Local & State Headlines

ATC students win GOAL

• A soon-to-be dental assistant will represent Albany in a statewide competition of technical college students.

Barbara Rivera Holmes

ALBANY — For someone who had initially not given a thought to technical school, Ashlee Johnson has made quite a name for herself within its community. The 22-year-old dental assisting student has been named Albany Technical College’s 2008 GOAL student of the year.

“I’m just ecstatic. It’s overwhelming with joy,” she said. “I’m very honored to be selected. I love technical college.”

Johnson said she graduated from Lee County High School in 2003 without a clear future career path. She later enrolled at Darton College, where she pursued an associate’s degree in early childhood education.

“It’s not for me,” she said of her former major Thursday during the Albany Rotary Club GOAL recognition luncheon.

Meanwhile, she said, many of her friends were studying at Albany Tech and enjoying it. Johnson, of Leesburg, said she left Darton and enrolled in Albany Tech’s medical transcription program.

But it was listening to the excitement of the dental assistant students that drew her interest in a career in dentistry.

“I’ve always loved going to my dentist,” said Johnson, showing a set of straight pearly whites.

Part of the college’s appeal, Johnson said, is the personal attention paid to students and the approach to education.

At Albany Tech, “everyone cares and are willing to help,” said Johnson, who specifically pointed out the support of instructors Priscilla Ryals and Linda Cauley.

She added, “I like the hands-on at the technical college. From day one you are working on the mannequins.”

The GOAL (Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership) program began in 1971 and focuses on academic excellence and personal achievement by students in the now Technical College System of Georgia.

Students are recommended for the GOAL recognition; the pool is as broad as enrollment. Johnson was one of 12 initially in the formal running. On Thursday, she was one of four students — the other three finalists were Bonnie Matthews, Kathleen Tucker and Michelle Rodriguez — to vie for the schoolwide title.

Finalists were selected by a panel of community leaders.

“The competition was fierce and the final scores were extremely close,” Wendy Martin, executive vice president of the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce and a member of the selection panel. “Certainly, Ashlee was enthusiastically appreciative of the benefits and advantages of technical education.

“She believes it (technical college education) has ensured success for her in her career goals,” Martin said, “which will make her an effective advocate for technical education across the state.”

Albany Tech’s 2007 GOAL student, Keldrique Johnson, went on to win the state title. He was the second Albany Tech state GOAL winner.

Johnson will represent Albany Tech at the state competition next month in Atlanta.

“I would be honored to be the (tech school) ambassador for Georgia,” she said.

Johnson, whose father is a physician’s assistant and mother a nurse, earns her dental assistant certificate at the end of the quarter. Already enrolled in Albany Tech’s allied health associate’s program, she said she’ll likely pursue a bachelor’s degree at Albany State University.

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