Ashley Strong-Green, an English and Humanities Instructor, has been named the 2017 Rick Perkins Award Instructor of the Year for Augusta Technical College.

The announcement was made at the Faculty and Staff Meeting on Monday, November 28, 2016, at Augusta Technical College.

Mrs. Strong-Green was selected from among 10 participating nominees for this year’s award. She has taught at Augusta Technical College since August 2013.

The Rick Perkins Award for Excellence in Technical Instruction honors the Technical College System of Georgia’s most outstanding instructors. The award has been an ongoing statewide event since 1991 and is designed to recognize technical college instructors who make significant contributions to technical education through innovation and leadership in their fields. Formerly known as the Commissioner’s Award of Excellence, the award was renamed in honor and memory of Thomas “Rick” Perkins, an instructor at West Georgia Technical College.

The announcement of Strong-Green as the Augusta Technical College RPA winner was made by President Terry Elam.

“I am honored,” stated Strong-Green. “My heart is in my work and to have the college acknowledge that commitment is one of the many reasons why I love being a part of the Augusta Tech family.”

Mrs. Strong-Green will represent Augusta Technical College at the regional competition at Central Georgia Technical College in Warner Robins on March 1, 2017, and will participate in the state conference at the Grand Hyatt Atlanta on April 11-12, 2017.

Jesstin Chandler, a Design and Media Production Technology student at Augusta Technical College, has been named as the college’s winner of the Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership.

Chandler was chosen by a panel of local leaders from The Optimist Club of Augusta and the Augusta Technical College Foundation Board over three other nominees for the award.  The runners-up were:  Mr. Christian Dueberry, Computer Programming; Ms. Marianne Duckworth, Environmental Horticulture; and Ms. Julissa Sanchez, Early Childhood Care and Education.

The announcement of Chandler as the winner was made by President Terry D. Elam at the college’s GOAL Award Luncheon on Monday, November 28, 2017.  The luncheon is sponsored by the Optimist Club of Augusta.

GOAL, a statewide program of the Technical College System of Georgia, honors excellence in academics and leadership among the state’s technical college students. Local 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.

Chandler will now proceed to regional judging.  All technical college winners will receive an all-expense-paid trip to Atlanta in April.  Nine regional finalists, three finalists from each of the three regions, will be announced in Atlanta on April 12, 2017.  A panel of leaders from the business, industry, and government sectors will interview them and choose one to be the 2017 state GOAL winner and the recipient of the GOAL medallion.  The grand prize also includes a new car.

"Learning is not a step on the path, rather it is the destination," stated Chandler. “I am equally humbled and excited to have this amazing opportunity to represent my college and tell everyone about the benefits and importance of technical education.”

Chandler is the son of John and Katrina Chandler from Evans, GA.  He chose to attend Augusta Technical College to earn his degree and pursue a career as a videographer, photographer, and documentarian.