Outstanding Tech Studies Students
Bainbridge College Honors Five GOAL Nominees, Bruss Wins

Bainbridge College honors its GOAL winner and nominees. Georgia Outstanding Awards of Leadership honorees are (L-R) Sharon Jackson, GOAL Winner Michelle Bruss, Erin Edwards, Sheila Alexander and Deborah Brown.

Bainbridge College (BC) honored five outstanding students in the Technical Studies Division with a reception at which Michelle Bruss of Bainbridge was named winner of the 2007 Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL) program.

Nominated by Doris Carmichael, the Practical Nursing program student, who has family in Seminole County and Chattahoochee, FL, will compete for the state title in May. She will have an all expenses paid trip to Atlanta for three days of competition with students from 37 other technical colleges and divisions for the title of State GOAL.

Ms. Bruss is president of BC LPN Club and plans to continue her education to earn an associate degree in nursing. She hopes to train as a paramedic and become a nurse for the Life Flight helicopter program.

The other nominees honored at the March 29 event in the Administration Building were all from Decatur County. They are as follows.

” Sheila Alexander, who has family in Colquitt, is in the Early Childhood Care and Education program. She was nominated by Valley Rogers.

” Deborah Brown, who has family in Seminole County, is a student in the Administrative Office Technology program. She was nominated by Shirley Beck, who was recognized during the program for her 10 years of service as BC GOAL coordinator.

Erin Edwards, who is from Miller County and whose husband, Chase Edwards, has family in Camilla, is a student in the Practical Nursing program. She was nominated by Gena Peterson.

Sharon Jackson of Attapulgus, a student in the Practical Nursing program, was nominated by Wanda Green.

BC President Dr. Tom Wilkerson, who spoke briefly at the ceremony and congratulated the winner, assisted GOAL Coordinator David Maxwell in distributing certificates to each nominee. Dr. Karen Hill, Technical Studies Division chair, gave an overview of the GOAL program and its history and thanked Mrs. Beck for her 10 years as coordinator. Dr. Hill noted that the five nominees were selected from among more than 1,600 Tech Studies students at BC.

Technical Studies instructors nominated their top students for GOAL, which is sponsored at the state level by Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education (DTAE), said Maxwell. GOAL recognizes and rewards excellence among the more than 155,000 students studying full-time at Georgia's technical colleges.

Established in 1971 by the Business Council of Georgia and DTAE, it was the first statewide program in the nation to honor outstanding technical education students. The title is awarded for excellence in leadership and ability. The state winner will receive the GOAL medallion and a new automobile and will serve as ambassador for GOAL and Georgia's technical studies institutions.

Each nominee was interviewed by and gave a prepared speech to a BC committee. The committee recommended that all five nominees be interviewed by a Selection Committee of business representatives who selected the winner. That committee was coordinated by Bainbridge-Decatur County Chamber of Commerce.

The BC committee included Angela Baulkman, Greg Mc- Donald, Marcía McRae, Spencer Stewart and Dr. Stan Webb. In making their choices, they considered grades, character, attitude, leadership, attendance, personal goals and enthusiasm.

The Chamber's committee included Glennie Bench - Southwest GA Oil Company, Suzi Bonifay - Decatur County Schools, Brad Ward - Shaw Industries, Jay Wells - Georgia Power, Loretta Harrell - BASF and Cile Warr - Chamber of Commerce.