December 20, 2025
Gainesville, GA-Lanier Technical College, a Unit of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), annually announces an Exceptional Adult Georgian in Adult Literacy Education (EAGLE) Student of the Year and an Outstanding Teacher of the Year. These awards are based on leadership, academic excellence, belief in adult education, and a passion for bettering oneself or making a lasting impact on their students’ lives.
EAGLE, a statewide program for all 22 of TCSG’s colleges, honors excellence and perseverance in pursuing one’s literacy education. Josh Bennett, Lanier Tech’s 2026 EAGLE Student of the Year, has spent the past few years overcoming adversities, learning a new language, and earning his General Education Degree (GED®).
When asked about his journey to Lanier Tech, Bennett had this to say,
“I am honored to have been chosen to be the Lanier Tech 2026 EAGLE Student of the Year. Like most Adult Education students, I had a barrier to my success that I had to overcome. For years my mental health was a challenge and held me back from reaching my true potential. Through hard work and determination, I have been able to get back my confidence and earn my GED® at Lanier Tech.”
Janet Mitchell, a teacher in Lanier Technical College’s Adult Education Program, has been named the 2026 Adult Education Outstanding Teacher of the Year. The Adult Education Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award, like EAGLE, is a statewide program for all of TCSG’s 22 Colleges that aims to showcase outstanding Adult Education teachers within the college system.
When asked about her passion for her ESL students, Mitchell responded,
“Sometimes teaching is like breathing to me. It is my life! I have witnessed the transformative power that education can have on the students we serve. I have taught all sorts of students who come from very diverse backgrounds. Their passion to learn a new language and to better themselves is truly why I enjoy coming to work every day.”
Both Bennett and Mitchell will go on to compete against other regional technical colleges. Following the regional competition, winning students and teachers will compete for the title of TCSG’s statewide Dinah Culbreath Wayne EAGLE Student of the Year and the Adult Education Outstanding Teacher of the Year for the 2026 calendar year.
About the Technical College System of Georgia
The 22 colleges of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) are Georgia’s top resource for skilled workers. TCSG offers world-class training in more than 600 associate degree, diploma, and certificate programs to students who are trained on state-of-the-art equipment by instructors who are experts in their fields. The system also houses Georgia’s Office of Adult Education, which promotes and provides adult literacy and education programs, including the GED® testing program, throughout the state. In addition, TCSG partners with companies through Quick Start, the nation’s top customized workforce training program, and through its colleges, which work with local industry to provide workforce and training solutions. For more information, visit TCSG.edu.
