AMERICUS — South Georgia Technical College’s (SGTC) Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) Design and Implementation Committee recently held a pep rally to help kick off the Reaching Every Academic Dream (R.E.A.D.) initiative. The pep rally was held in the Hangar (James S. Peters Gymnasium) on SGTC’s Americus campus. Students performed songs, poems, spoken word, and other creative performances to show their creativity and their understanding of the R.E.A.D. QEP initiative.
Students, faculty, staff, and friends of SGTC participated in a lively celebration of R.E.A.D., a special initiative to promote reading engagement across the curriculum. Sydney King of Albany, a computer information systems student, and Blake Tippins of Americus, marketing management, were the student hosts for the pep rally. They announced each performance and helped keep up the crowd’s energy during the pep rally.
The Hype Crew, which led the crowd in a R.E.A.D chant, consisted of SGTC students Johnathan Jones of Decatur, computer information systems; Steve Cole of Acworth, practical nursing; De’Anfernee Burch of Lithia Springs, aviation maintenance technology; Adriatica Clark of Americus, early childhood care and rducation; Nalia Brown of Loganville, computer information systems; Brandon Brown of Preston, culinary arts; and La’Kiesta Davis of Americus, computer information systems.
The Support Crew members included Nathan Ashley of Centerville, computer information systems; Andrew Johnson of Union City, early childhood care and education; Alicia English of Americus, business technology; Courtney Greene of Americus, business technology; Fredrica Hardeman of Cordele, early childhood care and education; Haley Jones of Sylvester, computer information systems; Martha Noles of Butler, computer information systems; and Angelica Sims of Americus, computer information systems.
Several early childhood care and education students participated in poetry readings, which consisted of pieces that related to the R.E.A.D. initiative. Those students included Phalisha Cromer of Americus, Betty Crudup of Buena Vista, Gregory Patterson of Americus, Fredrica Hardeman of Cordlee, Priscilla Bridges of Preston and Naquesha Hurley of Americus.
A contest was held for student expression, and prizes were awarded to the top three performers. Alicia English of Americus, a business technology student, took the top prize for her spoken word performance. Second place was awarded to Doug Jones of Perry, air conditioning technology student, who performed a song called “Reading Out Loud.” He was assisted by Adriatica Clark of Americus. The third-place winner of the competition was Martha Noles of Butler, computer information dystems student, who performed a sketch called “Open the Book: The Thoughts of an Artist.” The performances were evaluated by a panel of judges which included SGTC Vice President of Student Affairs, Institutional Support, and Technology Karen Werling; general education instructor Paul Farr; psychology instructor Michele Seay, and English instructor/QEP Design and Implementation Committee co-chair Raven Payne.
Other participants in the contest included Fierra Riley of Americus, cosmetology, who performed a poem called “Book Visions;” Steve Cole of Acworth, computer information dystems, and Jonathan Jones of Decatur, practical nursing, who performed a rap called “The Book and the Rapper;” Courtney Greene of Americus, business technology, who performed a hula hoop routine to the “Reading Rainbow” theme; Alexandria Lopez of Americus, Morgan Polite of Brunswick, and Adrian Thomas of Oglethorpe, marketing management students, who all performed a poem called “Bilingual Interpretation” that was written by Thomas.
The Americus Sumter High School (ASHS) South Campus Drum Line also performed for the pep rally with lively drum routines. They were led by Director Debra Hughes and Assistant Director Roy Eaddy, and consisted of ASHS students Jartavious Milledge, Kelsey Robinson, Quantavious Warren, DJ Middleton, Reggie Walters, Marcus Alford, Quadirah Hawkins, Keauntavious Wilson, Jaleisha Mann, Carlos Lundy, Emanuel Ingram, Omar Clark and Kimberly Worthy.
Andrea Ingram, computer information systems instructor and QEP Design and Implementation Committee co-chair, coordinated the pep rally, and thanked students, faculty, and staff for their participation.
The South Georgia Tech QEP Design and implementation committee consists of chair David Kuipers, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs; Andrea Ingram and Raven Payne, co-chairs; and members Karen Bloodworth, marketing management instructor; Brenda Hudson Boone, accounting instructor; Audra Cook, registrar assistant; Jaye Cripe, early childhood care and education instructor; Mary Cross, marketing management instructor; Linda Edge, administrative assistant; Paul Farr, general education instructor; Gwen Hall, accounts payable technician; Kyle Hartsfield, heavy equipment dealers service technology instructor; LaKenya Johnson, special services disabilities  coordinator; Deborah Jones, Ed. D., sssistant vice president for Student Navigation; Teresa McCook, criminal justice technology instructor; Dorothea Lusane-McKenzie, cosmetology instructor; Michele Seay, psychology instructor; Jerry Stovall, firector of Library and Media Services; Dianne Trueblood, media decialist; Yolanda Tyson, financial aid assistant; and Valerie Winheim, marketing coordinator.
South Georgia Tech’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), R.E.A.D. (Reaching Every Academic Dream) is designed to promote reading engagement and comprehension, promote development of stronger reading skills, enhance program engagement, create a desire to read, and ultimately, improve student learning as well as college and workforce success. The initiative will be assessed using direct assessment in vocabulary growth, reading comprehension and recognition, and critical analysis of reading materials linked to each of SGTC’s program areas. As a result of the implementation of the R.E.A.D. initiative, students will become better informed about their chosen career and will be more fully engaged both as students and employees upon graduation/completion.
SGTC’s R.E.A.D. Hype Crew and Support Crews are pictured with Ace at the recent R.E.A.D. initiative pep rally and kickoff.