Atlanta – More than 1.1 million Georgians over the age of 25 are without their high school or GED® diploma.  Many face considerable odds against achieving personal success, including a greater chance of being incarcerated.  Their likelihood of suffering from low self-esteem is higher, and most will earn an average of $9,000 less a year than a high school graduate.

It doesn’t have to be that way. Last year, almost 20,000 Georgians changed their lives for the better and improved their job potential by earning their GED diploma.  They discovered that a GED diploma is an important step to achieving the opportunity and success that they deserve.

Some of Georgia’s best and brightest GED recipients, as well as the educators and staff who helped them to achieve their goals, were honored by the Technical College System of Georgia’s Office of Adult Education during the state’s annual GED awards luncheon on October 28, 2009 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Atlanta.  The gathering celebrated the exceptional achievement of the state’s GED recipients and highlighted the outstanding service provided by the staff members of the statewide GED testing centers.

“The amount of hard work and perseverance put forth by Georgia’s adult learners to overcome life’s obstacles and obtain their GED is inspiring to us all,” said TCSG Commissioner Ron Jackson. “I congratulate our student winners for their outstanding achievements, and I thank the state’s GED testing center staffs and adult education instructors for their commitment to lifelong learning.  As our students will tell you, success can come at any time and any age, and it’s never too late to get your education.”

This year’s winners included:

EAGLE (Exceptional Adult Georgian in Literacy Education) GED Student of the Year:
Michael W. Johns, Resaca, GA
Georgia Northwestern Technical College

Golden EAGLE (senior citizen) GED Students of the Year:
Arthur Lee Jones, Sr., Albany, GA
    The late Roxie E. Kelley, Cairo, GA
    Southwest Georgia Technical College

Youth Challenge GED Student of the Year
    Cadet Eric Golden, Hinesville, GA
    Savannah Technical College

Job Corps GED Student of the Year:
    Danielle Jarrett, Atlanta, GA
    DeKalb Technical College

TANF (Technical Assistance for Needy Families) GED Student of the Year:
    Vensheka Cross, Vienna, GA
    Middle Georgia Technical College

GED Award of Exemplary Performance:
    Brett James Laughlin, Alpharetta, GA
    Chattahoochee Technical College

GED Diploma Recipient Outstanding Achievement Award
    Debra Nixon, Atlanta, GA
    DeKalb Technical College

GED Chief Examiner of the Year:
    Kenneth Bryant
    Ogeechee Technical College
    Statesboro, GA

SDA (Service Delivery Area) Literacy Awareness Campaign:
    Small-sized SDA:
    Southwest Georgia Technical College
    Thomasville, GA
    Medium-sized SDA:
    Central Georgia Technical College
    Macon, GA
    Large-sized SDA:
    Lanier Technical College
    Oakwood, GA

Last year, the Technical College System of Georgia’s Office of Adult Education enrolled more than 95,000 students in adult education programs. The 19,696 adult education students who earned their GED diploma last year increased their combined earning potential by almost $144 million dollars.

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