David Bush, an air conditioning technology student from Cuthbert, has been named as South Georgia Technical College’s Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL) winner for 2020. He will represent the college in regional and state level competitions, in an effort to be declared the statewide Student of the Year and the face of technical education in Georgia.
South Georgia Technical College (SGTC) President, Dr. John Watford, made the announcement during a recent breakfast on the Americus campus. The breakfast was held in honor of the four 2020 GOAL finalists, which included Sierra Berry (practical nursing), Garrett Kennedy (motorsports technology), and Matthew Ross (air conditioning technology) in addition to Bush.
“I’m going to try my best to represent not only my fellow nominees, but also South Georgia Technical College the best that I can wherever I go,” Bush said. “I am extremely humbled that I was the lucky one to be up here today.”
During the luncheon, special remarks and presentations were made by GOAL sponsors and supporters Carolyn Wright on behalf of the Sumter County Chamber of Commerce, Don Smith on behalf of the Americus Rotary Club, and SGTC President Emeritus Sparky Reeves and his wife Allene.
The field began with 12 GOAL nominees, but was narrowed to four following an original round of interviews with the GOAL screening committee – composed of SGTC employees Paul Farr, Dr. Deborah Jones, Julie Partain, Sammy Stone and Dianne Trueblood. Later, the four finalists interviewed with the selection committee – made up of community leaders Carolyn Wright, President and CEO, Americus-Sumter County Chamber of Commerce; Dr. Dorothy Ingram, Assistant Principal of Webster County Schools; Rev. Michael Coley, First United Holiness Church of Montezuma; Ms. Mattye Gordon, SGTC Board of Directors; and Kim Christmas, Vice President of Human Resources, PharmaCentra.
Bush will proceed to regional judging later this month. In April. Nine regional finalists – three finalists from each of the three regions – will be announced in Atlanta during the Technical College System of Georgia’s State level competitions. A panel of leaders from the business, industry and government sectors will interview them and choose one to be the 2020 State GOAL Winner and the recipient of the GOAL medallion. Additionally, the state winner becomes the spokesperson for technical education in Georgia for the entire year and is awarded a car from Kia Motors.