Reeves family honors South Georgia Tech’s 2025 outstanding student Barbara Chestnut with scholarship

Published 6:38 pm Tuesday, January 28, 2025

South Georgia Technical College

Barbara Chestnut, the South Georgia Technical College 2025 Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL) winner, was presented with a scholarship in recognition of her nomination as the top student for the college by SGTC President Emeritus Sparky Reeves’ wife, Allene, at the 2025 GOAL Luncheon held in the John M. Pope Center recently. Chestnut is a Criminal Justice student from Mauk.

Former President Reeves and his wife, Allene, established this endowed fund with the South Georgia Technical College Foundation in 2010 to honor the college’s Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL) student and the Rick Perkins Instructor of the Year annually. They have been growing this fund for over 15 years. The first awards were presented in 2016 after his retirement from the college. The Reeves’ both recognized how important the instructors as well as the students are not only to the college but to the community.

“South Georgia Technical College is a special place,” said Allene Reeves. “My husband dedicated so much of his life to this institution and we wanted to give back to the outstanding students and instructors who have helped make this institution great. It is my pleasure to present this token of our appreciation to you for your nomination as the SGTC 2025 GOAL winner.”

The Reeves scholarship can be used towards tuition, fees, and supplies at the college as well to help Chestnut prepare for the state GOAL competition. The Reeves also recognized SGTC Instructor of the Year Mary Cross with a $500 stipend when after she was selected as the Rick Perkins Instructor of the Year honor at South Georgia Tech earlier.
Chestnut will now represent South Georgia Technical College at regional and state competitions in an effort to be selected as the top student within the Technical College System of Georgia. She was nominated for this honor by Teresa McCook, her Criminal Justice Instructor.

Chestnut was competing against two other top finalists for the GOAL award. Dakedra Rasberry of Vienna, a practical nursing student, and Tera Parker of Montezuma, a Culinary Arts student, were the other two finalists.

“On behalf of South Georgia Technical College, I would like to thank President Emeritus Sparky and Allene Reeves and their family for providing this scholarship to a very deserving student,” said SGTC President Dr. John Watford. “President Reeves and Allene have been special to South Georgia Tech for many years and they continue to demonstrate their commitment to the college, its faculty, staff, and students.”

SGTC Foundation Executive Director and SGTC Vice President of Institutional Advancement Su Ann Bird echoed Dr. Watford’s comments by thanking the Reeves family for their support of the South Georgia Technical College Foundation. “On behalf of the foundation and the students that it serves, I would like to thank the Reeves for giving back to the students and faculty at South Georgia Tech. They have both seen how important the foundation and its supporters are to the success of the college and we are very appreciative of their efforts,” said Bird.

For more information about making a donation or establishing an endowed scholarship at South Georgia Technical College, contact Su Ann Bird, SGTC Vice President of Institutional Advancement and SGTC Foundation Executive Director at 229-931-2011 or sbird@southgatech.edu. Tax deductible donations may also be mailed to the SGTC Foundation, P.O. Box 6102, Americus GA 31709.