(Acworth, Ga. – Jan. 29, 2016)
Chattahoochee Technical College held its 2016 GOAL, Rick Perkins and Eagle Award luncheon on Friday, celebrating current students, faculty members and adult education students who have presented excellence in their fields. This year’s winners are Jourdan Ortiz for GOAL, Celnisha L. Dangerfield for Rick Perkins and Jessica Warren for EAGLE.
GOAL
The Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL), a statewide program of the Technical College System of Georgia, honors excellence in academics and leadership among the state’s technical college students. Local GOAL winners are selected at each of the state’s other technical colleges as well as the two Board of Regents colleges with technical education divisions.
This year, more than 30 students were nominated by faculty with 22 students accepting the nomination. The first round of interviews took place in fall 2015 at the North Metro campus with the college’s internal committee. The students were required to give a three-minute speech on the topic “Technical Education in Georgia,” followed by an interview.
The six finalists had their second interview with an external committee made up of the college’s board of directors as well as community members. The interview included the nominees’ three-minute speech and a series of interview questions. At the end of the interviews, the committee was challenged with selecting CTC’s goal winner.
Ortiz, a resident of Henry County, is working toward an occupational therapy assistant associate degree. He said much of the motivation to pursue his dreams came years after working a dead end job following high school. Ortiz then remembered kind and encouraging words from his mother that provided inspiration.
“I was living my life with no direction or purpose, and I wondered how many of you have ever felt that way,” Ortiz said to the crowd. “It was at that time that I pushed past my fear of failure and decided to attend college, but not just any college – and I did my research. I needed a college that was flexible, one that could meet my needs and one that I could afford – I needed Chattahoochee Tech.”
Ortiz will now move on to the regional competition in March and then will go on to Atlanta in April for the state competition. As part of the award package, the state GOAL winner will receive a new car from Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia.
Rick Perkins
The Rick Perkins Award for Excellence in Technical Instruction began in 1991 and is designed to recognize and honor technical college instructors who make significant contributions to technical education through innovation and leadership in their fields. Formerly known as the Commissioner’s Award of Excellence, the Rick Perkins Award was renamed in memory and honor of Thomas “Rick” Perkins, an instructor at West Central Technical College, who received the Commissioner’s Award immediately prior to his untimely death.
CTC President Dr. Ron Newcomb and Rick Perkins winner Celnisha L. Dangerfield.
A preliminary round of interviews followed by a second round Each candidate was interviewed by a panel of judges using a rubric which evaluated them on their accomplishments, leadership, role as a technical educator, commitment to the mission/initiatives of TCSG, communication skills and attitude.
“I want to thank [CTC President] Dr. Ron Newcomb for always being supportive of the Rick Perkins celebration, and I’m honored to represent the faculty here at Chattahoochee Tech,” Dangerfield, a speech instructor on the Marietta Campus, said. “I think we have amazing individuals here and I’m honored to be counted among them.”
EAGLE
The Exceptional Adult Georgian in Literacy Education (EAGLE) Program celebrates adult learners in pursuit of excellence. The program recognizes and honors students who have demonstrated exceptional achievement in statewide adult education classes. The concept of EAGLE is one designed to create a greater awareness of educational opportunities that are available in local communities across the state and to foster involvement in lifelong learning pursuits.
Adult Education teachers in public, private, and grantee agencies nominate students at the local program level to participate in the EAGLE recognition program at the state level. Selection criteria include student character, attitude, attendance, leadership and community involvement and activities. From this group, one student is selected to represent the local program at the state EAGLE Leadership Institute.
EAGLE winner Jessica Warren receives her award from CTC President Dr. Ron Newcomb.
Warren, a GED graduate and resident of Bartow County, has just begun studying surgical technology at Chattahoochee Tech. Having to drop out of high school at 16 due to the illness and eventual passing of her father, Warren began working in fast food to help make ends meet at home.
“Those were the hardest years of my life – I had to grow up at a very young age,” Warren said.
She said after getting married and having a child on the way, she was encouraged by her husband to get her GED before her baby’s due date so she could pursue her dream of attending college.
“The [GED] teachers were amazing. They motivate you and encourage you and they thank you for making the decision to come to class,” Warren said. “Because of this, I will not have the struggle of living paycheck to paycheck anymore.”