iJAG holds elections

MT. PLEASANT — The Mt. Pleasant High School iJAG program underclassmen have hit the ground running for the 2022-23 school year.

Mt. Pleasant underclassmen were welcomed into the iJAG program for the first time last year, and are happily stepping into their roles as student leaders this year.

Currently, the students are participating in a program election to establish leadership for the new school year.

Through a multiweek campaign season, the students have already created posters and campaign videos and will host an election Wednesday, Oct. 26 throughout the iJAG classes.

Elected officials will engage the classes, school, and community through awareness and service throughout the year.

Today, the campaign videos of all 14 student candidates will be shown in each iJAG class to inform classmates of their candidate choices before voting.

Five second year iJAG students took the time to discuss their campaigns and the happenings in the program with the media.

Sophomore Addison Marsh is running for the office of Vice President of Civic Awareness.

Marsh desires to promote more school pride, bring in more guest speakers, and attend city council and school board meetings if elected.

“For me, it is all about bringing awareness to things,” Marsh said. “Especially mental health awareness.”

After a recent visit from U.S. Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Marsh felt inspired by Miller-Meek’s honesty, education, and personal story.

“I come from a rough past,” Marsh said. “No one was really there for me, and I want to help others know that it is OK to not be OK.”

Sophomore Yair Reyes is running for President.

For Reyes, running is an opportunity to take control of his next steps.

Due to personal family issues, Reyes found himself knocked a bit off balance, but has found support and focus in iJAG.

Last year, Reyes career interests surrounded the automotive industry.

The visits from politicians made Reyes more interested in a possible career path which includes politics.

“Last year, I wanted to do this because I wanted to get myself out there,” he said. “This year, I want to run for my self-purpose.”

iJAG consistently teaches students about various career paths and soft skills to develop as whole people.

iJAG Career Development incumbent Treyvin Allen is on the ballot again.

Previously, Allen assisted in finding guest speakers and varying career paths for classes to explore, and he would love the opportunity to do that again.

With this position, Allen anticipates further personal growth.

“It will help me read people’s social cues better,” he said.

iJAG Vice President of social Awareness incumbent Liz Peiffer is excited at the possibility of being reelected.

“If elected, I can do more, because I have more experience,” she said.

Sophomore Sarah Brown is campaigning for the position of president.

“I feel like I would be great at motivating people to do what they want,” she said, confidently. “I am caring, trustworthy, and very honest. I put people before myself.”

Brown’s character claims are supported in her award as Mt. Pleasant High School’s September Student of Character.

iJAG instructed, Becky Hoyle beamed with pride as she spoke of Brown’s achievements creating and obtaining goals.

“I’ve matured,” Brown said.

That is a common occurrence in this program. The students are constantly changing, growing, goal-setting, and goal-achieving.

As second year students, Brown, Reyes, Allen, Peiffer, and Marsh are beginning to see what they can really do.

“Last year we learned how to be leaders,” Peiffer said. “This year we actually get to apply that.”

“We know what we’re doing,” Marsh said. “So, we get to be like mentors and lead [new students] in the right direction.”

In the meantime, iJAG students continue to impact their school and community.

This past Thursday, students wore purple to support Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and painted pumpkins which will be given to teachers and community business.

The pumpkins were donated by Hy-Vee, which has been a huge support to the Mt. Pleasant program.

Partnering with Hy-Vee and Domestic Violence Intervention Program, the iJAG students will host a food drive Wednesday, Oct. 26 for the Shop for Safety event in Mt. Pleasant.

The same day, students will be sworn into their elected positions, and Oct. 31 they will attend the All Iowa Conference in the Iowa City area.

At the conference students will learn about the offices they are elected to represent alongside leadership skills to succeed in those offices.

For these five iJAG students, participating in these events, and this program is life changing, and they are filled with gratitude.

“If it weren’t for Miss Hoyle, I would be living back in Kansas with my biological mom,” Marsh said.

“We couldn’t do this without Miss Hoyle,” Allen agreed.

Reyes, Brown, and Peiffer also gushed sentiments of appreciation for all the work their mentor, Hoyle, has put into the program and each of them individually.

Considering the positive impact of iJAG instructors and the program overall, the school board is currently exploring the possibility of extending the programming to seventh and eighth grades, the lowest grades to which it is available.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com