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Wendy Fennell (L), human resources team leader at Parker Hannifin Corporation, presents a $1000 check to the Heart of Georgia Technical College Foundation Annual Fund. Ed Touchberry (R), president of the HGTC Foundation is shown accepting the check.
Between 450 and 500 high school students from the middle Georgia area had the opportunity to explore the options of post-secondary education at The Dublin/Laurens PROBE Fair which was held October 28, 2008, at the Heart of Georgia Technical College Porter Center in Dublin, Georgia.
PROBE is the organized college fair tour that attracts representatives from educational institutions through the state. More than 50 colleges and schools participated in this year’s fair.
Heart of Georgia Technical College to host Annual Festival of Trees
Heart of Georgia Technical College in Dublin will host the Fourth Annual Festival of Trees during the holiday season. Fifty trees will be decorated and special events will be held in conjunction with the festival.
“Palette to Palate,” the kick off for Festival of Trees, will be held November 20, 5 – 7 pm. Christian band, “Crosstied” will be performing, and there will be a preview of “The Nutcracker (6 pm). Artists, from the following schools, will be displaying their artwork: Bleckley County Middle and High School, Dodge County Middle and High School, Dublin High School, East Laurens High School, Telfair County High School, Trinity Christian School, West Laurens Middle and High School, and Wheeler County Middle and High School. In addition, the Consumer Science classes at the following schools will be providing tasty cuisine: Bleckley County High School, East Laurens High School, West Laurens High School and Wheeler County High School.
“Jingle Bell Jam Day” will be held December 6, 10 am – 1 pm. On this day, the public is invited to come out and view the trees and enjoy entertainment and refreshments. Mrs. Claus and the elves will be on hand reading stories to children and presenting a career coloring book and crayons to all children who attend. Gingerbread House Decorating will be held at 10:30 am and 12:00 noon for children ages 5 – 10. Only 125 non-edible gingerbread houses will be available. The HGTC mascots will be riding the Santa Express beginning at 11 am. And, new this year, just in time for the holiday season, “Silhouettes by Patrick” ($10 each). The entertainment schedule is as follows:
Bedazzled, 10:00 am
South Dodge Washboard Band, 10:30 am
Wilkinson County Middle School Praise Dancers & Choir, 11:00 am
Fancy Dancer Performers, 11:30 am
Bleckley County High School One Act Play, 12:00 noon
The Hummingbirds, 12:30 pm
The “Seniors’ Sip and See,” which is sponsored by Caring Companions and HGTC Community Education Division, will be held December 7, 2-4 pm. Light refreshments will be served and visitors can register for a door prize.
“Heart of Georgia Tech is very excited about this year’s Festival of Trees! The festivities add so much to our campus during the holiday season, and we love giving back to our community. Everyone is invited to come out, bring your family and friends, and enjoy the season. There is no charge for Festival of Trees events,” commented Jenny Shuman, marketing coordinator.
Tree sponsors are: Advocates for Alzheimer’s Care – The Lighthouse, Angie’s Nail Salon, Area Residence for Kids, Atlantic South Bank, Bank of Dudley, The Bead Basket, Bella Flowers and Gifts, Caring Companions, Citizens Bank of Laurens County, City of Dublin, Coca Cola Bottling Company, Courier Herald Publishing, Cracker Barrel, Dublin-Laurens Chamber of Commerce, Dublin-Laurens Habitat for Humanity, Dublin Rotary Club, Duncan Tire Company, Easter Seals Middle Georgia, Elite MRI, Farmers Furniture, Farmers State Bank, First Church of Nazarene, First Laurens Bank, Georgia Federal Credit Union, Heart of Georgia Technical College Work Ready Initiative, Heart of Georgia Technical College Alumni, Heart of Georgia Technical College Foundation, Heart of Georgia Technical College Pre-K, Home Depot, LaQuinta Inn & Suites, Little Ocmulgee EMC, Medical Center, LLP, Mohawk/Communities in Schools, Morris State Bank, Oconee EMC, Parker Aerospace, Pilot Club, Pitts Toyota, Serenity Hospice, Shamrock Scuba Center, Sheridan Place, Southern Care, Susie Dasher Elementary, Thigpen, Jones, Seaton, Williamson’s Bakery, WINGS, and YKK AP America.
