For Jefferson community, expo offers job resources

People in poverty don't always have the resources to find secure employment, and helping build that social capital is the big push behind the Career & Resource Expo, happening Monday at Jefferson Elementary in Cape Girardeau.

Principal Leigh Ragsdale said the Jefferson Elementary family is on a mission to improve the lives of the school's students and their families and the neighborhood as a whole.

Ragsdale called it "imperative" to be trusted enough by the schools' families to provide not just education for their children, but to provide information about opportunities.

"That's where this entire event was born," Ragsdale said. "We want to go outside our walls to reach our families at a different level."

Since July 2018, when Ragsdale was installed as principal, the school and surrounding community have been working together to build a strong sense of place and belonging. Jefferson's restorative discipline model and shift toward a STREAM (Science, Technology, Research, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) curriculum are already making waves, and this expo is an example of the kind of community outreach Ragsdale is hoping to build on.

This event is more powerful than a simple career fair, Ragsdale noted. Resource connection is also on offer.

Resume building and coaching for interviews will be available, she said, and representatives from several area resources will also be present.

SEMO Career Services, SNAP, First Call for Help, East Missouri Action Agency, One City and more will be there, Ragsdale said.

Computers will be available, so families who may not have access at home will have a chance to get online.

Ragsdale said many of Jefferson's families rely on Medicare for their children's health care coverage, and if forms weren't filled out correctly, that coverage may have been lost.

Without internet access, filling out the correct documentation to reinstate coverage might be difficult, she said.

The computers will also be available for online job applications, Ragsdale said.

Breakfast will be provided in the morning, and light snacks in the afternoon.

"We wanted to be all-encompassing here, a one-stop shop," Ragsdale said.

This event wouldn't be possible without the support of the participants and the school's partners, Ragsdale said.

"That they have the same beliefs we have, that this is so great for our community, is incredible," Ragsdale said. "We really wanted to make an event that would be meaningful to and help everyone in our community if they need or want it."

Ragsdale recommended candidates bring a driver's license if possible, "and your best attitude to get hired."

The Career & Resource Expo will be held in two shifts -- 8 to 10 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. -- Monday at Jefferson Elementary, 520 S. Minnesota Ave. in Cape Girardeau. The event is open to all Jefferson Elementary families.