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The faculty and staff of Heart of Georgia Technical College have partnered with the HGTC Foundation to establish a welding scholarship in memory of Johnny Howard.

Howard was the welding and joining instructor for Heart of Georgia Tech for nine years. He also served as the Skills USA advisor for the college. Howard was a life-long resident of Laurens. He died July 11, 2007.

“Johnny always had a smile on his face, and he put his students first,” said Randall L. Peters, HGTC president. “He was active in the community and took on many community projects in order to give his students real life experiences and give back to the community.”

Howard was a Deacon of Trail Branch Primitive Baptist Church. He was a contributing writer for various hunting and fishing publications, one of which was Porter’s Guide to Hunting and Fishing.

The HGTC employees have donated the initial funds for the welding scholarship. The first award will be given in spring of 2008. The award will be for a HGTC welding student. Priority will be given to a West Laurens High School student or graduate. Strong community service is a plus for applicants.

“I am very proud of our faculty and staff,” said Peters. “They are putting the HGTC students first, and honoring their late co-worker in the process.”

“The Johnny B. Howard Scholarship will be an on-going scholarship with the HGTC Foundation,” said Laurie Wicker, executive director. “Several contributions have been received in memory of Johnny. Those contributions will be partnered with the employees’ donation for the scholarship.”

Anyone wishing to make a donation to the Johnny B. Howard Scholarship should make checks payable to the HGTC Foundation and mail them to 560 Pinehill Road, Dublin, GA 31021. Contributions may also be made on-line at www.heartofgatech.edu, select the “donate” button. The HGTC Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization.

The Heart of Georgia Technical College Student Government Association held its monthly meeting on August 13, 2007. SGA is an organization made up of representatives from all occupational programs at Heart of Georgia Technical College. SGA is comprised of one representative and one alternate from each program area. Janet Smith is the club advisor.

The Heart of Georgia Technical College Student Government Association treated all students to a free candy bar and coke on August 22, 2007. This activity emphasized how much the students are appreciated.

Students at Heart of Georgia Technical College were recently given the opportunity to attend a Support Group Meeting which was sponsored by the Student Government Association/Special Populations and Special Needs/ Career Services. Stephanie Braddy, from the Laurens County Health Department, presented a program on Wellness. The next meeting will be held fall quarter.

Heart of Georgia Technical College recently held a capping for the Eastman class of practical nursing students. Those pictured are: Jennifer Allen- Telfair Co, Shundria Bell-Telfair Co, Heather Graham-Telfair Co, Kizzy Harvey, Dodge Co, Lisa Hulett-Dodge Co, Laura Mancio- Laurens Co, Amanda Mullens- Bleckley Co, April Roberson- Dodge Co, Evelyn Salter- Washington Co, Whysper Williams- Telfair Co, Amy Williamson- Telfair Co, Regina Young- Laurens Co.

HGTC receives Stay in School Grant

Heart of Georgia Technical College has been awarded a $63,400 grant aimed at helping young people stay in school. The "Stay in School" grant is a competitive grant, totaling $1 million state wide. It is funded through Georgia's Stay in School program. Heart of Georgia Technical College was one of 17 recipients out of 34 schools in Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) to be approved for these funds.

The Stay in School grant helps provide career education and tutorial services in Wilkinson County Middle School and Wilkinson County High School. This year the Stay-In-School grant will continue to focus on 8th graders completing career surveys and career plans that will help them set goals and investigate their options for study during and after high school. Students involved with the program will also have the opportunity to experience college and industry tours in which they will examine local job trends and careers that they may decide to pursue. When the school year is over, students will be able to build upon what they have learned throughout the year by attending a summer camp. The grant will also help provide professional development for teachers including a series of “teacher to teacher” meetings, industry visits, and job shadowing opportunities.

The grant comes from the Technical College System of Georgia, and its main purpose is to help improve high school graduation rates and increase the percentage of students transitioning to postsecondary education. This year is the third year Heart of Georgia Technical College has been approved for the grant.

For more information, contact Alissa Sypsa at asypsa@heartofgatech.edu or 478-946-2441 ext 113.

HGTC Foundation elects new trustee

The Heart of Georgia Technical College (HGTC) Foundation recently elected Beverly Brown of Telfair County to the Board of Trustees.