Sponsors of the Festival of Trees event are the Heart of Georgia Technical College Marketing Department and the Heart of Georgia Technical College Student Government Association. Friends of the Festival are Caring Companions, Coca Cola Bottling Company, The Courier Herald Publishing, Cracker Barrel, Dublin Rotary Club, Kroger,
HGTC Community Education, HGTC Foundation, LaQuinta Inn & Suites, Williamson’s Bakery.
Trees are on display November 20 – December 19, during normal business hours, in the DuBose Porter Center located on the Heart of Georgia Tech main campus in Dublin. All events associated with the Festival of Trees are free and open to the public. For more information, call 478-296-6117.
The Community Training Center of Heart of Georgia Technical College recently held an “Advanced Stroke Life Support” class. The eight-hour course provided information on the MEND (Miami Emergency Neurologic Deficit) exam which is designed to train healthcare providers in early recognition of a Thromboembolism. Beverly Trevisol, the course instructor, attended special training in Miami to prepare her for the class. Pictured: Ray Britt, EMS Director from Hawkinsville and Sandra Campbell, Chief Nursing Officer of Dodge County Hospital, performing the MEND exam, along with instructor, Mrs. Trevisol.
 
Patrick O’Byrne, local artist, is shown conducting an “Illustrative Drawing” class at Heart of Georgia Technical College. Students in the class learned basic shading techniques and other drawing skills relating to pencil, charcoal, pen and ink, and color pastels. To sign up for the next class, Intermediate Drawing, call the Community Education Division at 478-275-6592.
The Heart of Georgia Technical College Pre-K participated in the "My Classroom Cares" Project. The class read 100 books, and as a result, Scholastic Books donated books to "Family Building Blocks." Family Building Blocks will, in turn, donate the books to children who do not have them. A celebration party was held October 17th to celebrate the HGTC Pre-K children reading 100 books. Each child received a certificate for participating.
Women learn self defense
 
The Community Education Division of Heart of Georgia Technical College offered a Self Defense for Women course. The class was taught by David Taylor and Kevin Corbin, HGTC criminal justice instructors. Pictured: Instructor David Taylor demonstrating defense tactics to Lisa Kelly (Dublin), and Sandra McNeal (Wheeler County) is shown attacking “Red Man” – alias Kevin Corbin . For information on upcoming classes, call 478-275-6592.
Mary Lu Thomas, instructor for Heart of Georgia Technical College’s Community Education Division, is shown instructing students in the Introduction to Word class which was held October 18. For information on upcoming classes, call 478-275-6592.
The Oconee Regional Cancer Center made a $1,000 donation to the Heart of Georgia Technical College Foundation’s Annual Fund Drive on October 15, 2008. (L-R) Dr. Randall L. Peters, HGTC president, accepts the donation from Linda Turner, Oconee Regional Cancer Center practice administrator, while Laurie Wicker, HGTC director of development looks on.
HGTC Foundation awards Dr. Fred A. Smith Jr. Scholarships
Five Heart of Georgia Technical College students received the Fred A. Smith Jr. Scholarships for fall quarter.
The scholarship was established by The Merchants & Citizens Bank of McRae in memory and honor of Dr. Fredrick Augustus Smith, Jr. The scholarship is based on financial need and is for students enrolled at the Little Ocmulgee Instructional Center located in Helena.
Students receiving the scholarships are Pamela Wooten of Alamo, Jodi McCranie of Helena, Barbara Grant of Glenwood, Kimberly Kenady of McRae, and Queen Willis of McRae.
