Results, Vol. 1, no. 1 (Winter 1998)

ow PREsENTING ... RESULTS
We wanted the new, official journal of the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education to have a name that captures the essence of the agency. The one word that seemed to tie it all together was RESULTS because that is what this agency delivers.
And that is what this magazine will deliver- the results of work completed and work in progress by the agency's four business units:
Adult llteracy, primarily responsible for promoting and providing adult literacy and GED programs throughout the state.
Eeonomie Development, offering Quick Start, customized business and industry training. and other support such as workforce development partnerships.
Pablie Libraries, serving 37o Georgia public libraries by providing administrative, training, consulting and other support functions.
Teelmieal Education, primarily responsible for providing quality technical training and retraining through a coordinated system of technical institutes- 33 technical institutes, 17 satellite centers and technical programs at four state colleges.
Today, DTAE is a leader in preparing Georgia's workforce for the ~1st centwy. Training and education- with curriculum relevant to the state's business and industry- continue to be our hallmark. In continuing to accomplish our mission, DTAE provides Georgia's citizens with access to lifelong education and training opportunities.
As I travel around the state, I see living proof of these words. I see Georgia's technical institutes providing both a future and a present for citizen after citizen. We think it is important for people to understand what a technical education can provide. We think it is important for them to hear the stories, to see the results.
In this premiere issue, we begin to tell our stories. We are proud of our department's results, and we welcome your interest in RESULTS magazine.
Kenneth H. Breeden, Commissioner

Winter 1998 Vol. 1, o. 1
Re ults i publis hed by th e Offi ce of Eco nomi c Develop ment Programs at th e Geo rgia Department of Tec hni cal and Adult Educat ion. Arti cles may be reprinted with permi ss ion.
State Board ofTec hni cal a.nd Adult Education Danie l B. Rath er - Chair. Geo rge L. Bowe n Ill - Vice Chair. Gwend olyn P. Good man. Jame C. Harrington Jt., Charl es A. Harri s. Wi lliam S. Harri Sr.. Jea n Hartin . Eugene Hu nt. Don Pope. Haro ld R. Rey nold . Evelyn Shropshire, Robe rt L. Si lve rman . Jimmy
Ta ll ent, Be n J. Tarbutton .I r.. Wi lliam T. Wil ey
Ad m i n i s t r a t i o n Ke nn eth H. Breeden. Ph .D. Com mi s ioner
Dougla L. Bolen A i tant Co mmi ss ione r. Tec hni ca l Educat ion
jea n DeVard - Ke mp. Ph .D. Ass istant Commi s ione r. Ad ul t. Lite racy Programs
orm Moye. Ph . D. Ass ista nt Co mmi ss io ner. Exte rn al Affairs
Edd ie Rh odes In terim A istant Co mmi ssioner. Ad mini trative Se rvices
jack ie Rohosky Assi ta nt Co mmiss ione r, Eco nomi c Development Prog ra ms
Roger Slate r, Ph . D. A si tant Commi ion er. Publi c Librari es. Planning. and Tec hn ology
IlESULTS Don na Madd oc k- Cowa rt. Ph. D. Directo r, Bu in e Development and Co mmuni cations
Kathl ee n M. Tho rn on Ca on, Ph .D. Ed it or
Sharon Fletc her Co py Editor
Croup W Inco rporated Grap hi c Des ign
Steve Ru cker, Bread and Butter tud io Hank Margeso n Photogra phers
Cont ri butors: Kath lee n Ca on. Elain e W. Chaney. Denise H. Horton, Paul Karr. Suza nn e Robinso n. jane M. Sa nd er
Send requ ests for add iti onal inform at ion or co mme nts to : Resu.lts. 18oo Ce ntury Place. Suite 3oo. Geo rgia Departme nt. of Tec hni ca l and Ad ul t Educa ti on. t. lanta. C 3o34s -43o4 Phone 404 679 1700 Fax 404 679 1710 E- mail Re ults@qui ck- start.tec.ga. u
DTAE is an eqttal opporttmity employer.

