CAMILLA, Ga. — On Feb. 5, literacy advocates and volunteers celebrated the certification of Southwest Georgia as a Regional Certified Literate Community.

The event was held at The Depot in Camilla. Seventy-five people attended.

The SWGA Regional Certified Literate Community (CLC) includes Baker, Calhoun, Colquitt, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Lee, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas, and Worth counties.

To earn this certification, the SWGA Regional CLC served more than 31,000 people since 2005 — meeting a goal set that year, according to a press release from the group. This includes GEDs earned, level completions and adults engaged in literacy activities. 

 A site review team from the Technical College System of Georgia spent three days in Southwest Georgia visiting adult education sites and evaluating the application and program.

The press release said the SWGA Regional CLC also:

• Raised more than a million dollars for literacy activities.

• Paid for 3,113 GED tests.

• Distributed more than 50,000 flyers and fans with adult education information.

* Distributed more than 35,000 dictionaries to third graders.

Appreciation was extended to Albany Technical College and Southern Regional Technical College for providing free adult education classes and support for students. 

The Family Connection Partners in each county were also thanked for their involvement and work with this project from the beginning.

Speakers at the event included:

• Melissa Burtle, director of adult education, Southern Regional Technical College.

• Linda Coston, vice president of adult education at Albany Technical College.

• Debbie McIntyre, director, Decatur County CLC.

• Cayanna Good, assistant commissioner of adult education, Technical College System of Georgia.

• Anthony Parker, president, Albany Technical College.

• Jim Glass, President, Southern Regional Technical College.

• Billie Izard, former director, Certified Literate Community Program of Georgia.

• Rozanne Braswell, former SWGA Regional CLCP coordinator, current planning, zoning & engineering director, Lee County Board of Commissioners.

• Kathryn Reese Patterson, GED graduate, Decatur County and current ABAC student.

• Sherry Scaff, Exceptional Adult Georgian in Literacy Education (EAGLE), Albany Technical College.

• Latanya Overby, director, High School Equivalency Program, Technical College System of Georgia.

• Jessica Jennings, director, Mitchell Baker Family Connection, SWGA Regional CLC board chair. 

“The SWGA Regional CLC knows that this work is not done,” the press release said. “There are many more people in Southwest Georgia who need help reading and who need to learn ways to help their children. There are many people who need to receive a high school equivalency and need help entering secondary education. Our poverty rate and social concerns remain high. We will continue to address those issues and keep them in front of the change makers and those in need of services.

“But, for now, we will celebrate the accomplishments of SWGA Regional CLC. 

“Changing lives, offering people a path, supporting those that work with students every day, lifting up our community is the lasting legacy of this work,” the group said.