Scholarships create opportunities to change lives. Those interested in establishing a scholarship or donating to an existing scholarship, please contact Laurie Wicker at (478) 274-7878 or foundation@heartofgatech.edu. The HGTC Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
Pictured (l-r); Pamela Wooten, Kimberly Kenady, Dr. Noward Abney, Jodi McCranie and Queen Willis. Not pictured: Barbara Grant.
HGTC presents Emergency Response Program to students and unveils mascots
http://www.macon.com/403/gallery/491269-a491191-t3.html
Photography class offered at HGTC
The Heart of Georgia Technical College Community Education Division recently offered a Photography class which was taught by Jim Sammons (pictured second from left). For information on upcoming classes, call 478-275-6592.
Representatives from the Dublin City Fire Department visited the Pre-k at Heart of Georgia Technical College. They spoke about their role as a firefighter and showed a safety video. The children received instruction on calling 911 in case of an emergency and learned how to stop, drop, and roll.
Work Ready program offers first GED scholarship
The Work Ready program at Heart of Georgia Technical College has granted its first GED scholarship to recipient, Todd Lumley.
Georgia’s Work Ready Program is designed to identify both the needs of businesses and the available skills of Georgia’s workforce, enabling the state to effectively generate the right talent for the right jobs. The program includes an assessment of skills and offers training to improve results in addition to job profiling on site for businesses.
Lumley, who is from Dublin, quit school in ninth grade because of problems at home and work, “I decided the problems were more important at the time.” Since quitting school, he has worked with his brother, Shawn at Lumley Tile, Stone, and Stucco.
Desiring a good job was the motivation Lumley needed to go back to school, “After being out of school for a while I decided that I really needed my education, and if I had any plans on getting a good job I at least needed my GED.”
Since returning to school, Lumley has found he is interested in more than one field of study, “I’ve made my mind up on either applied business or criminal justice but I tend to have more interest in court cases, laws, and things like that than I do business. So I believe I am going to start criminal justice classes in January at HGTC.”
When Lumley started back to school to earn his GED, he was surprised at how much he enjoyed the classes, “It has been a great experience. I’ve learned stuff that I’ve never even thought about and relearned a bunch of things that I managed to forget over the years I was out of school.” According to Lumley, his biggest challenge so far has been “relearning fractions.”
The Work Ready program continues to grow, “We are proud of the opportunities the Work Ready Region grant has given HGTC to assist our students, and hope to fund many more GED scholarships with this initiative. We believe the ability to earn a Work Ready Certificate along with a GED will open doors for higher-paying and higher-skilled jobs for our students, building a better future for them and a better workforce for our region,” according to Amy Harrelson, Work Ready and Community Education Coordinator.
The program has made a big difference in the way Lumley sees his future, “The experience was great and one that I will never forget. My plans will be to get my criminal justice diploma and get a job somewhere so I can make my own life.”
Mackey elected vice president of HGTC Foundation
The Heart of Georgia Technical College Foundation elected Penny Mackey as vice president at the September meeting. Mackey has served on the HGTC Foundation since July 2007.
Mackey is an attorney with the firm Robertson & Mackey and has been involved in the legal profession for over 20 years. She is a member of the State Bar of Georgia and American Trial Lawyers Association. She serves as a member of the Advisory Council for Office Technology with Heart of Georgia Technical College and is an alumnus of HGTC. Mackey is a member of Dudley Baptist Church. She is married and has three sons.
The HGTC Foundation is the fundraising arm of the college dedicated to raising and providing resources for HGTC’s educational excellence and innovation. The Foundation is guided by a volunteer board of trustees composed of business and community leaders from the Heart of Georgia Tech service area.
Area Residence for Kids (ARK) and Heart of Georgia Technical College are partnering to raffle a playhouse. The raffle kicked off at the ARK Benefit on September 30. Pictured is ARK board member, Art Plowden, selling tickets to Linda Nelson. Tickets are $1.00 each and can be purchased from ARK Board members or by contacting HGTC at 478-275-6589. The drawing will be December 8.
