Literacy group honors contributors, volunteers, 2 GED grads
On Tuesday, Oct. 17, Catoosa Citizens for Literacy held a luncheon to honor those who help meet the needs of GED students and others working to increase their literacy or achieve an academic goal.
“This work is a collaborative effort,” said Shirley Smith, executive director of the Catoosa County Learning Center. “It’s all of these people working together that makes our success possible.”
The list of people and groups that support the Learning Center is long and impressive, but the highlight of the celebration luncheon was hearing the stories of two GED students who won $500 scholarships toward their future college education.
Mary Armour was awarded the Roger and Kay Bowman Scholarship to help toward her goal of becoming a first-grade teacher.
In an essay read aloud at the luncheon, Armour shared how she dropped out of school in the 11th grade because she didn’t have enough credits to graduate.
“If only I knew the things I know now,” she wrote, “I would have worked harder to finish.”
“I am a wife and the mother of two beautiful children,” Armour continued and went on to write about how important it is for her children to see that she is as serious about her education as she is about theirs. “You are never too young or too old to better yourself.”
Joan Freeman was awarded the Catoosa Citizens for Literacy Scholarship, which she plans to use toward studying forensics. Freeman wrote in an essay she read aloud that while she was born in 1966, the true journey of her life began in 2015 when she was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer. “Going through the bi-weekly chemo process and working two jobs, I did not once ever think to just give up. As a very wise wizard once said, ‘One day we must all make the choice between what is right and what is easy.’”
Freeman has been cancerfree for three years. Many people would feel that was accomplishment enough and she deserved a rest, but at 52 years old, Freeman decided to take her GED and go to college. She signed on at the Catoosa Learning Center and wrote that not only did she learn what she needed to pass her GED, “I have gained so much more, such as gratefulness, empowerment and determination to keep going!”
In addition to the two GED students that were specifically honored at the luncheon, four volunteers received special recognition:
Deborah Hester, who has worked at the learning center for nearly 20 years and teaches daytime and evening classes.
Sandra Russell, who taught in public schools for 30 years and private schools for three years and has taught adult education for nine years.
Joe Jackson, who has worked in banking and as a disc jockey and has worked in adult education for 20 years.
Liz Lawson, who is a sign language interpreter and came to the learning center to help in that capacity.
The list of people honored as contributors in various ways is long but worth sharing as an example of how much support there is in the area for helping those who are willing to work themselves to reach new goals in life. Students run the gamut from those learning to read to those pursuing a GED to those working to improve English language skills so they can better function within their communities.
Contributors
The governments of Catoosa County, Fort Oglethorpe and Ringgold
The Braden Group/bedford Place Apartments Dynasty Group
Georgia Northwestern Technical College
Kiwanis Club of Fort Oglethorpe
Kiwanis Club of Ringgold Ringgold Rotary Club Ringgold Telephone Company
Roger and Kay Bowman Learning Center staff members: Shirley Smith, executive director; Larry Renfro, bus driver; Charlotte Chapman, childcare provider; Darla Crawford, educational coordinator
Tutors and volunteers: Nancy Everett, reading; Pat Morgan, all GED subjects; Donna Pierce, English as a second language; Joanne Ritchie, reading; Mary Stephens, math; Sarah Young, computer classes
Collaborative partners
Catoosa County Family Collaborative and Catoosa Prevention Initiative
Catoosa County Board of Education, Parent Involve- ment/title One, Catoosa County Pre-k Program, Communities in Schools
Catoosa County Chamber of Commerce
Catoosa County Health Department
Catoosa County Library Catoosa County News Catoosa County Sheriff’s Department
Chattanooga Times Free Press
Department of Family and Children Services
Family Resource Agency of North Georgia — Head Start Imagination Library Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit
Mr. Paul Croft
North Georgia YMCA Share America Foundation UCTV-3
Victory Signs
Officers: Melissa Holcombe, Chairman; Richard Groves, Co-chairman; Lynn Latimer, Treasurer; Kristy Jablonski, Secretary
A dinner of chicken, potatoes, vegetables and bread pudding was catered by Bailey’s BBQ.