Valdosta, GA – Abbilyn Burke, EMS Profession student on the Valdosta Campus, has been named the 2025 Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL) winner for Wiregrass Georgia Technical College. GOAL honors excellence in academics and leadership among the state’s technical college students and is a statewide program of the Technical College System of Georgia. Local GOAL winners are selected at each of the state’s 22 technical colleges and one Board of Regents college with a technical education division.
Shawn Tatham, Director of EMS/Paramedic and Fire Science Programs, nominated Abbilyn for this honor. “Abbilyn has shown absolute enthusiasm for EMS and a desire to help others. She is routinely at the top of her class in assignment completions and scores. For the short amount of time in the program, she has grasped the concepts quickly and stands out in the lab with skills performance.”
Abbilyn shared, “This award is everything to me. This award means that my story matters, and it shows everyone just like me that our stories mean something. I’m honored to be able to show those just like me that we can follow our dreams and that Wiregrass can help us pave the way to our success.”
She competed against other nominees from Wiregrass’ four campuses in Valdosta, Douglas, Fitzgerald, and Sparks before being named as one of the top four nominees and college winners. The runners-up were: Debanhi Martinez, Commercial Electrical Construction Technology from the Valdosta Campus; Zachary Mize, Cybersecurity from the Valdosta Campus; and Alex Richey, EMS Profession from the Valdosta Campus.
The panel of judges were Sam Allen, SGMC Health Hospital Authority Board Chairman; Ryan Degner, Wiregrass Welding Graduate and the 2022 Wiregrass and TCSG State GOAL Winner, Niki Ogletree, Interim Executive Director, Valdosta- Lowndes County Development Authority; Mary Crawford, Executive Vice President – Girls on the Run; and Joseph Brownlee, SW Regional Director – Georgia Power Company.
Abbilyn will now advance to the regional competition in February. In April, she will learn if she is one of the nine state finalists at the State GOAL Awards ceremony in Atlanta. A panel of business, industry, and government leaders will interview the finalists and choose one to be the 2025 State GOAL winner and recipient of the GOAL medallion. The grand prize includes a new car, courtesy of KIA, the statewide corporate sponsor of the GOAL program.
For more information about the EMS Professions program and other programs visit wiregrass.edu. The college is accepting new students for the Spring Semester, classes start January 8, 2025.
