MONETT, Mo. — Making the transition from high school to the workforce can be tough for teens. Now Missouri’s First Lady is hoping to shine a spotlight on a statewide program designed to help.

“I want to become a dental assistant,” said Emma Williams, Monett JAG Student.

A long-term goal for Emma Williams, thanks to some extra support.

“Before I got into JAG, I had no intentions of going into college at all, or any type of school after high school. So I’m really happy they helped me find a career I want to go into,” said Emma.

Emma is one of nearly three dozen Monett students who met with Missouri’s First Lady today.

Teresa Parson emphasized whether it’s a four-year degree, going to community college, or a trade school, there is no one right path for everyone… But that persistence pays off.

“There’s something lacking in a lot of children’s lives – and they have a lot of peer pressure nowadays. A lot of stress and different things going on in their lives, their home life, and everything. The next generation is important, really important to the state of Missouri. We need to get these kids on the right path and JAG will help them get to that point,” said Teresa Parson, MO First Lady.

Parson is visiting a number of JAG programs around the state, encouraging students and those in charge.

“We try to give students the JAG advantage,” said Melissa Powers, MHS JAG.

She points to program goals like employer engagement, overcoming risk factors, and project-based learning.

“Under employer engagement, we focus on things like getting a job maintaining a job, we even talk about how to quit a job appropriately. And we work with area businesses. We’re hoping to grow that end of our program,” said Powers.

JAS has been a priority for both the First Lady and Governor for several years, adopting the motto they first heard from a JAG student… “if it is to be, it is up to me.”