GNTC holds Adult Education Graduation Ceremony

December 17, 2024

Georgia Northwestern Technical College’s (GNTC) Office of Adult Education held its Fall 2024 Graduation Ceremony on Dec. 12 for students who have earned their High School Equivalency 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, followed by remarks by guest speaker Noelia Sargento, GNTC’s 2025 EAGLE delegate. Sargento earned her High School Equivalency (HSE) through GNTC’s Adult Education program in June 2024.

Sargento will represent GNTC at the 2025 Dinah Culbreath Wayne EAGLE Leadership Institute state competition in March; the Leadership Institute recognizes and honors students who have demonstrated superior achievement in Adult Education classes and programs.

“Last year at this time I was nowhere with my education; now I have my HSE and am moving on to college,” Sargento said. “This benefit will continue to push me forward to become a new person.”

Eddie Geier, Integrated Education and Training and Workplace Literacy specialist at GNTC, presented the diplomas to the graduates.

Noelia Sargento, GNTC’s 2025 EAGLE delegate, was guest speaker at the Adult Education Fall 2024 Graduation Ceremony.
Noelia Sargento, GNTC’s 2025 EAGLE delegate, was guest speaker at the Adult Education Fall 2024 Graduation Ceremony.

Listed are the graduates who participated in the Fall 2024 Adult Education Graduation Ceremony. This list does not include students that have graduated, but did not participate in the ceremony, or students that registered for the ceremony after the commencement program was printed: Joseph Addison, Alexis Armenia, Joshua Cohely, Johnathon Cole, Cameron Cross, Brantley Daniel, Dalton Deanecelli, Airin Franks, Sherie Melissa Frey, Tristan Fritz, Kyle Gillespie, Rafael Antonio Guigni, Elisa Aviann Hart, Kinsley Holt, Jesse Neil Jenkins, Chloe Kandcer, Yancong Lin, Breanna Kaitlyn Maddox, Rylan McCaghren, Filadelfa Mendiola, William Christopher Mikell, Madalynn Miller, Samantha Mittlestadt, Joelene Monzon, Olivia Moss, Heaven Grace Mount, Rebecca Mullins, Kirsten Neal, Bridgett Patterson, Madison Lorraine Pearson, Tristan Price, Isaiah Reyes, Ian Snyder, Erica Stanley, Kendra Vance, Latoshia Vargas, Travis Vaughn and Kaitlyn Watson.

Derrick McDaniel, Adult Education instructional coordinator, and Sandra Russell, Adult Education instructor, recognized Honor graduates and scholarship recipients. Shaw led the turning of the tassels and delivered the closing remarks.

The Adult Education program acknowledged the following organizations who provided scholarships: Calhoun-Gordon Council for a Literate Society, Catoosa Citizens for Literacy, Chattooga County Literacy Council, Conasauga Drug Court Program, Dalton-Whitfield Community Foundation, Dalton Rotary Club, GNTC Foundation, LaFayette Presbyterian Church, North Georgia Electric Membership Corp., Polk County Council, Polk County Rotary Club, Rome-Floyd County Commission on Children and Youth, Rome Rotary Club, Shaw Industries and Tallatoona Community Action Partnership Inc.

GNTC is an official General Educational Development® 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. The mission of GNTC’s Adult Education program is to enable every adult learner in the service delivery area to acquire the necessary basic skills to be able to compete successfully in today’s workplace, strengthen family foundations and exercise full citizenship.

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, 12,241 people benefited from GNTC’s credit and noncredit programs. GNTC has an annual credit enrollment of 8,031 students and an additional enrollment of 4,210 people through adult education, continuing education, business and industry training and Georgia Quick Start. 

# # #