The HGTC Foundation is the fundraising arm of the college dedicated to raising and providing resources for HGTC’s educational excellence and innovation. The Foundation is guided by a volunteer board of trustees composed of business and community leaders from the Heart of Georgia Tech service area.

Brown is the supervisor of the Telfair Office for Three Rivers Home Health Services located in Helena. She has been with the agency for 14 years. Brown attends Helena Baptist Church. She also serves on the Heart of Georgia Technical College Adult Education Advisory Committee.

Students receive scholarship

Ten Little Ocmulgee Instructional Center students have received the Little Ocmulgee Instructional Center Technology Fee Scholarship from the Heart of Georgia Technical College Foundation for summer quarter.

Those receiving the award are Lisa Ann Young of McRae, Nikki Woods of Eastman, Amanda L. Tompkins of Alamo, Valerie Jones of McRae, Brittany Danielle Hughes of Eastman, Jessica Braddock of McRae, Kayla Anne James of Alamo, Brittany DeJuana Collins of Helena, Cecelia Henley-Webb of Eastman, and Tracie Wooten of Glenwood.

The Technology Fee Scholarship is awarded quarterly to students enrolled in a program of study at Little Ocmulgee Instructional Center (LOIC) of the Heart of Georgia Technical College. The scholarship is awarded to students who are in a good academic standing with the college. The scholarship is also based on financial need and the amount of funds available for the award.

The HGTC Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization. If you would like to make a donation to support the technology fee scholarship, please contact Laurie Wicker at 478-274-7878 or 478-274-7880, or visit the Foundation website at www.heartofgatech.edu.

HGTC grad finds success after unemployment

When Ryan Asselin first started college at Heart of Georgia Technical College, he thought going to back to school might be too difficult a task. “I started school in January 2005 and a week later I was ready to quit. I told my wife, I can’t do this stuff anymore; I’m too old for school. She told me I wasn’t going to quit school and that we would do this together.”

Asselin started at HGTC after being laid-off from a manufacturing firm. He participated with the Fatherhood Program for non-custodial parents who are looking to further their education in order to enable them to better support themselves and their children. Asselin was determined to get the tools he needed to support his children from his first marriage. He also had a new family with two small children to provide for.

Asselin studied Air Conditioning Technology and completed course requirements in spring of 2006. After being employed temporarily with the VA Medical Center in Dublin, he later took a position with Industrial Building Services in Albany and has recently moved to Tennessee with the company.

Asselin and his family love Tennessee and are looking to buy property and build a house. “It is safe to say that I love my job. I love where I am living and the future couldn’t look brighter than it does right now,” says Asselin.

When Asselin began his college education, he was out of a job with no means to support his family. Today, he is pleased with the opportunities his education has afforded him, “I am living a wonderful life and I owe most of it to the HGTC staff and instructors and the Fatherhood Program. Instructors Kevin Livingston and Gil Claxton offered all the knowledge they had about Air Conditioning to me and all I had to do was learn it and put it to use and that’s exactly what I did. That’s why I am in the position that I am in right now. HGTC not only taught me my profession, but also gave me the skills and the will to succeed in the ever growing Air Conditioning field.”

HGTC Grad Realizes Dream as Illustrator for Transformers

When a knee injury costs Winston Bolen his position as a Correctional Officer, he spent a year and a half as a stay at home dad and working as a freelance artist. When he decided to enter the work force full time, his work was not enough to support his family. “I decided to take my interest in computers and get an education that would make me irresistible to potential employers in the technical field. I knew that a technical college offered me the best bet to get the kind of education I needed to accomplish that goal,” says Bolen.

Bolen chose Heart of Georgia Technical College for his education because his wife had attended HGTC and spoke very highly of the staff and school. “I felt HGTC could give me the training I wanted without me having to travel hours away from home,” he says. Bolen studied the Computer Information Systems-Networking Specialist program because he felt it would give him the best education in networking and overall Information Technology training and knowledge.

