GOAL
Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership
 

In 2006, the Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL) program, which focuses on excellence in technical education, celebrated its 35th year. During GOAL Week, as declared and named by our Governor, outstanding students attending Georgia’s technical colleges and divisions are recognized for academic excellence and personal achievement. From this outstanding group of students, a panel of judges selects one student, the state GOAL Winner, to serve as the statewide Student of the Year and ambassador of technical education in Georgia.

GOAL competition begins early in the year. Technical college instructors across Georgia identify their most promising students and nominate them for GOAL based on academic achievement and personal leadership. The first phase of GOAL takes place at the local technical college level. As nominees move through an interview process, the screening committee selects the top student to represent their college and community. The state-level competition involves another round of interviews as each college winner receives individual consideration from a panel of judges for the state title. The winning GOAL student serves as an ambassador for technical education in Georgia. He or she will make many public appearances throughout the year including addresses to the Georgia General Assembly, the Governor, and the Technical College System of Georgia Leadership Conference to name a few.

 

"All of the students we judged will make outstanding employees. I wish I could hire them all!" Preliminary Judge Mr. Lee Hunter Vice President of Information Technology Southwire Company Carrollton, Georgia

GOAL is more than an awards banquet; it is a weeklong who’s who event where Georgia’s business, government and industry leaders join our technical colleges to celebrate technical education’s vital impact on Georgia’s workforce, prosperity and future. GOAL strives to stimulate the community’s interest in and knowledge of technical education by recognizing outstanding student talent as well as strengthening the association between educators and the business community. GOAL emphasizes the importance of technical education in today's world and rewards students who exemplify excellence in their chosen program of study. The recipient of the statewide GOAL award is recognized as the Technical College System of Georgia’s Student of the Year and a new automobile is awarded as the grand prize.

Technical College System of Georgia, DeVry University,
FOX5 Atlanta, and Georgia Real jointly sponsor GOAL.

     

2006 GOAL winner, Kayla Chaney, a Radiologic Technology student from Okefenokee Technical College anticipates receiving her degree in 2007. Prior to attending Okefenokee Technical College, Kayla received her diploma from Coffee County High School in 2004.

Kayla feels very strongly that community service is important. As a young child, Kayla’s mother Cyndee took her to the area food bank where she would bag groceries for those in need, stock shelves, whatever needed to be done to help. Kayla has volunteered her time over the years with organizations such as the 4H Pet Therapy program and with a local swim program for children with disabilities. She has also tutored for her local HOPE Center. Kayla and her family are very active in the First Assembly of God church. She serves as a leader of their Christian Ambassadors.

Winning the state GOAL title was not the first honor or award for Kayla, whose achievements include the Nursing Apprenticeship at Coffee County Regional Hospital and Senior Humanitarian Award from Coffee County High School. Kayla is also involved with the Student Government Association at Okefenokee Tech and has been their student ambassador since 2005. Kayla was also awarded a nursing scholarship her senior year in high school. It became apparent to her as she worked at Coffee County Regional Hospital that the LPN students from the local technical college were much better prepared than the students from a traditional college. She attributed that to the LPN students beginning clinical experiences in their first quarter of the program whereas the RN students didn’t go into the clinical setting until the second year of their program. It became clear that this was the path she wanted to take for her career in radiation therapy.

Kayla stated that she chose technical education because “I love the idea that I would be training not only in the classroom but in a clinical setting as well.” Kayla’s career objective is to obtain her degree in radiation therapy through radiologic technology.

Kayla’s hobbies include all water sports – fishing and swimming.

Kayla was awarded a brand new 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt car, as the 2006 state GOAL winner. Chevrolet partnered with the Technical College System of Georgia and sponsored this grand prize car. The awarding of a car is symbolic because it enables the state winner to, literally, go wherever their aspirations lead them. Kayla proved to be that person, and we know that she is eager to show off her new Chevrolet Cobalt as she travels the state promoting technical education.

Agency press release: www.dtae.org/press/Goal06.html

 

About GOAL First launched in 1971, GOAL focuses on student excellence in technical education by focusing on academic excellence and personal achievement. A panel of judges selects one student, the state GOAL Winner, to serve as an ambassador of technical education in Georgia.   GOAL winners represent the “new image” of Georgia’s technical colleges. Students must recognize technical education’s critical impact on Georgia’s overall economic health, have a strong work ethic, a dedicated sense of loyalty, and a healthy enthusiasm for promoting technical education in Georgia. GOAL winners are the best possible advertisement for technical education. They prove every day that the best technical education consists of more than manipulative skills. Technical education prepares us for the world of work. GOAL students are an indication of what technical education at its best can achieve and of the caliber of individuals who are choosing Georgia’s technical colleges. The winning GOAL student serves as an ambassador for technical education in Georgia and makes many public appearances throughout the year including addresses to the Georgia General Assembly, Governor, Legislative Breakfast, and DTAE Leadership Conference to name a few. Previous Goal Winners College GOAL Coordinators GOAL Planning Committee