DawsonTimes.com Your free local source for news, events, and business in and around Dawsonville, GA

More than 1.1 million Georgians over the age of 25 are without their high school or GED® diploma.  Many face considerable odds against achieving personal success, including a greater chance of being incarcerated.  Their likelihood of suffering from low self-esteem is higher, and most will earn an average of $9,000 less a year than a high school graduate.

It doesn’t have to be that way. Last year, almost 20,000 Georgians changed their lives for the better and improved their job potential by earning their GED diploma.  They discovered that a GED diploma is an important step to achieving the opportunity and success that they deserve.

Some of Georgia’s best and brightest GED recipients, as well as the educators and staff who helped them to achieve their goals, were honored by the Technical College System of Georgia’s Office of Adult Education during the state’s annual GED awards luncheon recently at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Atlanta.  The gathering celebrated the exceptional achievement of the state’s GED recipients and highlighted the outstanding service provided by the staff members of the statewide GED testing centers.

Lanier Technical College won the award for marketing and PR activities in promotion of GED and Adult Education services in the large-size service delivery area category.  Dr. Mike Moye, president of Lanier Tech, was present at the luncheon to accept the plaque on behalf of the college and the volunteer literacy organizations in the Lanier Tech’s eight-county service area.
 
This honor attests to the powerful impact that local adult education programs together with the Certified Literate Community Programs can have as they work together to tackle the literacy rates in their communities.

“The amount of hard work and perseverance put forth by Georgia’s adult learners to overcome life’s obstacles and obtain their GED is inspiring to us all,” said TCSG Commissioner Ron Jackson. “I congratulate our student winners for their outstanding achievements, and I thank the state’s GED testing center staffs and adult education instructors for their commitment to lifelong learning.  As our students will tell you, success can come at any time and any age, and it’s never too late to get your education.”

Last year, the Technical College System of Georgia’s Office of Adult Education enrolled more than 95,000 students in adult education programs. The 19,696 adult education students who earned their GED diploma last year increased their combined earning potential by almost $144 million dollars.