Phillips High School Jobs for Alabama Graduates program achieved outstanding national success at the 2026 JAG National Career Development Conference held in Salt Lake City earlier this year.
PHS’ JAG received a “Digital Outstanding Chapter Award” during the conference, as well as “Service Project Honors” for community impact.
Regarding the “Digital Outstanding Chapter Award,” PHS was joined by six other schools in Alabama to receive the distinction on the national level, demonstrating Alabama’s leadership in preparing students with strong employability, leadership and career-readiness skills.
JAG Sponsor Mike King explained the outstanding chapter award means PHS had the most outstanding chapter in the state. “You are the state champions,” he said. “Concerning the national service award, there are over 1,500 chapters all over the nation. And we are considered one of the Top 20 in the nation. They don’t rank them, they list us as one of the Top 20. We have been awarded this distinction for the past four years.”
Regarding their service project honors, King said PHS’ JAG has received the merit award for their national service project for the last four years, as well. “We partnered with Habitat for Humanity of Florence,” he explained. “Over the years, we’ve traveled to Florence and worked on one of their houses—painting and doing landscaping and other jobs. And we’ve always donated money. The past two years, we have donated more than $500 each year. Our students really enjoy going up and working on the houses.”
Concerning how they raise the money, King said JAG students collect aluminum cans and re-sell them. “So, on top of fundraising, the students are also involved in recycling and keeping these cans out of landfills,” he said. He noted JAG also uses those funds for an annual Thanksgiving food drive. “We collect cans of vegetables and donate them to the Civitans of Bear Creek and try to help out about a dozen families,” he said. “If there aren’t enough can foods donated, we will purchase more food from our aluminum cans fund.”
District & state recognitions
As well as national honors, the local chapter also received district and state recognitions this year. At the 2026 JAG dated July 2, 1896, when Oscar Smith (son of Rev. James Brown Smith) was teaching there.
Lee Ashmore’s grandmother, Autie Mae Reed, taught at Mallard Creek School. In the 1910 census, 16 year old Autie Mae Reed is listed as living with her parents, John Posey Reed and Sarah Agatha “Sallie” Reed, and her occupation is listed as public school teacher. She also went to college in Livingston, Ala. Autie Mae Reed is standing in the back row second from left in front of a tree.
This year, Lee Ashmore’s historical picture collection donation was accepted by the Alabama Department of Archives and History. Original photographs and documents are preserved and stored at the Alabama Department of Archives and History, 624 Washington Avenue, Montgomery, AL 36130.
Copies of the photographs and documents of the John Posey Reed family collection are located at the Winfield Public Library, 185 Ashwood Drive, Winfield, AL 35594 and are located in a binder in the genealogy section under the family name “Reed.”
Copies of the photographs and documents of the Dr. Bryant Tucker Ashmore family collection are located at the Eldridge Town Hall, 208 Smothers Avenue, Eldridge, AL 35554. They are located in a binder in the history room, and some are displayed on the wall there.
See complete story in the Journal Record.
Subscribe now!