How to become Work Ready
In a challenging job market, possessing the right skills can go a long way in determining a job seeker's fate. Now, a new state initiative available through Heart of Georgia Technical College is helping applicants stand out among the crowd by matching them with the right jobs to fit their skills, while at the same time, meeting the needs of local employers.
"A Work Ready certificate matches a job applicant to a specific job," said Amy Harrelson, Work Ready/Community Education coordinator for HGTC. "Businesses have jobs profiled to determine what skills are required for entry and productive levels, and can hire an individual with the matching Work Ready scores."
The Georgia Work Ready initiative is a state economic development tool launched in 2006 through the Governor's Office of Workforce Development. The goal is to increase job opportunities for Georgia, and enable communities to find qualified job applicants and recruit new industries.
"The Work Ready Initiative is a move toward creating a skilled and trainable workforce for our state, in turn building the economic future of Georgia," said Harrelson.
Earlier this year, seven Work Ready regions were established through state grant funds, including two Middle Georgia regions — one that includes Houston, Bibb and Pulaski counties, and another that consists of Bleckley, Dodge, Johnson, Laurens, Telfair, Treutlen, Wheeler and Wilkinson counties.
According to Bob Dixon, Work Ready region project manager, the partnership between business and education is an economic development advantage for the entire Middle Georgia region.
"... Work Ready offers the best bridge ever between education and business in order to develop a workforce that will bring about growth and success in our communities," said Dixon. "Businesses that are looking to locate in Georgia will absolutely have Work Ready certified communities at the top of their check-off list."
The Work Ready initiative is two-fold: It features a skills assessment and certification for job seekers, and a job profiling system for businesses. The Work Ready certification is not just for entry-level jobs, however.
"It is for job seekers of all levels, as companies not only use this for hiring, they also use this for promotions," said Harrelson.
Work Ready certification is a plus for job applicants because it denotes to employers that a person has the skills required for the position they're seeking, she said.
To become certified, job seekers complete a three-part assessment that covers reading, math and a section on locating information.
"Each skill area in the assessment covers around 35 questions, and individuals are given 55 minutes to complete the questions," said Harrelson. "The assessment can be completed on the computer, or pencil and paper, although most businesses prefer their applicants assess via the computer."
To register for an assessment, visit the HGTC Web site at www.heartofgatech.edu and click on the Work Ready logo at the bottom right of the screen. Assessments are offered on the HGTC main campus in Dublin, the Little Ocmulgee Instruction Center campus in Helena, the Adult Education Centers in Bleckley and Dodge counties, and in the near future, at the Adult Education Center in Wilkinson County.
For more information on the Work Ready initiative, visit www.gaworkready.org or contact Harrelson at 478-274-3010 or Dixon at 478-274-7650.
Technology Fee Scholarship Awarded
Ten Little Ocmulgee Instructional Center students have received the Little Ocmulgee Instructional Center Technology Fee Scholarship from the Heart of Georgia Technical College Foundation for fall quarter.
Those receiving the award are Paula Turner of Lumber City, Kristin S. Randall of Helena, Tonja Peterson of Helena, Pamela R. Wooten of Alamo, Barbara Grant of Glenwood, Melissa Best of McRae, Kimberly Kenady of McRae, Queen Willis of McRae, and Jodi Williams of Helena.
The Technology Fee Scholarship is awarded quarterly to students enrolled in a program of study at Little Ocmulgee Instructional Center (LOIC) of the Heart of Georgia Technical College. The scholarship is awarded to students who are in a good academic standing with the college. The scholarship is also based on financial need and the amount of funds available for the award.
The HGTC Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization. If you would like to make a donation to support the technology fee scholarship, please contact Laurie Wicker at 478-274-7878 or 478-274-7880, or visit the Foundation website at www.heartofgatech.edu.
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