FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 23, 2008
Contact Ben Chambers, (770) 537-5756

WALMART.COM DONATION TO AID CARROLL COUNTY GED STUDENTS

Carroll County LIFT Coordinator Laura Miller and WCTC Vice President of Institutional Advancement Dawn Cook outside of Walmart.com after receiving checks to support adult education in Carroll County.

The West Central Technical College Foundation and Carroll County LIFT were recipients August 18 of grants from Walmart.com of $1,000 each.

LIFT coordinator Laura Miller and WCTC Vice President of Institutional Advancement Dawn Cook were on hand for a presentation ceremony at the Walmart.com distribution center in Carroll County. Both organizations will use the grants to aid the WCTC Adult Education division as it provides GED preparation and testing to Carroll County adults.

In the case of LIFT, “the $1,000 will be used for five GED scholarships for financially needy adults who cannot afford the $95 GED testing fees” Miller said. “We’ll also provide school supplies for local shelters and literacy classes.”

The WCTC Foundation donation goes toward its Adult Education and Literacy Fund, which supports GED preparation and testing at West Central Tech.

“According to the latest census data, about 18,000 adults in Carroll County lack a high school diploma,” Cook said. “Last year, West Central Technical College’s Adult Education program produced 849 GED graduates across Carroll, Coweta, Douglas and Haralson counties who decided to take control of their futures and take that first big step. Just based on sheer numbers, there are thousands more who desire this instruction and this most fundamental of education credentials. The Foundation is working to make this possible in our community.”

WCTC President Dr. Skip Sullivan agreed. “When I speak to GED graduations, I often tell them that the GED is the hardest diploma to earn, bar none. There is such a fear and dread of taking that first step and going back to school, that if you can do that, you should know that there is no dream too big for you to achieve,” Sullivan said. “We are proud to work with LIFT and literacy programs like it throughout our area.”

West Central Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas and Haralson counties, offers over 90 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Central last year served over 10,000 students including credit enrollment, adult education, ESL classes, continuing education and corporate training. In FY 2008, West Central was the fastest-growing technical college in Georgia.

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