.

Community support of the Wagner JAG program is growing, VanDerWerff said.

“Last year, the students organized a fundraiser, raising $2,200 for a teacher with cancer. That really helped raise awareness of the program,” she said. “This year, more and more people know what JAG is and ask the students for help with various tasks, such as the Year of Unity event (for racial reconciliation).”

The Wagner students also sponsored a booth at the Indian Education Summit in Chamberlain, explaining JAG and its meaning for the school.

The Wagner JAG program has produced tremendous results for the 24 students enrolled in both the class and organization, Goter said.

“The majority of these students are not involved in other groups in our school, and JAG gave them a sense of ownership into our school,” he said. “Over the past two years, the students have been doing a number of different activities. Through the students’ efforts, four (Wagner) students were chosen to attend the national conference in Washington, DC.”

The four students – chapter president Tyler Provost, Zephier, Noah Leines and Clifford O’Connor – and VanDerWerff represented South Dakota at the National Student Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C.

During its 30-year history, the national JAG network has reached thousands of students. Currently, the program operates in 32 states, serving more than 42,000 young people.

All four Wagner boys who went to this year’s national meeting said JAG has changed their lives.

“JAG has turned things around. My grades got better, and I am more motivated with what I want to do after school,” Provost said. “I want to go to Lake Area Tech in Watertown for something like architectural drafting or engineering.”

Leines plans to attend South Dakota State University in Brookings for studies in architecture or a construction. “JAG has me focused, looking to go on to college and getting better grades for some kind of scholarship,” he said.

O’Connor hasn’t made definite plans for after graduation, but JAG has provided him with the tools for success. “Now, I respect my teachers more. I am more mature,” he said.

The Wagner JAG program received additional recognition, as Smit was one of two people receiving the State Educational Leadership Award during the annual JAG national convention.

“(My award) is because of our pilot program and willingness to independently fund it as well as the positive results we have seen take place,” Smit said. “JAG is all about seeing potential in students and nurturing growth through community service, leadership activities, and solid academic preparation. What a joy to see students experience success in a multitude of settings!”

Goter thinks Smit has downplayed her role in the Wagner program’s success.

“Since she was instrumental in starting JAG in South Dakota, the JAG organization found it fitting to honor her with the award in Washington, D.C.,” Goter said.

Wagner’s success caught the attention of a former White House resident. Julie Nixon Eisenhower, the daughter of the late President Richard Nixon, serves on the JAG national executive board. After speaking with Smit at the Washington conference, Eisenhower asked to meet the Wagner students at the next day’s luncheon.

“Standing beside a student who steps forward, extends their hand to Julie Nixon Eisenhower and introduces themselves is one of the high points of my career,” Smit said, “especially when this is a student who has never left the state of South Dakota, flown on an airplane, worn a suit or eaten at a table with six pieces of flatware!”

The Wagner students drew attention wherever they went at the conference, VanDerWerff said. “I think they were probably (some) of the only Native American students that were in the JAG program,” she said.

While in Washington, the students participated in breakout sessions, competed in the areas of public speaking and job interviewing, and went sightseeing. Upon returning to Wagner, they have been asked by three teachers to give classroom presentations this semester on the Washington trip.

The national conference and the program’s general success have spurred interest among Wagner students, VanDerWerff said. They are working to meet the JAG criteria for admission and to raise the needed funds if selected for the D.C. trip, she said.

“It was a life-changing experience, a big deal to go on a trip like that. A lot of students talked to me and asked, ‘Could I get in the JAG program?”’ she said. “Especially the older students, who are sophomores and juniors this year, say, `I wish I had been in a program like that and had prepared me for college.”’

The JAG program may exert a much wider positive influence among the community, VanDerWerff said.

Wagner school counselor Dana Sanderson served on the JAG Advisory Board, looking at whether to start the local program, she said. Sanderson has noted the growing racial unity as an outcome of the program, she said.



“At the (JAG) induction ceremony, I thought it was interesting that Mr. Sanderson said a lot of students in JAG are Native American. It’s not a requirement, but we have a large Native American population,” she said.



“He said it was nice, when we had the induction ceremony, there were so many very diverse groups. He felt that was a really good example of people coming together and being unified.”