Career Development Conference 2022!

The CDC is where our youth shine and compete in a variety of competitions.

Showing off their personal strengths, intelligence, sharing their life stories and struggles.

Where our youth come together to celebrate each other, and congratulate those who took home the gold! A place where schools, and offices come together all across region 2 and become one!

St. Joseph Public Library, 304 S. Main St. South Bend IN.

February 11th, 2022

Adams High School – St. Joseph County

Career Academy – St. Joseph County

Pennway Alternative Education – St. Joseph County

Goshen High School – Elkhart County

Merit Learning Center – Elkhart County

Concord High School – Elkhart County

Northridge High School – Elkhart County

Elkhart High School (East, West) – Elkhart County

Wawasee High School – Kosciusko County

Warsaw High School – Kosciusko County

Tippecanoe Valley High School – Kosciusko/Fulton County

Burket Educational Center – Kosciusko/Fulton County

Rochester High School – Fulton County

Region 2 youth and staff having breakfast and lunch together, talking, laughing and having a good time. Youth talking about their competitions and the anticipation of the big win.

The room was filled with chatter and smiles from one end of the room to the next.

Staff coming together and catching up, and making new friends.

The memories that were created here today are priceless for our Region 2 youth and all of our staff that came together to make this happen for them.

Megan Runge, Merit Learning Center

Specialist Emmy Wefelmeyer

I had the opportunity to watch the Financial Literacy competition at Regional CDC. This competition is so important as it forces students to have a clear picture of their finances before graduating. All the students who competed had solid plans and were able to answer questions about their after graduation plan. The judges asked insightful questions and the students were really able to show off their understanding of their future budgets. It was incredible to see these students have such a solid thought process.

It was definitely a site to see.

**JAG Specialist Krystle Hobbs -

Tippecanoe Valley High School & Burket Educational Center

I was asked to help with watching the students as they sat in the hallway, and awaited their turn to enter the room for their designated competition category. It was so inspiring to see all these students so nervous, and unsure of the outcome, yet so ready for the challenge. I was able to speak to each student asking which category they were competing in, and how they were feeling, hoping to help calm some nerves and keep confidence boosted.

These young people will go a long way in life, and continue to be

leaders amongst their peers for their willingness to step up and compete.

** JAG Specialist Lucinda Reese - Career Success Academy

I had the pleasure of assisting with the Critical Thinking competition. It was so neat to see the diverse responses to the same scenario. These competitors had deep, thought-provoking responses to a very relatable scenario and I was so impressed with their hard work!

**JAG Specialist Jennifer Perry - Wawasee High School

It was an amazing experience being able to sit in the room and watch the students talk about their potential future. It was very heartwarming hearing all of their stories and listening to them explain what led them to choose the career they did. Each student's presentation was very informative and fun to learn about.

**JAG Specialist Destiny Chrzan - Concord High School

I was able to sit in on the Career Presentation competition. I could not imagine how hard it would be for the judges to choose a winner because all of the contestants did such a great job. It was great to see how diverse each contestant was in their personality and in what they wanted to do in the future.

**JAG Specialist Hannah Tierney - Rochester High School

I learned so much about how an Interview is conducted by observing our skilled volunteers and how they worked very hard to bring out the best in our youth. I was very impressed with the skills displayed by our youth and I appreciated how honest they were in their descriptions of their own life struggles and the way JAG has helped them to over-come so many barriers.

**JAG Specialist Emmy Wefelmeyer - Merit Learning Center

I was assisting in the Employability Skills Competition. I thought the students had great interaction with the judges, they were prepared and eager to represent their schools' chapters. The judges were impressed as to the professionalism of the students. I was very proud of all the youth that competed in this event, you could see how hard each and everyone of them worked towards this competition.

**JAG Specialist Ben Slocum - Pennway Alternative Education

This was my first experience monitoring the Public Speaking event. Previously, I have monitored the Career Presentation and Critical Thinking event rooms and Public Speaking is my favorite so far! I was able to see the competitors share challenges they have had in their lives and how important their JAG Specialists and the JAG program have been to assisting them in overcoming their challenges.

**JAG Specialist Jennifer Kimble - Elkhart East High School

I had the privilege of facilitating the Creative Solutions Competition. It was remarkable to see students from each of our Region's schools competing against one another using trial and error and problem solving skills to complete the challenge, but also before and after the competition, encouraging one another and sharing their strategies and what they felt worked for them. The students showed exemplary interpersonal skills and I was so honored to be a part of not only the Creative Solutions event, but also CDC!

**JAG Specialist Madison Sims - Warsaw High School

I was assigned to the Creative Solutions room at this year's CDC which is a room I

have yet to be in and was excited to get to witness this awesome event.