TENTS

4 Who is Choosing a Technical Education?

8 Georgia's Aerospace Industry Workforce Gets a 'Quick Start'

\

12 Fly Like an EAGLE

16 Rising to the Challenge

20 First in the Nation- Service Industry Academy ( Cliclc Here~ 22 Georgians Launched Into Cyberspace

With a Bachelor's degree, an MBA and ~4years as a telecommunications manager in the U.S. Air Force under his belt, Henry C. Byrd may not seem like your typical technical institute student. But he is far more typical than you might think.
Why did he choose technical education after college, an MBA. a military career and several years in the private sector? For a "more hands-on" position, says Byrd. No more being "four levels removed from the people doing the job." Studying computer programming at Columbus Technical Institute allowed him to sharpen his skills to do just that.
Byrd is not alone. Enrollment in Georgia's technical institutes has increased 3~ percent since 199~ and is projected to continue to rise. In academic year 1997, more than ~34,000 students enrolled in credit and noncredit courses to upgrade a skill or learn a new one.
Though Byrd is, no doubt, exceptional, it is not because of age or previous educational experience. Students enrolled in Georgia's technical institutes tend to be older- about 17 percent are in the 16 to ~o age group, while almost 40 percent are over 3o, including 16 percent who are 40 or older. Quite a few have attended college, and many are embarking on a second, or even a third, career.
lloyd Rollerson, 40, is a case in point. A student in his last quarters of Biomedical Engineering Technology at Chattahoochee Technical Institute, Rollerson has been down the career path twice before. First, as a chemical technician with an oil company, and then, as an audiological health specialist. His search for a career with staying power- one on "the cutting edge that'll stay in high demand" -led him to Chattahoochee Technical Institute's two-year program.
"It's the best in the state- really high-tech, hands-on," says Rollerson. "Right now, I've got an internship at Scottish Rite Hospital in the Clinical Engineering Department. We do preventive maintenance, and pull down and repair neonatal monitors, infusion pumps, heat lamps, even incubators. I do it all, under a supervisor."
Each technical institute offers a unique set of programs geared toward employment opportunities within its community. Hundreds of programs are available- accounting, dental assisting, fashion merchandising, law enforcement, mechanical engineering technology and welding, to name a few. A student may earn a diploma or Associate degree in one of these programs or choose to enroll in a shorter training program- a Technical Certificate of Credit- for specific job training.
Lottery-funded HOPE Grants, for which technical students pursuing diploma or technical certificate programs qualify regardless of grade point average or high school diploma, and welfare reform have made it easier for women, especially single mothers, to get the training they need for higher paying careers. For the 1997 academic year, women composed 6o percent of the enrollment.
Traditional courses of study for women, such as Cosmetology, Child Development, Medical Assisting, Practical Nursing, Office Administration and Respiratory Therapy. are all popular choices, with health-care training programs having the highest enrollment. But more and more women are choosing nontraditional fields.
Sophie Brown, a ~9-year-old single mother of three, is in Heart of Georgia Technical Institute- Eastman campus' first Aviation Maintenance Technology graduating class. And it seems like a natural fit. Her smaller

stature makes it easier for her, than for her male counterparts, to move around in the tight areas of the planes they service and repair.
After she graduates, Brown expects to be hired either at Gulfstream in Savannah or Delta in Atlanta. Once a nursing student at Middle Georgia College, she is especially enthusiastic. "I appreciate technical education. You do work in the field every day. College was great - great background. Great building blocks. It's the hands-on learning, though, that keeps me motivated," says Brown, who plans to further her aviation career with a Bachelor's degree in Aerospace and, eventually, a job with the FM.
Women are not the only ones enrolling in nontraditional fields. Newlywed Ivan Moore, ~1 , intends to use his degree in Practical Nursing from Lanier Technical Institute as a stepping stone to medical school. Nursing will allow him to work in his field and go to school at the same time. "''ve heard the horror stories of delivering pizza all the way through med school," says Moore. "This way I'll get into the field and work some." The training is strictly hands-on, with real-life patients assigned to students and work meticulously checked by a supervisor. Says Moore of his technical education experience, "You gain knowledge from books, wisdom from applying knowledge - that's perfecting skills you're going to use."
Mary Farley, 44, a recent graduate of Moultrie Area Technical Institute's Marketing Management program, chose technical education after a home accident forced a lifestyle change.

