September 25, 2023
Devin Russell-Unger, senior at Augusta High School, stands inside the Statehouse on Thursday. Russell-Unger said after being accepted into the JAG-K program, new opportunities have opened up for him.

The first day Devin Russell-Unger ever set foot in a JAG-K classroom, he wasn’t sure he deserved the opportunity to change his life.

The Augusta High School student, having gone through the state’s foster care system, had become bitter with his situation.

He’d lost hope for his future.

But when he was enrolled in Christy Pray’s JAG-K classroom, he found a family of students who face similar challenges in their lives. He found a safe place that would push him to succeed in school.

“JAG-K helped me redirect my energy,” Russell-Unger said. “I used to be angry and depressed about life, but JAG-K taught me I could use my words and positive actions to be a voice for change in the system.”

https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/education/2022/02/13/jobs-for-americas-graduates-helping-kansas-high-schools-boost-graduation-rates/6691922001/