BATON ROUGE, La., Jan. 19, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T announced a $150,000 contribution to Jobs for America's Graduates (JAG). The funding is part of the company's signature philanthropic initiative to support student success, AT&T Aspire, and will support the expansion of the JAG Louisiana program to an additional 150 underserved high school students. Last year, Gov. John Bel Edwards announced that Louisiana would expand the number of Jobs for America's Graduates programs from 69 to 115 sites for the 2016-2017 school year. With this expansion, Louisiana now ranks among the states with the highest number of JAG programs in the country.

"I am so grateful to AT&T for joining me in my efforts to make JAG readily available to more Louisiana students this year," said Gov. John Bel Edwards. "With their help, more students in our state will have the support and resources they need to stay in school and graduate. Their support serves as recognition of the undeniable success of JAG and a commitment to invest in Louisiana's future by investing in our children's futures."

In 2016, Jobs for America's Graduates-Louisiana (JAG-LA) expanded from 30 to 37 school districts and serves approximately 4,600 middle and high school students, along with out-of-school youth working to complete a high school equivalency diploma. JAG-LA will also begin serving students in Type 2 Charter Schools, an Office of Juvenile Justice alternative school, and will pilot a program in a virtual charter school for the first time.

Jobs for America's Graduates-Louisiana (JAG-LA) Program is an affiliate of the National Jobs for America's Graduates Program (JAG), the nation's largest dropout prevention and recovery program serving youth 12-21 years of age. JAG-LA provides an educational setting that promotes academic and skills attainment, civic responsibility, leadership development and social awareness that is necessary to become a responsible citizen and productive worker.

JAG-LA delivers a unique set of services for students with major obstacles to help them earn a high school diploma. The program also supports students' pursuing a Career Diploma through early experiences in foundational career skills and career awareness. Many elements of the JAG-LA Program that support Jump Star include curriculum, mentoring, and work-based learning.

"AT&T is committed to building, strengthening and enhancing the lives of those who live and work in the communities we serve," said Sonia Perez, President, AT&T Louisiana. "With AT&T's more than $1 billion investment in its wired and wireless networks in Louisiana, we depend upon organizations like JAG to help develop our future workforce."

AT&T uses the power of its network to build a better tomorrow. AT&T Aspire drives innovation in education - through technology, social innovation and relationships - to ensure all students have the skills they need to succeed in school and beyond.

About Philanthropy & Social Innovation at AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is committed to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives. Through its community initiatives, AT&T has a long history of investing in projects that create learning opportunities; promote academic and economic achievement; or address community needs. AT&T Aspire is AT&T's signature philanthropic initiative that drives innovation in education by bringing diverse resources to bear on the issue including funding, technology, employee volunteerism, and mentoring. Through Aspire, we've passed the $250 million mark on our plan to invest $350 million in education from 2008-2017.

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SOURCE AT&T Inc.