Farley knew she wanted to start her own business, so after completing her high school equivalency, she enrolled at Moultrie Tech, where advisors suggested marketing. "It gave me experience and knowledge to control an entrepreneurship," she says. "Skills and knowledge about legal techni calities, dealing in taxes, what to look for when I can hire people."
Technical institutes can answer an immediate need, provide a higher quality education, enhance current skills in a relatively short time frame, teach a new skill needed for advancement, provide necessary training for a career change or be a bridge to higher education.
And that's the beauty of technical schools, according to Farley. "Technical schools give us the opportunity to go back .. . go right back and pick up what we need, for anyone willing to accept the challenge. "
Brown agrees. "There's something technical education has to offer everybody."
And as Byrd says, "What I would tell ... what I do tell everyone about a technical school education, is that even with my previous experience and education, I would not have qualified for what I'm doing now without Columbus Tech."
Suzanne Robinson is a f ree-lance wnter in Roswell. Ga.
DTAE and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce sponsor the GOAL (Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership) Award to recognize outstanding students in technical education. The 1997 statewide finalist, Henry C. Byrd, and other 1997 GOAL Winners, such as those presented in this story, are representative oftoday's outstanding technical institute students.

I,

Artist by Night
When artist Jen Cleere walked into North Georgia Technical Institute to enroll in a welding class to use in connection with her artwork, she did not expect her life to change. But that is exactly what happened. "As soon as I saw this place, I knew there was a world of stuff to gain here ," Cleere said. "I have learned every day I've been here."
Cleere, with a Bachelor's degree in printmaking and a Master's degree in sculpture, has been using welding for six or seven years in her artwork, creating custom beds, garden trellises and sculptures. Since only about 1 percent of visual artists actually earn a living from their art, Cleere was forced to take a succession of low-paying jobs to support her artistic freedom. That is over now. She just wanted a course to enhance her welding skills and ended up with a new profession.
In December 1997. Cleere graduated from North Georgia Technical Institute with a diploma in Welding and Joining Technology and a skill that will provide her with a good income as well as help with her artwork. She is currently enrolled in the pipe welding program at the Fluor Daniel Training Center, Greenville, S.C. After she completes the 90 - day training program, she is guaranteed a job. And with that comes the financial freedom to pursue her art- in the evening hours.
Her college training and initial welding skills allowed her to skip ahead in the program and spend most of her time doing what she loves. "''ve been in the shop the whole time," says Cleere. "College is great when you don't know what you want to do. If you know what you want to do, you can get there faster in a technical education program. "
Cleere knows what she wants to do. Welder by day, artist by night.
- S.R.
OTAE

Georgia's Aerospace Industry Workforce Gets a Quick Start

Georgia's Quick Start job training program was faced with a difficult challenge when it agreed to train ~oo aircraft assembly technicians in four months. As its name implies, the program has been known for its ability to train workers quickly and get them on the job. But never before had it attempted to achieve so much in so little time.
It was in the heat of August 1996 when McDonnell Douglas in Macon, now The Boeing Company, pre sented Quick Start with this challenge. Because of an increase in military aircraft orders and an expansion of the scope of its work, Boeing needed ~oo skilled aircraft assembly technicians on the job by the end of the year.
"It was crucial that Boeing-Team Macon have these new employees trained and ready to go to work as they came into our facility," says Don Pope, general manager of Boeing in Macon. " ot having new team-

mates in the workplace at the required time would have had a negative impact on our program's manu facturing requirements. It was also essential ... that these potential new teammates ... have an understanding of high quality work."
Undaunted by the task, Quick Start formed a partner ship with Macon Technical Institute and went to work. By the second week of September, Quick Start simultaneously began training technicians and redesigning existing aircraft assembly curricula in use by the state's technical institutes. Macon Tech provided the training facilities and one of the instructors for the course.
"In Quick Start's 3o -year history, it has encountered other situations where a company needed training completed in a short time frame ," says Marla Lowe , director of regional project operations at Quick Start in Vidalia. "But we had never had a project of such

DIM

I

magnitude that had to be completed so quickly.... We had to pull a project team together in a matter of days. And as fast as we revised the curriculum, we put it in the classroom. We saw student performance improve as we got new material in the classroom."

"We were pleased with the skills
these new employees brought to Boeing."

added multimedia, hands-on activities and performance- based assessments. To teach the most difficult concepts - blueprint lines, views of objects and coordi nate systems - Quick Start used 3-D animation.

By the end of 1996, Boeing had doubled

"The hands - on training was essential in

its aircraft assembly staff to 400,

preparing these students to learn and

Georgia's economy got a shot in the

complete the aircraft blueprint

arm and DTAE had a redesigned

reading fundamentals ," Pope

Aircraft Technology Training

says. "The multimedia approach

Technical Certificate of Credit

helped us fuel the interest of

program - a short course that

the students."

focuses on specific skills.

