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JILG Featured School:
Benton High School
Jobs for Illinois Graduates (JILG) is extremely proud to feature Benton High School which is located in southern Illinois where coal mines once thrived. The community now relies heavily on small businesses and agriculture. This small southern school of approximately 600 students draws students from Ewing, Logan, and Benton.
The JILG program at Benton served 45 senior students during the 2006-07 school year, while providing follow-up services to the Class of 2006. Because of the strong leadership of Justin Groves, Career Specialist, they will again have a full class of students seeking his guidance when they start school in August of 2007. Mr. Groves and his students have worked hard to make a difference in the community. Through the JILG Career Association, Mr. Groves and his students designed a plan of work that placed emphasis on Leadership Development, Career Preparation, Citizenship and Social Awareness. They carried through with their plan and they have accomplished much. In fact, the students at Benton averaged 31.5 hours per student because of their strong efforts in providing community service.
Their success as a Career Association was evident as they performed well at the culminating Career Development Conference held at Rend Lake College in April and the students are now embarking upon their chosen career path. After a series of presentations by guest speakers, six students will be pursing careers in the armed forces and several will be going on to postsecondary education.
Throughout the school year, the Benton JILG program worked very hard at the Benton Community Park to make room for new playground equipment. In the winter, they hosted a concert entitled “Extravabandsa”, which raised $1500 that was donated to the park district. When spring arrived, the class was back at the park preparing for baseball
and other summer community activities.
In another venture, the students raised $400 from students and faculty at Benton High School to purchase toys for the young patients at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in St. Louis, MO. They purchased the toys, delivered them to the children and then attended a St. Louis Blues game.
Another highlight of their year was the “Senior Citizen Prom” organized and conducted by the students for the residents of Heritage Woods Assisted Living. A dinner and a dance were enjoyed by all seniors.
The students put their business skills to work when they met with businessmen and posted $2,000 worth of flyers throughout Benton for the Franklin County Historical Preservation Society. These posters served as advertisements for summer evens that will help promote the society.
If you would like to learn more about Benton’s JILG Program, you may contact Justin Groves at jgroves@jilginc.com.
About the Specialist
Justin Groves is in his 2nd full year as and JILG Career Specialist. However, he has coached at the high school for ten years while serving as a computer technician. He graduated from Benton High School and then earned a BS in Workforce Education and Development from Southern Illinois University. Justin lives in Benton with his wife and baby daughter.
Favorite Aspect of JILG
“My favorite activity is always service learning and getting out to meet business owners. As a specialist I have strong ties to the community I live in and I have tried to instill that desire in my students. I think it is important and beneficial for a young person to have people in the community that they can go to for advice. Networking also helps the young people when they are looking for that first job after high school or college.”
Favorite JILG Moment
“This past school year, one of my students wrote a paper in English about her favorite teacher. When she shared it with me….I was blown away! I had no idea that I had such an impact on her life. It just goes to show you that although teaching is often a thankless job, we do touch live and we are making a difference.”