One by one graduates of Georgia Northwestern Technical College’s (GNTC) Adult Education program filed into the Conference Center at GNTC’s Gordon County Campus (GCC) on Thursday, June 17, to celebrate earning their General Educational Development® (GED®) diplomas.

In order to maintain a socially distanced commencement ceremony, each student and their family were given a scheduled time to come onto campus to walk across the stage after earning their GED® award. Last year, GNTC’s Office of Adult Education held commencement ceremonies on three campuses due to a high number of COVID-19 cases at the time. Lisa Shaw, GNTC vice president of Adult Education, said she was happy to have all of the graduates in one place and looks forward to a continued return to normalcy.

“We are all thrilled to celebrate our students’ success,” said Shaw. “I can’t say enough how proud I am of our students for overcoming such a very difficult year. Their determination in achieving this milestone is very inspiring.”

A total of 42 graduates earned their GED® diplomas Thursday night, with several achieving additional honors. Graduates wore red and gold cords that represented academic accomplishments in the program. The red cords were worn by students who scored 165 points or higher on any portion of the GED® test and the gold cords were worn by members of the National Adult Education Honor Society. All GNTC Adult Education graduates are college or workforce ready, said Shaw.

Listed are the graduates of GNTC’s Adult Education GED® program.

Corey Allison

Jennifer Ann Anderson

Kimberly Brooke Asher

Katherine Avans

Logan Avery

Kaily Brannon

Jackson Gregory Brill

Esmeralda Browder

Natasha Brown

Katelyn Carlson

Karissa Clay

Brianna Dillard

Brandi Griffin

Jasmine Gudger

Antonio Hackney

Maira Hernandez

Bethany Hodge

Shauna Hodge

Nathan Joseph Holladay

Jerick Hughes

Ryan Hughes

Jonathon Brett Jones

Shane Kneessi

Gracey Jean Lawless

Keith D. Leininger

Macie McCoy

Morgan Moore

Dashawnna Owens

Amber Michelle Patton

Jessica Perez

Alexis Pratt

Felix Quintanilla

Heisy Reynoso

Jessica Riding

Deborah Darlene Runyan

Jessica Silver

Emily Thompson

Matthew Thompson

Shanna Wells

Britney Williams

Shamyla Williams

Carley Yarbrough

The Adult Education program offers instruction in Adult Learning Centers throughout its nine-county service area. Instructional areas include preparation for the Georgia High School Equivalency (the GED® test or the HiSET® exam), adult secondary education, adult basic education and English as a Second Language. Centers have modern computer labs, study materials, resources and professional adult education staff for both day and evening programs. Distance Learning options are also available.

Classes operate year-round and are offered at no cost. GNTC is an official GED® 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. For more information, contact GNTC’s Adult Education program at 706-295-6976 or adulted@gntc.edu.