With thousands of Dual Enrollment students at Central Georgia Technical College (CGTC), two students have recently stood out among the brightest at their local high schools.  

In Peach County, Kelsie Perez earned recognition as Peach County High School’s valedictorian and has been accepted into Georgia Institute of Technology (GT) in the fall. A'Laila Hampton, of Bibb County, is a senior at Southwest High School and was announced as salutatorian.  

For Perez, she takes the elite ranks among her peers as a non-traditional student dual enrolled in the Aircraft Structural program at CGTC housed at the CGTC’s Aviation Training & Sustainment Center on Avondale Mill Road in Macon. Perez also enrolled in academic courses at CGTC that will be transferable to Georgia Tech in the fall semester. 

Hampton maximized dual enrollment opportunities during her high school career. She is a current dual enrollment student in the inaugural Phlebotomy class at Hutchings College and Career Academy. Previously, Hampton was enrolled in the Nurse Aide pathway at Hutchings and earned her Certified Nurse Aide (C.N.A) as a dual enrollment student. 

“Dual enrollment exists exactly for students like Kelsie and A’Laila, and so many others,” said Kimberly Gunn, executive director of High School Initiatives at CGTC. “The program propels students to excellence in technical education and beyond. We are so proud of their achievements and the work of their high school counselors and administrators to support their education.”  

CGTC Dual enrollment is an unparalleled start to higher education, offering paths in high-demand technical programs and/or general studies courses that are transferable to University System of Georgia colleges.  

Dual enrollment opportunities enhance student engagement, improve graduation rates, and increase student learning. Dual enrollment at CGTC gives high school students the opportunity to get a jump start on their college career by earning college and high school credit simultaneously at little or no cost to the student. Dual enrollment funding covers full tuition for high school students in Georgia, and CGTC waives fees and book costs for high school students. 

Fall Semester at CGTC saw double the enrollment growth in dual enrollment students from Bibb County, leading to the College’s largest number from the county in recent years. Peach county dual enrollment also continues to grow. 

CGTC is home to the largest dual enrollment program in the Technical College System of Georgia. 

The CGTC office of Marketing and Public Relations welcomes opportunities from the media to interview these students.