Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) held its GED® Commencement Ceremony on Thursday, Dec. 9, 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. Shaw recognized the friends and family members in attendance at the ceremony.

“It is an honor to celebrate this milestone with you,” said Shaw to the graduates. “This ceremony today is public recognition of your accomplishment.”

Shaw thanked the organizations that provided GED® scholarships. Those organizations include Calhoun-Gordon Council for a Literate Society, Catoosa Citizens for Literacy, Chattooga County Literacy Council, Conasauga Drug Court Program, Dalton-Whitfield Community Foundation, LaFayette Presbyterian Church, North Georgia EMC, Polk County Rotary Club, Rome-Floyd CCCY, Rome Rotary Club, Shaw Industries, Tallatoona CAP, Randall Fox Foundation and the GNTC Foundation.

Regina Casteel, Adult Education career specialist, recognized GNTC’s 2022 EAGLE delegate, Shannon Edwards during the commencement ceremony. Each year GNTC’s Adult Education instructors nominate an exceptional student who has exhibited leadership and worked hard to overcome barriers to reach their educational and career goals. These students compete for GNTC’s Exceptional Adult Georgian in Literacy Education (EAGLE) award.

Edwards will represent GNTC at the statewide 2022 Dinah Culbreath Wayne EAGLE Leadership Institute. A resident of Calhoun, she is currently enrolled at GNTC and her career objective is to become a medical assistant.

“Shannon came back to school after more than twenty years while working 12-hour shifts and earned her GED® diploma and has just completed her first semester at GNTC as a medical assistant student,” said Casteel.

A total of 28 graduates earned their GED® diplomas Thursday night.

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

Isabelle Ann Baker

Junior Edward Baker

Zachariah Bennett

Anslee Billes

Katherine Rose Brewer

Heidi Coleman

Shannon Michelle Edwards

Autumn Gabrielle Franklin

Autumn Gilley

Frank Starling Hayes Jr. III

Holly Leighann Hogan

Haley Jarrell

Elizabeth Angel Long

Arely Lopez

Dadthlia E. Manzano

Austin Kade Morris

Tyra Myers

Rene Humberto P. Quintanilla

Brady Redwine

Jose G. Rodriguez

Joseph Solomon Smartt

Alexander Spivey

Ashely Thomas

Jenny Vaughn

Lisa West

Sherry Ree Wheat

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 Office of Adult Education at 706-295-6976.

Georgia Northwestern Technical College provides quality workforce education to the citizens of northwest Georgia. Students have the opportunity to earn an associate degree, diploma or a certificate in aviation, business, health, industrial or public service career paths. This past year, 11,820 people benefited from GNTC’s credit and noncredit programs. GNTC has an annual credit enrollment of 8,591 students and an additional enrollment of 3,229 people through adult education, continuing education, business and industry training and Georgia Quick Start. For more information about GNTC, visit us at www.GNTC.edu. GNTC is a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia and an Equal Opportunity Institution.