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 [email protected].

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 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. GNTC is a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia and an Equal Opportunity Institution.