Student Stories
Maggie Allen
Machias Memorial High School
Machias Memorial High School student Maggie Allen was the first JMG student to earn her Maine Career Exploration Badge. She shares how her career exploration experience reaffirmed her passion for teaching and plans to pursue a career as an educator.
Abby Reed
Bath Regional Career & Technical Center
At a young age, Abby Reed, a student at Bath Regional Career and Technical Center, knew she wanted to be a cosmetologist. She shares her journey from cutting the hair off her Barbie dolls as a child to make them more beautiful to working in salons to earn her Maine Career Exploration Badge.
Jesse Taggett
Caribou High School
Caribou High School Senior Jesse Taggett is not only one of the most talented young welders in Maine, but he is also among the best in the country. Jesse describes how his experience earning the Maine Career Exploration Badge literally took him to new heights.
JMG Students Receive John Lewis Youth Leadership Award
Pictured left: Marwo Sougue receives the John Lewis Youth Leadership Award from Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows. Pictured right: Kiesha Scott receives the runner-up John Lewis Youth Leadership Award from Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and is congratulated by JMG President and CEO Craig Larrabee.
JMG students Marwo Sougue and Kiesha Scott each received a John Lewis Youth Leadership Award from Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows.
Sougue, a JMG student at the University of Southern Maine majoring in nursing, received the award for her work with Maine youth, particularly youth who are also new Mainers.
Scott, an elementary education major at the University of Maine at Machias, received a John Lewis Youth Leadership Award runner-up award for her work advocating for social justice, inclusivity, equity, and women’s rights.
The John Lewis Leadership Award, named for the late Congressman John Lewis, who was known for his courageous achievements during the Civil Rights Movement and his long tenure of public service. The National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) established this award in February 2021, inviting Secretaries to recognize a gifted, civic-minded young person in their state each year.
Koma Ogak
Koma started his JMG journey as a student at Deering High School. He continued with JMG at Southern Maine Community College and when he transferred to the University of Southern Maine.
Koma’s educational journey took him to Florida, where he completed his degree at the University of Tampa in December of 2021.
Pathways are not always linear, and the road to success is a journey. We are so proud of Koma for his persistence, hard work, and determination. He is a JMG Champion.
We celebrate with Koma and wish him well as he continues his journey to a successful career!
Devyn Decosta
“My experience with JMG really gave me the upper hand in getting a resume together and interviewing skills, and basically let me hand pick whatever career I wanted to go in.”
In this video, former JMG student Devyn Decosta talks about how JMG helped him succeed in his career at Tech Air.
Victoria Boone
“JMG has changed and shaped my life in ways I can’t even explain to you. JMG has believed in me when it felt like no one else did…
“JMG has always been at the forefront of all of my success. They have helped me with my classes and helped me become more connected to my campus. But without the financial support of JMG, I may have not been able to stay in school…
“I’ve learned a lot and I’ve made mistakes along the way. I now have a career lined up that I can’t wait to start. The resources JMG has provided to me have made all the difference. The specialists I’ve gotten to know, the scholarships I received, and the funds from the College Success Program helped me to be the first person in my family to graduate from college.”
-Former JMG student at the University of Maine at Machias
Student Testimonials
Sage Hafenecker
“JMG made me more aware of the person that I am today, and I have grown so much since high school. Without those experiences and opportunities from junior high through college, I would not be where I am today. Without my support system of Ms. Bushee and JMG, I wouldn’t have been able to do it alone.”
— JMG student at University of Southern Maine, Waterville Senior High School Graduate
D’Nell McDonald
“I say this a lot because it’s true…but the JMG program saved my life. I wish you could have seen me in 10th grade to know just how much you did. Thank you JMG for being there when I needed you most.”
— JMG student at University of Southern Maine, Waterville Senior High School Graduate
Kiley Lachance
“The support and encouragement to succeed is unreal, and I could not be more grateful to have made such amazing friends and had an amazing teacher as well. The type of leadership and confidence that I have learned will definitely benefit me almost anywhere. JMG has not only led me, but everyone else here, to becoming an honorable person.”
— Former JMG student at Cony High School
Andrew
“It (JMG) has made me a better person. It has made me more responsible, more on top of things, helped me better organize myself. Every kid grows up wanting to have this dream job, but for me, I think JMG actually made that a possibility as me wanting to go into law enforcement.”
— JMG student at Morse High School
Olyvia
“Even right now I’m still figuring out what I want to do in the future. But I actually have a lot more ideas now, and I understand how to get there and what kind of steps I’m gonna have to take to get where I want to be. Before, I didn’t even know how to apply for a job, but certain things on an application, I didn’t understand what those meant before, and now I can get where I need to be because of JMG, which means my future looks bright.”
— JMG Student at Morse High School
Abdi Abdirhaman
"JMG helped me in so many ways: to write a resume, stay organized in high school, find a job, apply to college; and during college, they've helped me focus on graduating and meeting the right people for my future goals. JMG really helps get you ready for the real world. It has kept me going forward and I've met a lot of good people along the way."
— Former JMG student
Caragan Haney
"JMG has taken me out of my shell and helped me to see that I am so much more capable of things than I ever thought possible. I am grateful to JMG for giving me the confidence to pursue higher education and go after my career goals.”
— JMG High School Student
Keristin Grant
"If it weren't for my experience in JMG, I know I wouldn’t be where I am today. JMG helped me find myself, helped me engage more with my peers, to communicate, to listen, to be someone I didn’t think I could be."
— Former JMG student
“I was hesitant taking JMG this year because there are things that we do that are out of my comfort zone, but you made us do it. I feel like JMG pushes us to our limit and to cross the boundaries we have set for ourselves. It is an odd yet good feeling once you do something you start out not wanting to do. But in the end, it turns out well. And it’s helpful having someone mentor and guide us through high school and even beyond high school.”
— JMG Student, Machias Memorial High School
“I know I wasn’t in JMG that long but when I was, I was going through a really hard time and your class made it easier. On days that I didn’t want to go to school, my first thought was how much I would miss your class and how understanding you were!”
— JMG Student, Wiscasset Middle/High School
“Each time I was concerned about making it through the month without my living expenses, JMG has helped me out. Without JMG Emergency Funds to help me with rent, or gas cards for my clinical rotations, and the guidance to figure out my finances, I would have had to stop attending school. I wouldn’t have been able to stay in Fort Kent, and I would have had to step away from my education.”