Education
Education

Ga Tech College System honors student and faculty member of the year

Heather Williamson is the 2019 Technical College System of Georgia’s recipient of its Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership. She received the program’s grand prize: program’s grand prize: a new, made-in-Georgia 2019 KIA Optima, courtesy of KIA Motors Manufacturing Georgia and delivered by Ed Voyles KIA of Chamblee. PHOTO CREDIT: TECHNICAL COLLEGE SYSTEM OF GEORGIA.
Heather Williamson is the 2019 Technical College System of Georgia’s recipient of its Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership. She received the program’s grand prize: program’s grand prize: a new, made-in-Georgia 2019 KIA Optima, courtesy of KIA Motors Manufacturing Georgia and delivered by Ed Voyles KIA of Chamblee. PHOTO CREDIT: TECHNICAL COLLEGE SYSTEM OF GEORGIA.
By
Updated April 22, 2019

A Middle Georgia woman who dreams of educating young children and a faculty member who has overcome kidney failure received top honors from a state agency as its student and instructor of the year.

The Technical College System of Georgia last week named Central Georgia Technical College’s Heather Williamson its Student of the Year and Leyner Argueta, a faculty member at Georgia Northwestern Technical College, its Instructor of the Year.

Williamson’s goals include earning her bachelor’s degree and working her way toward a position as an assistant principal of instruction for a school district. She will graduate with her associate’s degree May 3 and will serve as a speaker for the college’s commencement ceremony.

Argueta teaches Management and Supervisory Development and has overcome many obstacles growing up including being born with only one hand and being diagnosed with kidney failure at the age of 21.

Argueta and Williamson learned their won the awards at a ceremony attended by Gov. Brian Kemp.

Leyner Argueta, a Business Management instructor at Georgia Northwestern Technical College, is the winner of the 2019 Rick Perkins Award for Excellence in Technical Instruction from the Technical College System of Georgia. PHOTO CONTRIBUTED.
icon to expand image

About the Author

Eric Stirgus joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2001. He is the newsroom's education editor. Born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., Eric is active in the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists and the Education Writers Association and enjoys mentoring aspiring journalists.

Follow Eric Stirgus on twitter
More Stories

Keep Reading

Children in the Head Start program play outside with lead teacher Genesis Lavanway at the Arthur M. Blank Early Learning Center. It's one of the Head Start programs in Georgia that may not receive its annual funding on Nov. 1 due to the ongoing government shutdown. A bridge loan from the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta will keep the programs running for another 45 days. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

Ga. Head Start programs get $8 million lifeline to stay open during shutdown

The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta is giving some of Georgia's at-risk Head Start programs bridge loans to stay operational for 45 days.

She’s the first female head drum major at FAMU, and she’s from metro Atlanta

As head drum major, Oluwamodupe “Dupe” Oloyede is something of a celebrity on FAMU’s campus. For the first time in its history, a woman leads the 340-member Marching 100.

The music stopped at Morris Brown. Two decades later, it might start again.

It’s hard to tell the story of the private Atlanta historically Black college without mentioning the famed Marching Wolverines.

The Latest

Children in the Head Start program play outside with lead teacher Genesis Lavanway at the Arthur M. Blank Early Learning Center. It's one of the Head Start programs in Georgia that may not receive its annual funding on Nov. 1 due to the ongoing government shutdown. A bridge loan from the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta will keep the programs running for another 45 days. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

Ga. Head Start programs get $8 million lifeline to stay open during shutdown

She’s the first female head drum major at FAMU, and she’s from metro Atlanta

Georgia students flock to Turning Point USA after Charlie Kirk killing

Featured

Peggy Harris (foreground) stocks the shelves at Sandy's IGA, which is the only grocery store in town, Tuesday, October 7, 2025, in Sparta. Hancock County has one of the highest rates of childhood food insecurity in the country. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC

Despite a $14.6 billion surplus, state leaders say they can’t bail out SNAP

The federal government says the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will run out of money Nov. 1. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp says there is nothing the state can do.

Husband of child services director fled DUI crash with kids in truck, GSP says

Authorities say the husband of Georgia's child protective services director had a blood alcohol level 4 times the legal limit when he left a crash with two kids in his truck.

Kirby Smart: LSU coaches ‘borrow’ offices, adds context to Brian Kelly firing

Georgia coach Kirby Smart understands the pressure at LSU, and how that combined with playoff expectations led to Brian Kelly being fired despite a .708 win percentage.