Noelia Sargento named GNTC’s 2025 EAGLE winner

Noelia Sargento has been chosen to represent Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) at the Dinah Culbreath Wayne EAGLE Leadership Institute state competition March 3-5, 2025, at the Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia.

The Leadership Institute recognizes and honors those students who have demonstrated superior achievement in Adult Education classes and programs. Sargento earned her High School Equivalency (HSE) through GNTC’s Adult Education program in June 2024.

“I consider myself a modern mom, balancing my family and career,” Sargento said. “Despite a full plate, I managed to make room to further my education. At first, I struggled to juggle school, work, raising two children and supporting my husband, but the online HSE courses were flexible to fit my schedule.”

Sargento, a resident of Rossville, said she studied online class materials during lunch breaks at work, late at night, on weekends and during holidays.

Being GNTC’s EAGLE delegate for the statewide competition provides a platform and a voice to share that it’s never too late to reach goals and to go back to school, and she wants to encourage the Hispanic community. As an EAGLE delegate she wants to share success stories, support English as a Second Language (ESL) programs and support mentoring and job training programs for students, she said.

Deborah Hester and Sandra Russell, Adult Education instructors at GNTC, nominated Sargento for the EAGLE award.

“Noelia is a positive, motivated, smart young woman who accomplished her HSE credentials within three months after she started testing,” Russell said. “She wants to be an example for education within the Hispanic community.”

Sargento said she will start classes on Oct. 16 in GNTC’s Business Management associate degree program. After that, she plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in the same field.

Upon completing her college education, Sargento plans to own a food service business, Hester said, adding that she believes Sargento will benefit from the opportunities offered to EAGLE delegates.

“Last year at this time I was nowhere with my education; now I have my HSE and am moving on to college,” Sargento said. “This benefit will continue to push me forward to become a new person.”

GNTC’s Adult Education program has encouraged Sargento to reach for the stars, provided her with the knowledge she needs to succeed and prepared her for career advancement opportunities, she explained. She sees opportunities for career advancement at her employer and believes she may be promoted because the Adult Education program has boosted her self-confidence.

Sargento said her goals are “to continue my education and to become a role model for my children and those around me.”

She praised GNTC’s program for its class flexibility, affordability and supportive instructors who were quick to answer her questions and explain how to solve problems.

“My instructors were there to help me with no judgment, a great attitude and a smile on their faces,” Sargento said. “This made me feel more confident in asking questions and learning more. I had access to the tools I needed to succeed without any pushback.”

EAGLE is the first statewide program in the nation that recognizes and rewards excellence among students enrolled in Adult Education programs. This student recognition program is designed to create greater awareness of educational opportunities that are available in local communities across the state and to foster greater involvement in lifelong learning pursuits.

The Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) through its Office of Adult Education (OAE) sponsors the annual Dinah Culbreath Wayne Exceptional Adult Georgian in Literacy Education (EAGLE) Leadership Institute.