Chatt Tech Honors EAGLE Student

Gidgetta Wilcher, a recent GED graduate, has been chosen to represent at the Exceptional Adult Georgian in Literacy Education Leadership Institute in Atlanta from Feb. 13 to 15. The Leadership Institute recognizes and honors those students who have demonstrated superior achievement in adult education classes and programs.

When Wilcher was 18 years old, she was preparing for a graduation that slipped through her fingers. Just two days before the ceremony, Wilcher’s high school counselor informed her that she was lacking a math class that would have to be made up in summer school.

“I was devastated because I thought I had all of my credits and my GPA was a 2.0,” Wilcher said. “I was also expecting my oldest daughter and I had no way of getting to summer school due to the lack of transportation.”

Life without her high school diploma meant something was missing, according to the 41 year old who is now enrolled in CTC’s Healthcare Assistant program. The lack of it weighed on her mind for about 22 years.

“There wasn’t a year that went by that I didn’t think about not having my high school diploma,” Wilcher said. “I was so close to obtaining it that the very fact that I didn’t have it really bothered me. I wasn’t a high school dropout, and I refused to get a GED for one little math credit. I struggled with this for almost 22 years. Then I finally decided that it was time to get my GED.”

Wilcher decided the time was right after the job she had held for 12 years was eliminated in April 2010. Instead of looking for a new job, she chose to make a phone call that would put her on a track to continuing her education. She called Chattahoochee Technical College.

“Within two to three weeks, I was attending the GED classes and within six months; I had passed the GED test on the first try,” Wilcher said. “Personally, I don’t think I would have been able to accomplish this so quickly if I had been working.”

Now with her GED in hand, she has enrolled in classes at Chattahoochee Technical College with the goal of becoming a nurse.

“Gidgetta was very studious and determined to achieve her goal from day one,” said Adult Education Instructor Rebecca Wilke. “She asked for more homework than anyone else and stayed after class to ask questions. We are very proud that she is in the nursing program and chose her as our EAGLE to honor her hard work and dedication.”

EAGLE is the first statewide program in the nation that recognizes and rewards excellence among students enrolled in adult education programs. This student recognition program is designed to create greater awareness of educational opportunities that are available in local communities across the state and to foster greater involvement in lifelong learning pursuits.

The Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) through its Office of Adult Education (OAE) sponsors the annual Exceptional Adult Georgian in Literacy Education (EAGLE) Leadership Institute.