South Georgia Technical College holds Fall semester GED graduation ceremony

December 4, 2018

South Georgia Technical College President Dr. John Watford is shown above with the Fall 2018 GED Graduation Speaker Kaydon Wallis, who was also graduating with his GED at the ceremony.

South Georgia Technical College held its 2018 Fall General Educational Development Diploma (GED) Graduation ceremony in the John M. Pope Industrial Technology Center on the SGTC Americus campus recently.

Kaydon Wallis, a 2018 GED graduate from South Georgia Technical College was the guest speaker at the ceremony where 43 students from Sumter, Crisp, Schley, Macon, Marion, Taylor and Webster counties received their general equivalency diplomas.

South Georgia Technical College President Dr. John Watford welcomed the graduates, faculty members, family and friends who came to the Pope Center for the ceremony. He also congratulated the graduates on their achievements and told them that graduations were one of the most favorite parts of his job as President. “You are here today and you deserve to be honored for your accomplishment of achieving this diploma. Congratulations on your decision to attend South Georgia Technical College. Congratulations on choosing to earn your GED and to come to class. There is nothing that you cannot conquer or overcome now, but you have come too far to only come this far. I encourage you to continue your educational journey,” said President Watford.

Dr. Watford also shared with the graduates, their families, and friends that college admissions’ officials were waiting in the lobby to accept an application for Spring Semester 2019 which starts January 9, 2019. “We are waiving the $25 application fee for anyone who applies tonight. Each of these graduates will also receive a $500 scholarship for attaining their GED diploma, so it just makes sense to continue your education.”

Lillie Ann Winn, South Georgia Tech Dean of Adult Education, echoed Dr. Watford’s congratulations and then introduced Kaydon Wallis, a 2018 GED Graduate as the guest speaker for the event. He earned the right to speak by scoring the highest cumulative score on the GED exams. He has also served as a volunteer and mentor to the other GED graduates.

“I am here today because my sister urged me to come to South Georgia Technical College and that decision started me on my course to success,” said Wallis, who also shared some of the obstacles he has had to overcome in his life to get to this point. “We are here today because we never gave up. We fought hard for this day. We did it. We stared in the face of adversity and we overcame. Now the sky is the limit and we will soar like Jets.”

After Kaydon Wallis’ talk, President Watford, SGTC Vice President of Academic Affairs David Kuipers and Dean of Adult Education Winn recognized the graduates and presented them with their diplomas.

Adult Education instructor Robbie Edalgo Rev. delivered the invocation at the ceremony. Lisa Truitt provided the piano selections including the traditional processional and music for the graduates.

Listed below are the GED graduates from the individual counties who earned the right to participate in the ceremony:

Sumter County
Valerie Ballesteros, Sierra Binion, Damon Cobb, Jason Cooke, Jacob Currington, Ruby Garcia, Laquwanna Gordon, Alexis Grimes, Victoria Guerra, Hannah Harbuck, Bradley Harmon, Benjamin Kuipers, James McAllister, Hayley Phillips, Angel Quaile, Marco Smith, Brandon Story, Kaydon Wallis, Curtis West, and Lakeshia Williamson;

Crisp County
Jasmine Bleau, William Gaskin, Jailey Guined, Jared Satterfield, Sheena Thornton, Elizabeth Vasquez, and Latesa Wiggins;

Marion County
Misty Belcher, Melissa Burrill, Katelyn Crawford, and Destiny Frazier;

Macon County
Emilene Brenneman, Louis Esh, Richard Hardee, Keyon Harris, Shaleigh Howell, Hannah Simpson, Regina Yoder, Sharon Yoder, and Shirley Yoder;

Taylor County
Braden Cotney and Flora Youngblood;

Webster County
Kabrian Moses.

Lillie Ann Winn is the South Georgia Technical College PA for Adult Education for SDA 15, Lisa Jordan is the Adult Education Administrative Assistant, Lisa Truitt is the GED Chief Examiner and Kenia Wills is a GED Examiner. The South Georgia Tech Adult Education instructors include: John Bagwell, Cindy Bagwell, Robbie Edalgo, Betty Ann Eschmann, Lissa Faircloth, Alanna Goolsby, Angie Kauffman, Mary King, Connie Mathis, Leslie Rye, Tonya Visage, Virginia Wilson and Mary Wooldridge. Tracy Israel is the Adult Education Transition Specialist

For more information about the Adult Education and GED classes, contact South Georgia Tech at 229.931.2565.

Shown above are the Sumter County South Georgia Technical College GED graduates and their instructors.

Shown above are the Crisp County South Georgia Technical College GED graduates and their instructor.

Macon County GED graduates are shown above with instructor Angie Kauffman.

SGTC GED Instructor Alanna Goolsby is shown above with the Taylor County GED graduates.

Mary King, GED Instructor is shown above with the Marion County GED graduates that walked at the ceremony.

Shown above with SGTC Dean of Adult Education Lillie Ann Winn are the instructors and staff in the SGTC Adult Education department.