Quick Start used a team-

"We were pleased with the skills

teaching approach, according

these new employees brought to

to Mike Patrick, a project

Boeing. They were able to go

team member with Quick

into the workforce without

Start in Vidalia. "In the

having to be taught basics on

Boeing project, we combined

site ," Pope says.

two 15 - person classes and

used two instructors ," he

Meanwhile , these new, highpaying jobs benefited

Example of Section Lines

explains. "If two or three students fell behind, one of

Georgians- and not just the ~oo people who were hired.

3- Danimation helps students understand how an object relates to simple blueprints.

the instructors would give one - on- one instruction to

"This TCC program has had a

help those trainees catch-

dramatic effect on the aerospace industry in Georgia

up. The team-teaching method worked well when you

and on the workforce in the state ," Lowe says. "It has

had a large number of people to train in a short time. "

made Georgia more competitive for aerospace indus -

try jobs, many of which have historically gone to

The TCC program now includes ~40 hours of technical

California. "

skills training. In addition to classroom instruction,

students are required to perform assembly procedures

"I see a bright future for this TCC program," Lowe

in a shop setting. The subject matter can be and has

says. "This training was driven by Boeing, and we met

already been customized to meet a specific company's

their needs. But the bigger picture is that we now have

training needs, Patrick says.

a redesigned statewide training program that is meet-

ing the needs of the state's aerospace

Classes are offered during the day

industry. "

and evening at most locations. The

students - who are pre - screened

The redesigned Aircraft Technology

by the company seeking employees,

Training TCC currently is offered at

a technical institute or the Georgia

seven technical institutes.

Department of Labor - typically

The Training

attend classes on their own time and pay for the training themselves,

Quick Start began the project with

unless they receive a Georgia

an assessment of Boeing's training

lottery-funded HOPE Grant. After

needs for aircraft assembly techni-

students earn a TCC, the hiring

cians. Personnel from Boeing, now

company makes the final decision

the largest aerospace company in the

on which graduates to employ.

world, provided the subject- matter

expertise, and Quick Start personnel

"I have high praise for the revised

designed innovative delivery methods for the new curriculum. They

Boeing- Team Macon employee Mike Gantt applies touch-up paint to a C- '7 troop door.
(Photo/ Boeing)

aircraft assembly technician curriculum that Quick Start

OJA[

manufacturing training for Gulfstream in Savannah. ''They have provided a much - needed service in training new aircraft structural mechanics . ... The Quick Start - Savannah Tech partnership allows us to share resources and , in turn. Gulfstream saves money and time...

A stable workforce means Georgia is better able to compete with other states for aerospace industry jobs.

Th e Gulfsrream manufacru ringfacilityin Savannah. Ga. (Ph oto! OTAE File)

co mpleted," says Matt Grubb , se nior productivity analyst with Boeing in Macon. "It was very specialized training and presented a challenge to Quick Start. "
The Ripple EHect Other aerospace companies also are pleased with the new TCC program. Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, headquartered in Savannah. entered into a part nership with Quick Start and Savannah Technical Institute in July 1997 to train 700 new employees over the next three

years. To fill the highest number of orders in its history, Gulfstream must double production of its G4 and Gs business jets. So far, Quick Start and Savannah Tech have trained 6o technicians in an Aircraft Technology Training TCC customized for Gulfstream , says William Mitchell , instruc tional designer at Quick Start in Vidalia. These trainees are now on the job.
"The Quick Start program has been good , very beneficial," says Brian Burk, senior instructor in

Meanwhile. at orthrop Grumman in Milledgeville, Quick Start is providing a cus tomized version of Aircraft Technology Training in a mobile classroom at the co mpany' s facilities. Pre-hire trainees attend sessions for four hours a day for two weeks. Responding to
orthrop Grumman's expansion. this program started in January 1997 and is mod eled after the TCC program created for Boeing. The hands -on and multimedia approach is used, but the subj ect matter is somewhat different.
orthrop Grumman's Milledgeville site builds composite compo nents. control surfaces and nacelles for co mmercial aircraft engines.
"The program is very successful so far. " says David Childs. skills training coordinator at orthrop Grumman in Milledgeville. '' Ninety -eight percent of the new hires mad e it through the 9o - day probationary period.
In Albany. Quick Start is part nering with Albany Technical Institute to train aircraft assembly technicians for Georgia - based

