For many, high school can be formative years where students grow and learn in preparation for life after graduation. Algebra, English, and Chemistry are on many student’s schedules. For one student, it was one class that changed the trajectory of her life.
Shaley Wolf was a student walking the halls of Pike Central High School in 2011. Coming from the small town of Petersburg, many throughout the community knew her story. Shaley came from a home with an incarcerated father, and a mother who found herself in and out of trouble.
“Growing up I did not have the greatest upbringing as far as support,” Shaley explains.
A class called Jobs for American’s Graduates, otherwise known as JAG, was presented to her by an educator that knew she could benefit from the program.
Not only did Shaley benefit, she attributes much of her successes to the JAG program.
“There are things from that class that I still keep with me now like how to fill out a resume, I always remember what we learned about in that class,” Shaley says.
The JAG classroom was a great opportunity for Shaley to grow and expand her skills that would benefit her after graduation. Her JAG Specialist, Mr. Coleman, took interest in making sure her skills on the volleyball court could help her achieve her goal of getting into college.
“I was trying to get a volleyball scholarship, and was successful in doing so which I thank the JAG class for. I didn’t have the support at home so JAG helped me learn to communicate with collegiate level coaches when I would send them my tapes or even help with filling out the FAFSA. I would have had no idea how to do that had it not been for JAG,” Shaley says.
Shaley says that the mentorship of her JAG teacher, Mr. Coleman, really pushed her and motivated her to want better for herself.
“Had I not had a positive and really motivating JAG teacher, it would have caused issues with my participation and really taking it seriously. I truly think that my JAG instructor made an impact on me because of how he treated us, and he really had confidence in us no matter where I lived or what my childhood was like at the time,” Shaley explains.
Today, Shaley is now an HR Analyst at Toyota Motor Manufacturing in Princeton. She is part of the workforce planning team, and is over many of the hiring pathways for the facility.
