Courtesy photo Katie MacArthur

SAGINAW – Students from the Michigan Works! Northeast Consortium Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates (JMG) program were recognized at Youth Solutions’ statewide Career Development Conference (CDC) on April 30 at Saginaw Valley State University. The annual event brings together JMG participants from across Michigan to showcase the career and workforce development skills they have gained throughout the year.

This year’s conference included 220 students representing 44 JMG programs statewide. JMG is the flagship program of Youth Solutions, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring every young person in Michigan has access to career-connected learning and graduates with a plan for postsecondary

success.

Four students represented Northeast Michigan at the conference, participating in a variety of individual and team competitions focused on interviewing, communication, problem-solving, and teamwork. Their participation highlighted both their personal growth and the impact of career readiness programming in

preparing students for future success.

Among the honorees was Bethany Byard (Gaylord), who was selected as the 2026 Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates Regional Exemplary Youth of the Year for Northeast Michigan. This prestigious honor recognizes one outstanding participant from each of Michigan’s Prosperity Regions and celebrates excellence in leadership,

commitment, achievement, and perseverance.

In addition, five Northeast Michigan JMG participants received the JMG Excellence in Youth Leadership Award, a program-level recognition honoring students who demonstrate exceptional commitment to both the JMG program and their educational and career goals. Award recipients included James Proffitt (Atlanta), Katie MacArthur (Alpena), Kylie Hickey (Atlanta), Leah Larkin (Cheboygan), and Rayhanna Bigger (Grayling).

The four Northeast Michigan students attending the conference also earned 1st place in the “Communicate to Create” competition, outperforming 19 other teams. In this challenge, half of the team examined an object and created written instructions for reconstructing it, while their teammates rebuilt the object using only those directions — testing communication, teamwork, and critical thinking skills.

The event was made possible through support from Saginaw Valley State University, the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, and the Michigan Health and Hospital Association.