Chamber of Commerce Awards Platinum Trustee Scholarship to SGTC’s Christopher Scott

The Americus and Sumter County Chamber of Commerce presented a $1000 Platinum Trustee Scholarship to Christopher Scott of Americus, a South Georgia Technical College General Equivalency Diploma (GED) graduate, who recently received his diploma.        Dave Tucker, an Americus Sumter Chamber of Commerce Board member, presented Scott with the Platinum Trustee Scholarship in the John M. Pope Industrial Technology Center recently.  Scott is already enrolled in the Fire Science Program at South Georgia Technical College and was taking college classes while pursuing his GED.        Christopher Scott thanked the Chamber of Commerce for the scholarship and for their support of GED students.  “I grew up in Montgomery, Alabama, and I made some bad choices.  I ended up dropping out of high school and was homeless for a while.  I knew I had to make a change in my life.”       Scott moved to Americus and began to get his life back together.  He enrolled in the GED program at South Georgia Technical College and also signed up for Fire Science classes.  “I want to become a firefighter,” said Scott.   “I want to give back and help people.  I believe that this program and career will help me develop the positive skills and values that I need to be a good husband and father.  I am so appreciative of this opportunity.”       The Platinum Trustee Scholarship is part of the Chamber’s initiative to support education in Sumter County.  The scholarship is awarded annually by the Platinum Trustee’s to an individual graduating from a school in Sumter County or receiving a General Equivalency Diploma in Sumter County with plans to attend South Georgia Technical College or Georgia Southwestern State University.       Christopher Scott was nominated for the scholarship by the South Georgia Technical College Adult Education department and his instructor Joan Granville, following his outstanding score on the General Equivalency Diploma (GED) test.   He and his finance, Kimberly Dowdey, and his daughter, Kelliann Scott, 3, live in Americus.         “We are grateful to the Chamber of Commerce Platinum Trustees for providing this scholarship to a deserving individual,” said South Georgia Technical College President Dr. John Watford.  “This is a great way to encourage and support higher education in this community.”        The Platinum Trustees of the Americus Sumter Chamber of Commerce include:  Accelerated Physical Therapy, AT&T Georgia, Barnett Computers, Citizens Bank of Americus, City of Americus, Clinic Drug Store, Concentra Solution and PharmaCentra, Georgia Power Company, Georgia Southwestern State University, Habitat for Humanity, Heart of Georgia Railroad, Magnolia Manor, MedSpa of Americus, IMERYS Refractory Minerals, Parker’s Heating and Air Conditioning, Phoebe Sumter Medical Center, Rotary Club of Americus, SB&T, South Georgia Technical College, The Staffing People, Sumter County Board of Commissioners, Sumter Electric Membership Corporation, and Williams Office Equipment.