Navigator. Mentor. Advocate. For Missy Jacknife, being the First Nations, Métis and Inuit Graduation Coach at J.A. Williams High School (JAWS) in Lac La Biche, means doing everything she can to open doors so students finish high school and thrive afterwards.
"Missy pours her heart and soul into her work, making students and their families feel welcomed, valued and understood," said Principal Samear Abougouche. "Her number one goal is always student success - not only while they are with us, but also as they transition into adulthood."
In addition to her passion for helping students succeed, Jacknife is deeply committed to giving back to her community and is thankful for the support and knowledge she received from her community on her own career pathway. Collaborating with community partners has become an integral part of the work she does at JAWS.
The school partners with local First Nations and Metis Settlements to provide a daily lunch program and assistance with student transportation to and from events. Jacknife and an educational assistant spend two nights a week tutoring students in a First Nations community, a program she is hoping to expand in other communities.
Portage College provides numerous opportunities for students to explore post-secondary and career opportunities, even setting up one-on-one tours with students to help them explore their options. Recently, a tour and discussion with a staff member at the college resulted in a student coming back with a career pathway identified and a request for course to be changed in second semester to better align with that pathway.
Jacknife said support from the local business community is also crucial to opening doors for students by providing placements for work experience, the Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP), Green Certificate, career fairs, tours and other opportunities to create connections between students and future employment opportunities. The school has had up to 130 students participating in work experience, 15-20 students each year in RAP, and the Green Certificate continues to grow, with eight students participating this year.
"There are a ton of different opportunities for students and we make sure they know about them and are available to participate," said Jacknife, noting all staff are supportive of ensuring students can access those opportunities, even if it means missing a class occasionally, because they know the positive impact those opportunities can have on students. "We do everything we can to make sure our students can be there, so those doors can be opened."
Once students have seen some of the options available to them, whether it's employment after graduation or post-secondary education opportunities, Jacknife said they often become a little more engaged and invested in their academics and the steps they need to take to pursue their chosen pathway. While some students are able to discover a specific career they want to pursue, others remain undecided, but have a better understanding of what they can do to move forward.
"We have conversations about how your pathway doesn't have to be linear," Jacknife explained. "Any education, any employment opportunities, any skills that you can learn can be transferable in some way, shape or form and you can take those wherever you want to go or whichever door opens to you. We talk about doing general things at first, experiencing things and volunteering in areas of interest that might then help narrow down some of those career opportunities."
This mindset can be particularly important at a time when careers in some fields are continuously changing or shifting. For instance, students interested in a career in the tech field might need to look at what skills and experience they can gain for jobs that potentially don't even exist yet. Jacknife said many of the JAWS students who are planning to attend university are pursuing Bachelor of Science degrees without a specific career in mind, but knowing that it will open doors to a variety of careers they may be interested in.
Whatever path they choose to pursue, Jacknife works with them to identify the things they can do to help them get there, whether that's academic, social, emotional, or connecting with experiences in the community.
"No matter the challenge, she is there to guide and uplift them throughout their journey to graduation," said Abougouche.
Missy Jacknife is the NLPS Staff Shining Star for the month of February. Throughout the year, Northern Lights Public Schools highlights dedicated staff members who go above and beyond to support student success, strengthen our school communities and make a lasting impact across the division.
