Utah students are not the problem.
They are the solution, if we invest in them.
For more than a decade, JAG Nevada has operated on a simple belief: that every young Nevadan has the capacity to succeed, and that most of what stands between them and that success isn’t their effort or intelligence, it’s the absence of a caring adult and a structured support system.
We are Nevada’s affiliate of Jobs for America’s Graduates, a national network with 45 years of proven results and more than 1.6 million young people helped to graduation and career. In Nevada alone, we’ve now served more than 20,000 students across communities from Las Vegas to West Wendover, Pahrump to Tonopah.
But our work isn’t about volume. It’s about people.
JAG Nevada = A Decade of Success
Meet the students we serve
Julio’s Story
Julio, a recent graduate of the Damonte Ranch JAG program, is a shining example of how JAG opens doors and helps students explore a wide range of career pathways.
Initially uncertain about his future, Julio was inspired by the military recruiters who visited his JAG class. Their insights sparked his interest in service and after thoughtful reflection and planning, he ultimately chose to enlist in the U.S. Navy.
After completing his training, he visited his high school program and Specialist Ms. Prokop. Today, he is proudly serving aboard a ship in Hawai’i, having earned a competitive sign-on bonus and gaining valuable experience at sea.
Julio’s journey highlights how JAG empowers students with real-world exposure and the confidence to make informed, life-changing decisions.
Mission: Empowering Nevada’s young people with the skills and support to succeed in education, employment, and life.
North Star: To be the student-centered force empowering Nevada’s youth to transcend barriers, achieve high school graduation, and launch successful, sustainable careers.
What guides us: We believe every young person deserves hope — the real, evidence-based kind, backed by a Specialist who shows up every day. We believe every student deserves dignity, to be seen as a person with potential, not defined by their circumstances. And we believe every student deserves belonging, a community of peers, mentors, and employers who are genuinely rooting for them.
These aren’t aspirational words on a wall. They’re the lived experience of every student in our program.
You Can Make a Difference
Volunteer, Donate, Get Involved.
Please support young Nevadans’ futures. Your JAG Nevada investment will yield a lifetime of dividends in families uplifted and communities transformed.
Multi-Year Graduation and Workforce Development Program
Beginning as early as 9th grade, students build a multi-year relationship with a JAG Specialist — someone who knows their name, their goals, and their barriers. By graduation, they have a resumé, a plan, and a network. Support continues for 12 months after graduation.
Workforce Development Program
Targeted career and employment support (job training, placement assistance, and pathways into post-secondary education and apprenticeships) are delivered in partnership with K-12 schools, higher education institutions, state agencies, and employer partners.
Supportive Services
Sometimes the only barrier between a student and their future is $75 for steel-toed boots. Or a bus pass. Or professional clothing for a job interview. Our Supportive Services program removes those obstacles because a student who can’t get to school can’t learn, and a student who can’t afford to look professional shouldn’t miss the opportunity.
Current Youth in Program
1
Cumulative Youth Served Since Inception
1+
Graduation Rate (Goal is 90%)
1%
Full-time Positive Outcomes - Work, College, Military or a combination to equal full time (Goal is 75%)
1%
JAG Nevada STAFF
The administrative team at JAG Nevada, led by Dr. Rene Cantu is composed of professionals who are committed to student-centered success.
Clark County – Canyon Springs HS, Global/Central HS, Spring Valley HS
This position is the heart and soul of JAG Nevada. As a Specialist, you work in a school setting inspiring, supporting and mentoring students to create a powerful and positive future. Please contact us if you are interested in becoming a specialist, and we can let you know what positions are available.
Please indicate in your cover letter if you currently hold a valid teaching or substitute license.
Specialist Substitute – Various locations
We are seeking substitute Specialists to be on call when our classroom Specialist is not able to lead the class. The substitute Specialist will provide an environment conducive to the intellectual, physical, social and emotional development of the students in the JAG Nevada program.
JAG Nevada’s vision and mission reflect our fundamental belief that all people belong and deserve fairness, justice, and inclusivity.
We embrace individual uniqueness, foster a culture of inclusion that supports both broad and specific diversity initiatives, leverage the education and institutional benefits of diversity, and engage all individuals to help them thrive. We value inclusion as a core strength and an essential element of our public service mission.
At JAG Nevada:
We will foster and maintain a safe environment of respect and inclusion for employees, students, and members of the communities we serve.
We will educate our employees and students to be social justice advocates, creatively providing curricula, programs, and environments that reflect the diversity of our communities, and elevate cultural awareness.
We will ensure fair and inclusive access to our partner school locations, programs, resources, and services, and also ensure that all of our policies and practices are inclusive and equitable.
We will advance and build our workforce by assessing hiring practices and performance review procedures to attract, retain, and develop talented employees from diverse backgrounds.
We will address intergroup disparities in areas such as representation, retention, learning outcomes, and graduation rates.