Four Wiregrass Georgia Technical College students have been selected as the college’s semi-finalists for the Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL), according to Dr. Cheryl Carvajal, coordinator for the Wiregrass GOAL program.

Chosen as semifinalists are Abbilyn Burke, EMS Professions, Valdosta Campus; Debanhi Martinez, Commercial Electrical Construction Tech, Valdosta Campus; Zachary Mize, Cybersecurity, Valdosta Campus; and Alex Richey, EMS Professions, Valdosta Campus.   

The purpose of the GOAL program is to spotlight the outstanding achievement of students in Georgia’s technical colleges and to emphasize the importance of technical education in today’s global workforce.

The top four candidates were among eight students who completed the first round of interviews and were nominated by their instructors from Wiregrass’ four campuses.  The other nominees were Davis Nipper, Commercial Electrical Construction Technology, Valdosta Campus; Russell Owen, Nursing Technician, Ben Hill-Irwin Campus; I’kia Rispress, Practical Nursing, Ben Hill-Irwin Campus; Katelyn Threatt, EMS Professions, Valdosta Campus; and Alexis Williams, Practical Nursing, Ben Hill-Irwin Campus 

The four finalists will take part in a second interview and evaluation by a selection committee of representatives from local businesses and industry.  That panel will consider the students’ qualities like academic achievement, personal character, leadership abilities, and enthusiasm for technical education.

GOAL, a statewide program of the Technical College System of Georgia, honors excellence in academics and leadership among the state’s technical college students.  GOAL winners are selected at each of the state’s 22 technical colleges, as well as one Board of Regents college with a technical education division. 

GOAL winners from each college will compete in regional judging in February.  In April, all college winners will travel to Atlanta where the nine regional finalists, three finalists from each of the three regions, will be announced and compete at the state level. One student will be named as the statewide GOAL winner. 

The state GOAL winner becomes the student ambassador for the Technical College System of Georgia and receives the grand prize of a new car.