I really had no idea what we were doing because it was all new for me but they

provided us with everything we needed to make the competition run smoothly.

Being part of this event, I experienced a roller-coaster of emotions as It was

exciting to watch the students bring their ideas to life and heartbreaking to watch things

not work out for them as planned but inspirational to watch them

not allow the setbacks to prevent them from finishing the event

and the interview process. Between being the staff in charge of this room,

the amazing guest speaker, and watching my student who completely

doubted her abilities win second place in her event as well as watching

my other students grow through their defeat recognizing all that they had

learned this was a day a I will remember for me years so come.

**JAG Specialist Tawna Lau - Northridge High School

I was involved in the Entrepreneurial Skills Competition during the CDC event, and I was quite amazed with the students. The students were well organized and seemed very confident about the product that they were selling. I feel like this type of event can be something that can help them start their own business one day in the future.

**JAG Specialist Montie Anderson - John Adams High School

I helped out with the Entrepreneurship Competition. I was so impressed with the competitors in our region! The businesses that were presented were very well thought out and interesting! I was very impressed with the students and their interviewing skills.

They answered questions, and maintain composure the whole time.

They were very professional while the other youth presented their materials.

I am so honored to be working with such an amazing group of students such as ours.

**JAG Specialist Laura Brown - Goshen High School

I had the privilege to sit in during the Outstanding Senior Interviews, and I was simply blown away from all the candidates. Each student had an amazing

and unique journey to get to where they are now with the

support of the program and the bond of the support from their specialists.

**JAG Specialist Adriana Alvarez - Elkhart West High School

Congratulations!!!

Mateo Salazar from Tippecanoe Valley High School!

Way to Go, we are all so very proud of you and all you have accomplished.

A special note from Mateo's JAG Specialist Krystle Hobbs...

Mateo is a great representative of our Region for Outstanding Senior. One of the best things about him is his humility. He has a list of skills that make him stand out from the pack, but he often doesn't see them. Mateo is dependable, outgoing and known by his peers. Tippecanoe Valley JAG is more than proud of his accomplishments in and out of the program this year.

State CDC Competition is March 18th, 2022

2820 North Meridian Street,

Ivy Tech Community Corporate College and Culinary Center

Region 2 State Youth Competitors

(from left to right)

Warsaw High - Miranda Cervantes - Entrepreneurship Plan

Career Success Academy - Rocio Alvarez - Career Presentation

Elkhart West High - Rosa Aguilar - Financial Literacy

Elkhart West High- Liliana Lozano-Serrano - Writing Skills

Tippecanoe High- Mateo Salazar - Outstanding Senior

Career Success Academy - Benjamin Miller - Creative Solutions

Rochester High - Mitchell Shafer - Public Speaking

Wawasee High- Steve Sanders - Employability Skills

Elkhart East High - Estrella Rios-Rodriguez - Critical Thinking

(participated virtually)

Estrella was supposed to go to State with her peers but she ended up participating virtually instead. Estrella is a courageous young woman who we all could learn something from. She went into labor and had her baby on Friday night. Then a short 8 hours after delivering her baby boy, she got in touch with her JAG Specialist on that Saturday morning, and asked if she could still participate in the State CDC virtually from her hospital room. She was so determined and wanted to be apart of this event so much she competed virtually from her hospital bed while holding her new born baby boy. Although Estrella did not place in the State CDC Competition for Critical Thinking, she is a winner in our eyes. She is a wonderful example of what achieving your goals and determination looks like, she is JAG!

I chose to post pictures from Regionals,

because there were no pictures to represent her at the State CDC.

We want to Congratulate all of our youth in Region 2 that made it to State. You all did an amazing job and should be as proud of yourselves, as we are proud of you.

You all are a true example of what a leader is to us and to your classmates. An with your achievement you all add another feather in your crown. We wish you all the best with your futures, and congratulate you on your achievements. May you achieve every success in your life that you strive for. The rewards for all your hard work has gotten you where you are today.

Congratulations to all of you!

Mateo Salazar from Tippecanoe Valley High School,

took 3rd place in the Outstanding Senior Competition!

Mitchell Shafer from Rochester High School,

took 3rd place in the Public Speaking Competition!

Rochester High School took 3rd place in the

Social Media Campaign,

Congratulations!!

JAG Specialist Ben Slocum from

Pennway Alternative Education, &

JAG Specialist Jennifer Kimble from

Elkhart East High School.

Our Region 2 State CDC Chaperones.

Thank you for getting our youth to state safely,

and all you did to help make this competition successful and memorable for our youth!