Lanier Technical College instructors nominated 33 students for the Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership competition, according to Kari Register, coordinator for the College’s GOAL program.
GOAL, a statewide program of the Technical College System of Georgia, honors excellence in academics and leadership among the state’s technical college students. GOAL winners are selected at each of the state’s 22 technical colleges as well as one Board of Regents college with a technical education division.
Lanier Tech students chosen for recognition,and the counties they represent, are:
Banks County
Loricia King, Cosmetology
Zachary “Storm” Parson, Electrical Utility Technology
Barrow County
Heather Chick, Medical Assisting
Amber Dockery, Early Childhood Education
Fulton County
Maria Gula, Medical Assisting
Jamie Hanley, Practical Nursing
Douglas County
Evie Peterson, Cosmetology
Dawson County
Kora Henry, Early Childhood Education
Kaylin Miller, Dental Hygiene
Forsyth County
Caitlin Chamlee, Medical Assisting
Jaclyn Henline, Surgical Technology
Jennifer Remillard, Health Information Technology
Thomas Crumley, Horticulture
Jessica Huntley, Radiologic Technology
Julie Tobias, Surgical Technology
Kate Thrower, Interiors
Kevin Reed, Motorsport Vehicle Technology
Allison Smith, Interiors
Allison Kendrix, Cosmetology
Gwinnett County
Bria Aguayo, Welding
Valerie Carr, Medical Assisting
Richard English, Computer Information Systems
Hall County
Edgar Arroyo, Accounting
Connie Robinson, Early Childhood Education
Joseph C. Riddle, Accounting
Kristie Stith, Medical Assisting
Corinna Mendieta, Dental Assisting
Melinda Epstein, Medical Assisting
Jackson County
Christopher Barrett, Automotive Collision Repair
Natalie Brooks, Accounting
White County
Stephanie Eskew, Cosmetology
Hannah Kimbrell, Dental Hygiene
Lauren Hockaday, Firefighter/EMSP
“The purpose of the GOAL program is to spotlight the outstanding achievement by students in Georgia’s technical colleges and to emphasize the importance of technical education in today’s global workforce, “said Register.
A screening committee of administrators at Lanier Technical College will review each of the instructor’s nominations then conduct personal interviews with the students. After the nominees have been ranked, four finalists will then be chosen to compete to be the Lanier Technical College’s GOAL winner for 2017.
The four finalists will then take part in another round of interviews and evaluations by a selection committee of representatives from the local business and industry. That panel will consider the students’ qualities like academic achievement, personal character, leadership abilities and enthusiasm for technical education.
The student judged most outstanding will be designated as the college’s GOAL winner and move on to the regional competition. Then three from each of the three regions will make up the nine regional finalists, who will be named in April at the state GOAL conference in Atlanta. The nine regional finalists will then move to the state level and compete for the title of state GOAL winner.
The student who earns the state GOAL winner title is also awarded the important responsibility of traveling the state as the ambassador for the entire technical college system. To make that travel easier, the winner also receives a new car.
