Wiregrass Georgia Technical College President, DeAnnia Clements, announced Adult Education Teacher, Renee Elliott, as the 2025 Adult Education Teacher of the Year Award winner. The Adult Education Teacher of the Year Award is sponsored by the Technical College System of Georgia. 

The Teacher of the Year Award program is in its fourth year and is designed to recognize and honor instructors who make significant contributions to adult learners who are seeking to complete their high school equivalency degrees.  Adult Education instructors are nominated for the Teacher of the Year Award by their peers throughout the college. College finalists participated in a selection process and interview with a panel of their peers. This year’s finalists were Mallory Buckler, Adult Education Services Instructor – Lowndes County, Joan Duffie, Adult Education Services Instructor – Ben Hill County, Renee Elliott, Adult Education Services Instructor – Coffee County, and Sandra Scurry, Adult Education Services Instructor – Coffee County.

 

Elliot has been teaching in education for fifteen years, and fourteen of those years have been with Wiregrass’ Adult Education program.  She shared, “Every person can learn something is my teaching philosophy.  This type of thinking ensures that I am inclusive of each student and their potential to succeed.  Having this approach allows students to feel valued and become more motivated to participate in the lesson.”   Elliot feels her favorite teaching moments are when her students are actively engaged in learning when someone says out loud, “Oh! I get it” or “I never knew that before.”  She also feels it is wonderful to have a collaborative learning environment where students can learn from each other.  Elliot attended college at East Central Tech (now Wiregrass Georgia Technical College) where she received an Inofrmation  and Office Technology degree, South Georgia College (now South Georgia State College) where she earned an Associate of Arts in General Studies and an Associate of Science in Education; then she graduated from Valdosta State University with a Bachelors of Arts in Early Childhood Education.

Elliot will represent Wiregrass at the state interview competition in March 2025 in Atlanta.  For more information about the free adult education classes offered at Wiregrass Tech visit Wiregrass.edu.