Georgia Northwestern Technical College’s Office of Adult Education held its spring 2024 graduation ceremony last Thursday for students who have earned their high school equivalency 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.

A special recognition reception was held prior to the ceremony for graduates who were honor students, completed the Training on the Go program or went through Math Boot Camp.

The evening began with a welcome and introductions by Lisa Shaw, vice president of Adult Education at GNTC, followed by opening remarks by Heidi Popham, GNTC president.
“In this room I see not just graduates, but individuals who have overcome unique challenges demonstrating tenacity and unyielding spirit,” said Popham. “Life has a habit of presenting us with unexpected challenges, but you chose to not be defined by those obstacles. Instead you chose the path of education, personal growth and success.”

Deanna Hulsey, instructor of cosmetology at GNTC and the college’s Technical College System of Georgia 2024 Rick Perkins Instructor of the Year, was the ceremony’s guest speaker.

“In 2018 I accepted a position teaching Cosmetology full-time on this campus,” said Hulsey. “It was a full circle moment. It was on this very campus that I took my GED® test and wondered if I would ever be successful. This part of your story will always be a pivotal moment.”

Hulsey was also named the first runner-up for the TCSG 2024 Instructor of the Year.

Laurie Brooks, career services specialist, presented the diplomas to the graduates.

Listed are the graduates who participated in the Spring 2024 adult education graduation 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:

Brianna Nicole Allen, Dacen Barger, Matthew Bates, Marquita Danielle Booth, Shealynn Boyer, Aliyah Braziel, Kaitlyn Buffington, Kaitlyn Capps, Dalton Case, Jessica Elaine Casey, Gerrette Champion, Laura Chavez, Aden Cox, Tramorius L. Dean, Miley Doblado, Ethan Mark Duquette, Aiesha J. Fitch, Latasha Fluker, Elizabeth Foldes, Harold Joseph Fontanille Jr., Kristy Ann Fulton, Peyton Gal, Victoria Garay-Trejo, Jakob Garmon, Anna Ruth Gonzales, Kathryn G. Griffin, Gavin Hamilton, Lindsey Hayes, Greenlee Holcombe, Shanta Hudson, Chloe Elizabeth Johnson, Mike Johnston, Kayley Kelley, Alexandria Gayle Knowles, Cristobal Luis Lima, Ana Maribel Lopez, Juan Enrique Lopez, Miguel Lopez Jr., Rosalva Lopez Pascual, Garrison Martin, Parker Maxell, Rosa McDaniel, Isaac McDonald, Haley Meadows, Maria Mendoza, Catherine Mira-Hernandez, Katelin Lee Mooney, Sasha Jean Moore, Emily Morrison, Nazeerah Zubaidah Muhammad, Elizabeth Nichols, Jessica Peek, Beatriz Perez, Sabine Puma, Rylee Quarles, Ashlee Reed, Jaylin Reyes, Nancy Rovene Ridley, James Riley, Lilly Anne Roberson, Victor Manuel Nava Rojas, Angel Santillan, Noelia Sargento, William Schanley, Brea Ana-Noel Stevens, Tyler Suttles, Yasmin Torres, Katelyn Walker, Ashley Nicole Weaver, Carmen Webb and Marium Williams.