OlAf

10

Avre Corporation. which builds an agricu ltura l ai rpl ane and three model of he! icopter . Quick
tart tailored the cur ri culum to meet Ayres need for em pl oyee trained in basic sheet metal pro duction and blueprint reading. says Milt Humphri es . vice presi dent of Ayres.
In Americus. Ayres a lso has part nered with South Georgia Technicallnstitute for heet metal production and blueprint reading training... We will u e Quick Start again to train worker . Humphries says.
The Future With an increase in aircraft orders and training developed by Quick Start. the future of the aerospace industry in Ceo rgia looks promising. many officials agree. For one thin g. they c redi t Quick Start with he lping to stabi lize the sta te's ae r ospace indus try workforce.
.. Having workers wh o are local i an advantage ... Humphri es says . .. It reduces turnover. It get people emploved and off the welfare rolls. Quick Start give Geo rgia a tremendous advantage. It give us a stab le workforce and helps our com muni ty. A stabl e workforce means Georgia is better able to compete with othe r states for aerospace industry jobs .
.. Having the ability to have a well trained workforce within a defined period is one of the factors that makes Boeing-Team .vi aeon a true success. Pope says . .. Our capabi liti es to pe rform have been noted throughout ou r corpo ration and even with some of ou r ex1ernal competitor . This capa bilit)' to perform i in direct rela tionship to the quality of training received by the people we hire ...
Quick Stari helps Georgia compa nies compete in the global mar ketplace by provid ing qualit)'

,,orkforce training. Fortune maga zine has recognized Quick Stari for its effectivenes in providing com prehensive and advanced training.
''The Quick Start program is a model for any s tate ... ays Burk of Culfstream ... Georgia has been very proactive with its technical institutes and with Quick Sta1i. The program i well rounded ...

like Quick Stari. Quick tart can tailor a program to meet the need of any type of manufacturing company. within a sho ri period of time. In today' competitive environm e nt. training of this nature rs prr ma1y.
jane .\/. Sand ers is ajlee-lance writerandeditorbased in Kenne aw. Ca.

"With growing and ever-changing
technology, all companies in all states can benefit from a program like Quick Start."
Pope ec ho es Burk's sentiments: ..With gr owing and eve r - chan ging technology. all compan ie in all states can benefit from a program

Ouick Start, Georgia's premier economic development program, provides employee training at no cost to qualified new, expanding or existing companies. Since 1967, more than 263,000 employees at more than 2,600 companies have benefited from Ouick Start training. Ouick Start is administered by the Department of Technical and Adult Education.

Former Qu1ck Srort trmtH'~' Tuu Gordon. u Boewg Team \lacon team leada. clnfl., hoi('.~ 1n n C ,- _ru.,ela!!e (Photo Bot'ln:l

1996 EAGLE Award winner Willie Almond ]r. is Franklin. Ga. 's newest city councilman. (Photo/ DTAE File)

Willie Almond Jr. can do just about anything with his hands : make a spot-weld, prune a bush, rivet a steel girder into place while walking along a six- inch-wide beam a hundred feet above the ground.
But there is one thing Almond, who ru ns a growing lawn service and landscaping business in the small west - Georgia city of Franklin, neve r learned to do properly when growing up: read. Fighting dyslexia since childhood, he quit high school and never imagined he would return.
Yet Almo nd, now 4~. has managed - through his own pluck, as well as the help of adult literacy instructors and his wife, Sarah - to learn to read his favorite magazines, expand his lawn care business and hire contractors. He almost singlehandedly initiated a countywide literacy program for Heard County by encouraging officials from nearby West Georgia Technical Institute to create the program. Perhaps most significantly, Almond was elected Franklin's first African-American city councilman this century.

For his many accomplishments, Almond has been awarded a medal, a $5oo savings bond, recognition as an EAGLE Award winner and an honorary title as one of seven 1996 Georgia Literacy Ambassadors. The EAGLE Award and Literacy Ambassador pro grams are part of DTAE Office of Adult Literacy's efforts to bring attention to the achievements of Georgia's adult learners.
"Education is power when used correctly," Almond intones , reading steadily from one of his speeches and then adding a few words. "I truly believe that if you have an education, you have the knowledge to become whatever you choose." And Almond has other plans for his future. "One of my goals, " he says, "is to write a book about a little boy who grew up in Franklin, Ga., quit school, started out rock - bottom, and then went back to school and learned to read."
Winners From Diverse Backgrounds It is not easy to win an EAGLE Award. Outstanding learners like Almond are first nominated by their instructors from 37 regions around the state. Any adult enrolled in a Georgia literacy class - everything from private workplace and family programs to the Office of Adult Literacy, JTPA, TANF, Laubach, Literacy Volunteers of America or other publicly funded programs - is eligible.

