VALDOSTA — Wiregrass Georgia Technical College President DeAnnia Clements announced Miriam Jackson, English instructor, as the 2023 Rick Perkins Award winner.

The Rick Perkins Award for Excellence in Technical Instruction is the Technical College System of Georgia’s Instructor of the Year program, college officials said in a statement.

The Rick Perkins Award program is designed to recognize and honor instructors who make significant contributions to technical education through innovation and leadership in their fields. Each year, instructors are nominated for the Rick Perkins Award by their peers throughout the college.

College finalists participate in a selection process and interview with a panel of their peers.

This year’s finalists were Jessica Altman, psychology instructor on the Ben Hill-Irwin campus; Toby Heard, automotive program coordinator on the Valdosta campus; and Miriam Jackson, psychology instructor on the Valdosta campus.

“She is an awesome instructor and she loves what she does. She is always so flexible to do whatever it takes. One student told me she hated English until she met Ms. Jackson,” read one of her nominations.

When asked about her reaction to receiving this honor, Jackson responded, “Receiving this honor as a general education instructor is super humbling. Receiving this award knowing that we do not get as much time with the students as the program instructors do is major. I am grateful to those that see what I do. I am just one of the many general education instructors that strive to make an impact. This is an impact.”

She has been teaching for four years at Wiregrass.

Wiregrass instructors nominated for the instructor of the year award include Tammy Acree, hotel-restaurant-travel management; Frank Barnett, pharmacy technology; Ashley Boyd, history instructor; Roy Bramley, auto collision repair; Angela Brantley, business education instructor; Sherry Carroll, psychology instructor; Joy Clemons, cosmetology; Denese Davis, health information technology; India Denning, patient care assisting and allied health core; Tim Drexler, computer information systems program coordinator; Amanda Garnto, neuromuscular massage therapy program coordinator; Lisa Griffin, opticianry; Jason Hurst, EMS paramedic program instructor; Pam Jankowski, practical nursing; Joey Johnson, computer information systems technology; Terry Johnson, welding; Daniel Lawrence, general core instructor; April Lott, cosmetology; Dr. Lisa Marin, program dentist; Rene Mason, early childhood care and education; Shaneka Paschal, cosmetology; John Patten, media production; Janet Rasmussen, commercial truck driving; Wally Rewis, welding; Melanie Simmons, patient care assisting and allied health core; Phillip Taylor, industrial systems technology; Valerie Tisby, early childhood care and education instructor; Josh Whittington, assistant dean for academic affairs and mechatronics instructor; Jack Wiesner, economic instructors, Tabitha Wilcox, cosmetology program coordinator; and Adrienne Young, director of practical nursing.

Jackson will represent Wiregrass at the regional interview competition in February at the Tifton campus of Southern Regional Technical College. All college winners will represent their colleges in April at the state Rick Perkins and GOAL, student of the year program, awards event where the region winners and the state winner will be announced.

To learn more about the programs offered at Wiregrass visit Wiregrass.edu.

New students for Spring Express, classes start on Feb. 16.