JAG Capitol Conversations

Feb. 13, 2024, was Capitol Conversations Day for student leaders in South Dakota chapters of Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG). About 50 JAG student leaders and their teachers visited Pierre, where they met with legislators and lobbyists, toured the South Dakota Supreme Court’s courtroom and law library, met Gov. Noem, and had lunch with JAG-SD board members.

They ended their visit with a fireside chat with Secretary of Education Joseph Graves, where JAG-SD President Melina Shields asked the secretary about the effects of COVID on education in South Dakota, teacher shortages in the state, and advice on finding the right career path. Graves also spoke with the group about the importance of acquiring interpersonal skills. EQ (the ability to work effectively with other people) is just as important as IQ when it comes to success in the workplace, he told them.