Education Briefs

Published 9:00 am Saturday, July 1, 2017

Students make Dean’s List at Georgia Tech

ATLANTA —  The following students have earned the distinction of Dean’s List at the Georgia Institute of Technology for Spring 2017. This designation is awarded to undergraduate students who have a 3.0 or higher academic average for the semester.

Lakeland: Taylor Blackburn

Valdosta: Gabrielle Campiglia, Mishma Farsi, Mark Garren, Zachary Goddard, Rebecca Prairie, Ryan Waller

Students earn faculty honors at Georgia Tech

ATLANTA — Bryan Crumpton of Nashville and  Laura Murphy of  Valdosta earned the distinction of Faculty Honors for Spring 2017 at the Georgia Institute of Technology. This designation is awarded to undergraduate students who have a 4.0 academic average for the semester.

Mack named Spring 2017 President’s Scholar at Hinds Community College

RAYMOND, Miss. —  Hinds Community College President’s Scholars have been named for the Spring 2017 semester. President’s Scholars are those with a cumulative 4.0 grade point average.

Among those recognized as a Spring 2017 President’s Scholars is Elton Mack of Valdosta.

Thompson graduates from renowned

space academy

HUNTSVILLE, ALA. – Aspen Thompson of Nashville, Ga., recently attended Space Academy at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center’s Official Visitor Center.

The weeklong educational program promotes science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), while training students and adults with hands-on activities and missions based on teamwork, leadership and problem solving.

Thompson was part of the Space Academy program, which is designed for trainees who have an interest in space exploration. Thompson spent the week training with a team that flew a simulated space mission to Mars. The crew participated in experiments and successfully completed an extra-vehicular activity (EVA), or spacewalk, and returned to Earth in time to graduate with honors.

Space Camp operates year-round in Huntsville, Ala., and uses astronaut training techniques to engage trainees in real-world applications of STEM subjects. Trainees sleep in quarters designed to resemble the International Space Station and train in NASA-inspired simulators.

More than 750,000 trainees have graduated from Space Camp since its inception in Huntsville, Alabama in 1982, including STS-131 astronaut Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger, European Space Agency astronaut, Samantha Cristoforetti and NASA Expedition 48 astronaut Dr. Kate Rubins. Last year, children and teachers from all 50 states and 69 international locations attended Space Camp.

Interested in training like an astronaut? Visit www.sp

Ford named to the University of North Georgia President’s Honor Roll

DAHLONEGA, Ga. —  Mackenzie Denae Ford of Valdosta, Georgia, has been named to the President’s Honor Roll at the University of North Georgia (UNG) for achieving a 4.0 grade point average.

University of North Georgia announces Dean’s Lists for spring 2017

DAHLONEGA —  The dean of each of UNG’s five colleges – the College of Arts & Letters, the College of Education, the College of Health Sciences & Professions, the Mike Cottrell College of Business, and the College of Science & Mathematics – announced the names of those students who made their respective lists for spring 2017.

Dean’s List recognition is achieved by having at least a 3.5 grade point average, carrying 12 or more credit hours in one semester and having no grade lower than B.

Lake Park: Ryan Marrs, Ashton Culpepper 

Valdosta: Leannah Hicks, Stephanie Taylor

Wiregrass students earn medals at National Competition

VALDOSTA — Wiregrass Georgia Technical College students attended the 53rd Annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference held in Louisville, KY on June 19-23. More than 6,000 students competed in 100 different trade, technical, and leadership fields. Students worked against the clock and each other, proving their expertise in occupations such as electronics, computer-aided drafting, precision machining, medical assisting and culinary arts. All competitions are designed, ran and judged with the help of industry, trade associations, and labor organizations, and test competencies are set using industry standards. The State of Georgia earned more medals than any other state at the National Conference this year.

Top student winners received gold, silver and bronze medallions. Many also received prizes such as tools of their trade or scholarships to further their career and education. The SkillsUSA Championship is for high-school and college-level students who are members of the 360,000-member SkillsUSA organization.

Wiregrass student Jamie Grady (Valdosta Campus) won a gold medal in Esthetics with her model Marissa Gray. Geremy Brantley and Allen Paulo (Valdosta Campus) won a silver medal in 3-D Visualization and Animation. The CrimeScene Investigation team made of Trevecca Gates, Donya Land, and Shannon Marshall (Ben Hill-Irwin Campus) earned bronze. These students received prize packages of high end tools, specific to their trade, valued at $550-$1500.

Wiregrass was also represented in the following competitions: Telecommunication Cabling – Travious Mack (Ben Hill-Irwin), Auto Refinishing – Tristan Stalvey (Valdosta Campus), Collision Repair Technology – Johnathan Wolfe (Valdosta Campus); Computer Programming – Tristan Guice (Valdosta Campus); and Firefighting – Summer Smith (Valdosta Campus).

“Earning Gold at SkillsUSA Nationals has been the biggest honor I have ever received,” shared Jamie Grady, “It is very humbling to be considered the best esthetician student in the nation. Earning the Gold medal at a National competition will show future employers the extent of my abilities in the beauty and skincare industry and my dedication to my craft, ultimately landing me the job of my dreams. Thankfully, I have had many advisors at Wiregrass as well as my loving family, who have supported me and taught me skills that I will carry with me the rest of my career.”

Wiregrass had 11 students who earned a Skill Point Certificate. This certificate is earned by attaining a “cut score” that is determined by the same industry leaders who defined the competencies for the championships, which indicates excellence for students entering technical fields. The Skill Point Certificates are a tool to recognize outstanding talent beyond those who earn medals at the SkillUSA Championships. Students can use these certificates to document achievement and show potential employers as indicators of proficiency. 

“SkillsUSA is a wonderful experience for all involved,” said Kelley Wetherington, Campus Life Coordinator. “We are proud of all of our students for representing Wiregrass Georgia Tech at the national, state, and regional levels. We have some pretty amazing students who worked hard and represented us well. Not only did our students work hard, so did our instructors. They went above and beyond to prepare our students for their competitions.”

SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry representatives working together to ensure America has a skilled work force. It is a national nonprofit organization serving teachers, high school and college students who are preparing for careers in trade, technical and skills service occupations, including health occupations. The SkillsUSA program hosts local, state, and national competition for students to showcase their skills learned through hands-on training in the classroom.

For more information about SkillsUSA, please contact Kelley Wetherington, Campus Life Coordinator, atkelley.wetherington@wiregrass.edu or (229) 333-2100 ext.1237.

Local student Saralynne Rachelle Greene receives National Honor

ATLANTA— The National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS) recently announced  Lowndes High School student Saralynne Rachelle Greene from Valdosta has been selected to become a member of the esteemed organization. The Society recognizes top scholars who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, scholarship and community commitment. The announcement was made by NSHSS Founder and Chairman Claes Nobel, senior member of the family that established the Nobel Prizes. 

NSHSS members automatically become lifetime members at the time of their initial membership. At each step along the way – from high school to college to career – NSHSS connects outstanding young scholars with the resources they need to develop their strengths and pursue their passions.