From left: Jordan Nathaniel Mitchell, Jordan Deshotel and Gov. John Bel Edwards during the 25th anniversary of Jobs for America's Graduates event on Tuesday.

At the beginning of his senior year, New Iberia Senior High student Jordan Deshotel said he lacked motivation.

“I really didn’t care at the beginning of this year,” Jordan,18, said. “My life had been kind of hard.”

By the end of the school year, however, Jordan was speaking to a room filled with state officials including Gov. John Bel Edwards.

That motivation and opportunity came through the JAG, or Jobs for America’s Graduates program.

The program, which helps young people take part in school and on-the-job training to a productive career, was the motivating factor that Jordan said allowed him to succeed in his final year of high school.

“I have a story and JAG was a major part of it,” he said. “They gave me some motivation and helped me pursue my career in electrical engineering.”

JAG coordinator Nathaniel Mitchell said that after statewide interest in JAG prompted interest in hearing the benefit of the program, Jordan was one of two students in the state selected to give a presentation to the governor as part of the 25th anniversary of JAG in Louisiana.

“They wanted to listen to Jordan’s story,” Mitchell said. “Every kid has a story and they wanted to hear him say what JAG had done for him.”

The event, which took place Tuesday, was “eventful” for Jordan.

“I was the last person to go up, you could say I was the grand finale,” Jordan said. “It was definitely very eventful, I met a lot of people.”

The distinction also led to Jordan being recognized by the Iberia Parish School Board Wednesday night, where Superintendent of Schools Carey Laviolette lauded Jordan’s accomplishment. Mitchell was also recognized for the work he has done in relation to the program, along with Jennifer Regard.

“He is truly a role model for other students to emulate,” Laviolette said.

Laviolette added that she received an email from a member of the anniversary who said Jordan spoke eloquently about why the JAG program is important, and greatly “affected the audience, in particular the governor.”

Jordan reiterated to the board that JAG is an important program and hopes to see it preserved in Iberia Parish.