Furlow, Taylor County Middle School Students Tour SGTC

February 7, 2019
A Taylor County Middle School student exits the school bus before running into a tour on South Georgia Tech’s campus.
A Taylor County Middle School student exits the school bus before running into a tour on South Georgia Tech’s campus.

More than 230 middle school students from Taylor County and Furlow Charter School visited the Americus campus of South Georgia Technical College (SGTC) recently to learn about what a technical education looks like.

Furlow brought 45 students to tour seven programs of the campus, and two days later, Taylor County brought 190 students to visit nine program areas.

Each day, students unloaded from the school busses and were welcomed in Hicks Hall by David Kuipers, vice president of academic affairs, and Vickie Austin, high school coordinator. Following the welcome, the students, who will soon be eligible to take advantage of Georgia’s Dual Enrollment program which allows them to take free college classes while still in high school, were able to learn about the different education and career paths that are offered at the college.

Furlow students visited the heavy equipment service technology, motorsports technology, auto collision technology, diesel technology, precision machining and manufacturing and aircraft structural technology areas to hear from the instructors and learn about the courses. The students were also treated to a snack, prepared for them by the culinary arts department.

The Taylor County students had more time to spend on campus and were able to visit nine areas: aircraft structural, barbering, cosmetology, criminal justice, early childhood care and education, automotive technology, culinary arts, health care and motorsports. The students were able meet the instructors, walk from building to building and learn about the college’s historic campus from their tour guide.

SGTC is set to host more than 1,000 elementary and middle school students for tours and activities during the month of March. Individuals, small and large groups interested in signing up for a tour can contact the admissions office (Americus: 229-931-2760, Cordele: 229-271-4051).

Furlow Charter School’s seventh graders take a group picture beside the SkillsUSA display table at South Georgia Tech following their welcome to the college for a tour.
South Georgia Tech vice president of academic affairs David Kuipers and SGTC’s bobblehead mascot welcome a group of nearly 200 Taylor County Middle School students to their campus for a tour.