Lt. Governor Casey Cagle announced the nominees for the Lt. Governor’s Student Leadership Award. Georgia’s College and Career Academies offer students endless opportunities for furthering their career and educational pursuits. The students selected as nominees for this prestigious award represent highly-motivated individuals who are extremely committed to creating successful futures.   

“I am extremely proud of the students in our College and Career Academy Network,” said Lt. Governor Cagle. “Many of these students are graduating high school with an associate’s degree and industry certification which allows them to get straight to work with high-paying, high-skill careers rather than accumulating exorbitant student loan debt.”

The winner of the Lt. Governor’s Student Leadership Award will be announced during the Lt. Governor’s Business and Education Summit closing ceremony on November 14th.

The nominees include: Madeline Bumgardner (Calhoun CCA), Doster Harper (Newton CCA), Mitchel Holcomb (Northwest Georgia CCA), Ethan Holder (Polk County CCA), John King (Houston County CCA), Donovan Mitchell (William S. Hutchings CCA), Mark Moran (Floyd County Schools CCA), Jared Oberlin (Houston County Career Academy), Dylan Powers (Putnam County CCA), Deonte Sandoval (Athens Community Career Academy), and Amun Bassue-Youngblood (Athens Community Career Academy).

The Lt. Governor’s signature initiative – the College and Career Academy Network – is the envy of the nation. College and Career Academies allow students to survey different career paths and graduate high school with a diploma, industry certification, and an Associate’s Degree. These institutions boast 98% graduation rates, and a graduate of a CCA earns more than twice as much as a traditional high school graduate. By working with local industries, these schools create a pipeline of quality workers that greatly benefits the community and the students.