Highland Home Teacher Prepares Students for the Workforce
The future and next generation workers are in the classroom, and Leslie Flowers wants to ensure they’re ready for the real world.
“We are a part of career tech,” she said. “We just really try to get students ready for life beyond high school.”
Leslie Flowers is Highland Home’s High School JAG specialist. JAG stands for “Jobs for Alabama Graduates” an entity of “Jobs for America’s Graduates”. In her classroom, they focus on several things including resume building, job-seeking skills, interview skills, attire, and more. A fairly new teacher, she said she knows exactly what employers are looking for.
“I was a site director of a YMCA for 10 years and I was an HR director for 10 years,” she said.
She was dedicated to her job and her career when a life-altering illness forced her to take some time off. Flowers said she moved to her family farm in Crenshaw County and after some time off recovering and soul searching, transitioned to teaching.
“I was home for a long time and I always had an urge and a will to help kids and mentor kids, so I got into teaching,” she said. “Technology has changed, and kids nowadays communication skills have changed as a result. I want to help them develop those soft skills needed to succeed.”
Just three years in at Highland Home School, she’s already seen success with the JAG program, winning awards on the state level and winning the WSFA 12 News Class Act Award. And she hopes to continue to watch her students grow into smart, productive citizens.
“Anytime a student can leave me and be confident about their future, I’ve totally won,” she said.
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