Seymour High School senior Noah Beaty recently placed second in the critical thinking category at the Jobs for America’s Graduates State Career Development Conference.

Students from around the state gathered March 17 at the Ivy Tech Corporate College and Culinary Center in downtown Indianapolis to participate in the ninth annual conference.

Beaty qualified for the state conference after placing first in critical thinking at the annual Region 9 JAG Career Development Conference Jan. 20 at Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus.

The CDC enabled students to demonstrate their skills in nine categories — career presentation, employability skills, creative solutions, writing skills, critical thinking, financial literacy, public speaking, entrepreneurship and cover design.

Critical thinking involves students being presented with a workplace scenario and having to solve it.

Beginning with just 12 schools, JAG Indiana has grown to the largest affiliate in the national network with more than 110 programs statewide. Since its inception, more than 17,000 Hoosiers have participated in JAG, which has a 94 percent graduation rate.

JAG students receive career preparation and life skills training while in school and one year of adult mentoring after graduation to ensure their continued success. Many students choose to continue their education after high school. JAG students secured more than $21 million in scholarships for the Class of 2016.