An honor graduate of Telfair County High School in McRae, Bolen has always participated in school. activities. While attending HGTC, with the encouragement of his instructors, Bolen had the honor of becoming an Official Artist for Hasbro’s Transformers property as a Professional Comic Book Illustrator and colorist, a childhood dream according to Bolen. He was a member of the National Technical Honor Society, Student Governments, SkillsUSA, and Phi Beta Lambda. He earned three district level competition awards, and 1st and 3rd place state competition awards, and two top five finishes at national competitions while in Phi Beta Lambda. He also attended the 2006 national PBL competition in Nashville, Tennessee and the 2007 competition in Chicago. Bolen served as Vice-President and Reporter for PBL and was involved in many volunteer activities. “Through PBL, I have made friends from all over this country and made many valuable contacts. My activities at HGTC and PBL especially really restored my confidence and reminded me that I was capable of anything I wanted to do,” says Bolen.

Since graduating from HGTC, Bolen has been working with Chameleon Services in Eastman as a Graphic Designer/Web Site Developer/IT Specialist. He is in charge of developing and maintaining an interactive website that will combine ordering and graphic approval. “My job allows me to use many of my skills. I get to use my artistic talents in designing the look and feel of the website as well as doing graphics work for our clients. I am using my skills as a writer by writing all the informational content of our website. I’m also using my IT background by learning about and helping implement the technical side of the website and by being the in house computer/network technician doing upgrades and maintenance to our computers and network. His company does screen printing and has a client base that includes companies from all over the United States. He continues to work as a freelance comic book artist.

Lisa Kelly, of the Career Services Division at Heart of Georgia Technical College, recently conducted a workshop at the Little Ocmulgee Instructional Center (LOIC). The session, entitled “Test Taking Strategies,” was open to all LOIC students. Pictured are students La’Nora Hamilton and Justina Kunsbeck.

A reception was recently held in honor of Telfair County GED graduates of the Heart of Georgia Technical College Adult Education Program . The event was sponsored by the Telfair County Rotary Club, the Telfair County Chamber of Commerce, and the McRae Jaycees. The gift flowers were donated by K & G Flowers in Milan. Pictured: Cliff Sandifer, HGTC Recruiter; Marion Smith, Wheeler Cty. Adult Ed. Instructor; Gwenevere Hentz, Telfair Cty. Adult Ed. Instructor; Kevin Barnes; Destiny Wodzinski; Christina Beckum; Shirley McEntyre; Olivia Chambers; Cynthia Robbins; Vanessa Silva; Joey Marchant, Attorney and Rotary President; Lenard Harrelson, Attorney; and Dahlia Wren, Adult Education Director.

HGTC Volunteer Learns Value of Adult Education

The last thing on the mind of rising college sophomore Erin McCune was Adult Education and studying for the GED. All that changed when McCune took a volunteer position with the Adult Education department at Heart of Georgia Technical College.

McCune was somewhat familiar with the accomplishments of the department because her mother, Carolyn McCune, teaches Adult Education in Bleckley County for HGTC. Experience as a volunteer has given McCune a greater appreciation for education as she prepares to return to Savannah State College and University to continue her studies in Business and Accounting.

At HGTC, McCune has learned there is a lot more to being a secretary than she thought. She has learned various computer software programs in addition to learning to operate standard office machines. She has also learned about the process of being prepared for and taking the General Education Development (GED) test. Students are first given the TABE (Test of Adult Basic Education) to determine which classes they need to take to prepare them for the GED. Then students are worked with individually and collectively and taught the skills necessary to take the test. Currently approximately 100 students are enrolled in the program with more expected to be added.

When students think they are ready, they can take a GED practice test to let them know if they should go ahead with the test. Subjects of the test can be taken individually or grouped together. Many programs are available online to help with instruction, but McCune says the instructors make the difference, “Most people need some help and the instructors are there to make sure they are getting exactly what they need. Instructors work with students as long as it takes to get them ready. They help the students through thick and thin.”

The reason McCune feels more people are interested in the GED than ever is that manufacturing firms and fast food restaurants are requiring a high school diploma or GED, “Without the GED, the pay is low and our students are wanting to better themselves and make more money.” Director of Adult Education, Dahlia Wren, has enjoyed having McCune in the department, “Erin has a new appreciation for her mother’s job. She has been such an asset to the office with her outstanding customer service skills and strong work ethic. We’ll miss her and hope she’ll come back at Christmas.”

Although she never took her Dublin High School diploma for granted, McCune is more appreciative of her education than ever, “It is so important to stay in school. The Adult Education program is there to help when you haven’t graduated. We see a variety of students from sixteen year olds to fifties and on. I would tell anyone we have a great program. It’s free and you have nothing to lose. Just give it a try.”