(Media release from Georgia Northwestern Technical College):
Georgia Northwestern Technical College’s (GNTC) Office of Adult Education held its Spring 2023 Commencement Ceremony on Thursday, June 22, for students who have earned their General Educational Development® (GED®) diplomas.
The ceremony was held at the Conference Center on GNTC’s Gordon County Campus in Calhoun to accommodate students and families from all nine counties of GNTC’s service area.
The evening began with a welcome and introductions by Lisa Shaw, vice president of Adult Education at GNTC, followed by opening remarks by Dr. Heidi Popham, GNTC president, and the introduction of speaker Lauretta Hannon, executive director of Institutional Advancement at GNTC, by Shaw.
“Pay attention to the people who are where you want to be. Observe their habits, attitudes and priorities, and adopt those for yourself,” Hannon advised the new graduates. “Even if it’s hard and you don’t have the confidence or support yet.”
Hannon praised the graduates for paying attention to the goal of earning their GED® diplomas and executing the strategy to do so, despite hardships, messiness and self-doubt.
“You have transformed the setback into the comeback,” Hannon explained.
Listed are the graduates who participated in the Spring 2023 Adult Education Commencement Ceremony. This list does not include students that have graduated, but did not participate in the ceremony, or students that registered for the ceremony after the commencement program was printed: Dylan Allison, April Beaird, Levi Xavier Bennett, Jadelyn Mae Bentley, Haven Blackmon, Allie Blackstock, Jack William Robert Brewer, Joshua Brock, Jacob Cavender, Amanda Childers, Conner Dantzler, Katelyn Doucette, Preston Samuel Blake Duke, Jeannette Gallardo, Kevin Garcia, Christopher Robert Graham Jr., Heather Nicole Grubbs, Claudia Angelica Gutierrez, Matthew James Harford, Mckinsey Heath, Rosaly Hernandez, Tyler Holcombe, Destanie Huckaby, DuShaun Hunter, Gloria Jaimes, Devan Lewis, Alma Maldonado, Lilana Manzano, Jarett Martinez, Julie Shay Mason, Dylan Thomas Mohler, Kia Rishea Moore, Jasmine Morales, Crystal Norton, Mandy Pickle, Regina Poling, Zachary Price, Maria Angelita Resendez, Indysheila Reyes, Diana Rodriguez, Anna Rowan, Christopher James Rudeseal, Jennifer Sanderson, Hannah Thomaston, Jaelyn Treglown, Kaitlan Dawn Turner, Jamie Vandermark, Chistina Vicente, Kathryn Vivino, Destiny White and Michaela Winters.
Derrick McDaniel, Adult Education instructional coordinator, recognized Honor graduates Jadelyn Mae Bentley, Jack William Robert Brewer, Amanda Childers, Claudia Angelica Gutierrez, Julie Shay Mason, Kia Rishea Moore, Anna Rowan and Kathryn Vivino.
Anna Rowan and Kathryn Vivino, who had the highest overall score on the GED® exam, were recognized. Rowan also had the highest score on an individual test.
The Adult Education program acknowledged the following organizations who provided scholarships: Calhoun-Gordon Council for a Literate Society, Catoosa Citizens for Literacy, Chattooga County Literacy Council, Conasauga Drug Court Program, Dalton-Whitfield Community Foundation, Dalton Rotary Club, Dollar General Literacy Foundation, GNTC Foundation, LaFayette Presbyterian Church, North Georgia Electric Membership Corp. (NGEMC) Polk County Rotary Club, Rome Rotary Club, Shaw Industries and the Tallatoona Community Action Partnership Inc.
GNTC is an official General Educational Development® Testing Center and a site for computer-based GED® Testing in partnership with Pearson Vue, GED® Testing Services, and the Technical College System of Georgia. The mission of GNTC’s Adult Education program is to enable every adult learner in the service delivery area to acquire the necessary basic skills to be able to compete successfully in today’s workplace, strengthen family foundations and exercise full citizenship.
Adult Education Gradutes
Graduates turn the tassels during GNTC’s 2023 Adult Education Spring Commencement Ceremony.