Full Steam Ahead: Fair Play JAG Program Embraces GRAD Partnership

It’s no secret that many great ideas begin with something simple like a cup of coffee. At Fair Play School District in southwest Missouri, however, the great idea was a cup of coffee. A cup of coffee became a vehicle to grow communication skills, find one’s voice, and develop the confidence needed to achieve postsecondary success. A cup of coffee became Jaggy Java– an actual business at Fair Play School that has been a key element of the school’s Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) program.

When joining the GRAD Partnership rural cohort, alongside nine other Missouri schools and about 50 schools nationwide, working with RSC GRAD Partnership intermediary and RSC Missouri Regional Hub leader Missouri State University seemed like an obvious choice. Dr. David Geurin, Fair Play superintendent, shared that the GRAD Partnership’s focus on fostering agency, belonging, and connectedness “felt like it fit well for JAG, because when we're talking about improving outcomes, it's a focus on persistence, graduation, and attendance. . . [JAG] is doing it in a way that's creating belonging and the sense of purpose, a reason to come to school.”

Julie Davis, the JAG teacher, also hopped on board. “Dr. G brought it to me and said, ‘I think this is going to work for Jag.’ So absolutely, it was really a no-brainer, because it fit what our mission is and what our purpose is with our JAG program to make students feel that sense of belonging, a sense of ownership. And while that is not technically academic, it impacts all of their academics. And so that's why it was an easy yes.” It felt like a hand-in-glove fit for a teacher who prioritizes student voice, agency, and character development.

The success of Fair Play’s JAG program begins with the space– a converted classroom that serves as part homebase, part entrepreneurial lab, part coffee shop. Julie describes that “JAG is all about student voice, so I asked them, ‘What is home?’ ‘What does it mean to feel at ease?’” Julie took student recommendations and decorated the walls with inspirational artwork, added colorful dimmers to the standard bright ceiling fluorescent lights, and even painted the walls neutral tones. A safe place for them no matter the time of day, they wanted the room to be a space to “exhale.” Julie notes that the support they receive here “helps them in other areas of school, and in life.”

Highlighting the room is the full-on barista station, complete with espresso machines, milk steamers, and an ice machine. The students developed an online order form, and offer delivery throughout the building for teachers. Business is booming, and the students’ have several regulars. They have made and designed t-shirts, with all JAG students' names on the back and the motto “One JAG, one family” on the front. For Julie, Jaggy Java teaches essential life skills: “You can’t have a kid write an essay about running a business. You have to do it.”

Throughout the day, students receive online orders, make the caffeinated beverages, and deliver them throughout the school. This involves a level of focus and responsibility that will prepare students for the workforce, honing their ability to excel with soft skills, organization, marketing and communications, budgeting, and more. Dr. Geurin saw the success of the JAG program at his previous school in nearby Bolivar, making him believe in its ability to transform young lives.

Sipping hot chocolates and Americanos prepared by the students, the visitors from MSU, the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, and RSC chatted with the students about their experiences in JAG. They receive practical job training and preparation, such as help with cover letters and resumes. One student, Lily, reflected how JAG had seriously grown her confidence: “I grew up in a shell– I wouldn’t talk in public. Now I do. Mrs. Davis is like a mother.” Another, Logan, concurs: “Last year I had stage fright very badly. Now I don’t have that anymore.”

For Madison, JAG has been her compass rose throughout high school. This year she is going to state-level competitions for creative decision making, a program within JAG. Previously a shy student, Julie’s belief in Madison led her to become an officer, and now she confidently leads other students within JAG (and makes an excellent espresso!). This idea of risk-taking is essential for Julie, who preaches to her students that “every time you take a risk, you’re building muscles for life.”

That same belief in her students propelled the coffee shop from idea to reality. Audrey, a senior and the JAG business manager, had experience working as a barista on weekends and after school. While researching espresso machines, she determined that a sound course of action would be to purchase a model she was familiar with, so that she could train the other JAG students on how to operate it.

For Julie, that sort of self-directed leadership is what the JAG program, and participation in the GRAD Partnership, is all about: “You can see confidence growing. It’s in how they talk. How they plan together, and work together.” In other words, JAG at Fair Play is a perfect match for Julie’s hope of setting her students up for success after graduation. “I get to teach life.”

Rural Schools Collaborative would like to thank Missouri State University Center for Rural Education co-directors Drs. Rhonda Bishop and Denise Cunningham, as well as GRAD Partnership liaison Russ Brock, for facilitating our visit to southwestern Missouri and for their tireless efforts to support rural education throughout the Missouri State University service area. We would like to extend additional gratitude to Beth Hughes and her team at the Community Foundation of the Ozarks for supporting the GRAD Partnership schools and rural education in the greater Springfield (MO) area.