Jennifer Hinds of Rocky Face wanted to work in education, but she didn’t have a High School diploma. So as a first step, she went to Georgia Northwestern Technical College’s Adult Education Center in Dalton and earned her GED diploma.
“I just like helping the kids,” said Ms. Hinds. “I know that they are our future and I want to help them to be prepared for it.”
She knew that additional credentials were necessary to work in education so she went on to pass the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators test.
The GACE assessments consist of six main assessment types: Program Admission, Content, Certificate Upgrade, Educational Leadership, Georgia Ethics, and Paraprofessional. Ms. Hinds chose the Paraprofessional Assessment because she wanted to assist in the classroom.
“I started out wanting to be a substitute teacher, then I looked up paraprofessionals and decided that it was right for me,” said Ms.Hinds. “Right now I am doing volunteer work as a teacher’s assistant.”
The Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators is Georgia’s state-approved educator certification assessment program. The purpose of GACE assessments is to help the Georgia Professional Standards Commission ensure that candidates have the knowledge and skills needed to perform the job of an educator in Georgia’s public schools.
According to Kerry Bankston, lead teacher and site manager for the Adult Education Center in Whitfield County, Ms. Hinds is a great fit to be a paraprofessional.
"As an adult education student, Jennifer Hinds was a role model of determination and participation, said Ms. Bankston. “Her character traits of honesty, integrity, determination, and kindness will serve her well in the future."
Ms. Hinds also plans to pursue a diploma in Elementary and Childhood Care at GNTC’s Whitfield Murray Campus.
“A lot of good jobs and careers out there require a High School diploma and earning my GED diploma opened up many opportunities,” said Ms. Hinds. “So showing that I continued my education at a college will open up even more prospects.”