Kim Whitlock became the first student to earn a GED diploma through Georgia Northwestern Technical College’s (GNTC) Adult Learning Center located in the Fairmount Community Center.
“It was an awesome feeling being the first one to graduate from here,” said Ms.
Whitlock. “Knowing that I needed to do better, for my husband and my boys, was my main motivation to return to school.”
The classes in Fairmount were launched in fall 2014 to give easier access to residents on the eastern side of Gordon County. GNTC also offers adult education classes in Calhoun to Gordon County residents.
“It made everything a whole lot easier,” said Ms. Whitlock. “The Fairmount facility is just ten minutes away from me versus going to the Gordon County Campus in Calhoun.”
The classes in Fairmount came about because teachers in Gordon County started to realize that there was a lot of students with Fairmount addresses that would come to the Calhoun location to register, but were not able to complete the program.
As a result, GNTC instructors and administrators met with Harry Pierce, mayor of Fairmount, and city council members about setting up a local Adult Education program.
“They did everything we needed and offered us this space at the Community Center rent free,” said Lisa McKinney, adult education instructor at GNTC and instructor for the Fairmount Adult Learning Center. “The City of Fairmount and GNTC has really been a great partnership and we also have folks coming in from other places on this side of Gordon County.”
Ms. Whitlock plans to continue her education with Georgia Northwestern while working during the weekdays.
“I plan to take some online classes on nights and weekends and to get into the Medical Assisting program,” said Ms. Whitlock.