Chamber to award check to iJAG Program

Today, the Mt. Pleasant Area Chamber Alliance will visit the iJAG classroom at Mt. Pleasant High School to award a $2,000 check to honor and mark the start of Manufacturing Week (MFG).

MFG, held annually on the first week of October, encourages companies and educational institutions around the country to invite students, parents, teachers, and community leaders inside their doors.

The goal of the week-long celebration is to bring manufacturers together to address the challenges they face, with the hope of helping future communities succeed and flourish.

The Mt. Pleasant Area Chamber Alliance has planned a week of activities.

Each year, MFG sponsors select an organization they see fit to support. This year, the iJAG program at the Mt. Pleasant Community High School was chosen.

iJAG is a non-profit organization that connects business and education to provide cost-effective school to career solutions and dropout prevention.

Students in the iJAG program have trouble making it in a conventional classroom for several reasons.

Distractions and barriers at home, outside the classroom, or inside the classroom make it hard for the students.

iJAG teaching specialists rely on real-world, project-based instructional methods and an unconventional approach to personal connections to help students remove barriers and show them how to move forward in their careers or education.

In addition to the check presentation, there will be several other events throughout the week.

Tuesday, the chamber will host a Regional Manufacturers’ Appreciation Golf Outing starting at 12:30 p.m. at Spirit Hollow in Burlington.

On Wednesday, the chamber will have its monthly Alive After Five, hosted by Kinney and Sons Excavating, starting at 5 p.m.

There will be a webinar called Regional Human Resources Covid Do’s and Don’ts on Thursday at noon.

MFG will conclude on Friday with chamber members participating in a College and Career Fair at Mt. Pleasant High School from 11:20 a.m. to 12:25 p.m.

Comments: hunter.moeller@southeastiowaunion.com