Semifinalists are then chosen from each of six larger geographic areas in Georgia at each of seven reading levels (four in basic reading and three in English as a Second Language) and are named EAGLE Award win ners. Up to 4~ EAGLE winners , the six regional final ists at each academic level, are then judged in one final statewide competition. Based on a combination of personal characteristics , interview responses and academic accomplishments. one EAGLE winner is selected to represent each level as a Literacy Ambassador for the year.
"I truly believe that if you have an education, you have the knowledge to
become whatever you choose. "
"This program serves to motivate the adults already enrolled, and it also encourages those who are thi nking about enrolling to participate," says EAGLE program coordinator Frances Rhetta, adult literacy staff specialist with the Office of Adult Literacy.
Touring the state and speaking about their learning experiences, the 38 EAGLE winners in 1997 included such outstanding learners as Willie Davis, 69. Davis, who was forced to leave high school in the 1940s because of illness, found work in an Atlanta-area apartment complex painting, doing plumbing and generally keeping up the building's physical condition .

OlAf

12

When a new complex manager began giving him written work orders a few years back, Davis had to admit something: he could not read them. With the manager's encouragement and a friend's help, he began learning to read, first with a home tutor and then by taking classes at a Middle Georgia Technical Institute off-campus program in nearby Springfield . Today, Davis spends 1~ hours each week using the classroom computers and workbooks.
"Yes, my life has improved," says Davis. "It's a whole lot easier to do things. I couldn't read those complaints or the road signs before, and now I can do it. This program makes me feel good about myself. And I've gotten to meet a whole lot of people, too." In time, Davis says, he would eventually like to try to earn his high school equivalency.
"Mr. Davis is a fine gentleman," comments Carol Rigsby, lead instructor at the four-county Springfield literacy center where Davis attends classes. "He provides a lot of positive leadership in the classroom here. The other students- and they range in age from 16 years old to 74 years- respect him and look up to him. That helps me out a great deal."
Cobb County resident Teresa Brodersen was also a 1997 EAGLE winner. Brodersen left school after the 10th grade to start a string of businesses. Her working life- which included a boat detailing business, a marine hardware management position, cruise ship employment and work with international computer firms- was always successful, but she longed to finish her high school education. In September 1996, she finally did.
"I learned in the college of life," she recalls. "I started out as a data entry clerk and worked my way up to international positions. I lived in Europe for a while. But I still felt something was missing; I felt inadequate.

In my business, I'm constantly dealing with CEOs and finance people who have lots of education, and I always felt like a little kid around them. Over the years, I came to realize the real value of an education.
"The literacy program gave me something that was so important: it gave me confidence that I was ready to study," she says now. "It was very hard for me to go back to school; I had a major fear of failure. I was petrified. But this program made me feel at ease. and it prepared me for study again."
That preparation allowed Brodersen to enroll at Kennesaw State University, where she is now a junior majoring in business while also studying art and English. Her current business project is a new computer-chip trading company; her next career goal is to write professionally.
"Once this new company gets rolling," she vows. "we'll definitely have a special fund with a percentage devoted to literacy education."
Brodersen says she will continue to be a vocal advocate of Georgia's adult literacy programs. "Blue-collar workers often haven't finished their high school education,,. she points out, "and you need to get them to understand this: that being able to read and getting an education means you can make more money, and it means feeling better about yourself. If they know they have this possibility, it makes all the difference."
Robert Johnson of Gainesville, another 1997 EAGLE winner, began taking literacy classes at the age of 48. Johnson dropped out of high school at 18 to take care of five younger siblings after his father had a stroke.
early 3o years later - when a good job offer disappeared after he revealed he did not have a diplomahe decided to finish high school.
Georgu> s '997 LiteracyAmbassadors/ EAGLE Winners (left to right}, jose Luis Solis Olga Kirolcs IV.UieDavi.s Suk O.a DeWitt Timothy Owens Teresa Brodersen Robert johnson (PhotoiDTAE File)

Last May, Johnson was recognized for an even greater

First Lady Shirley Miller, a champion of adult literacy

honor, a national Outstanding Adult Learner Award.

programs, has helped push the problem into the

"He was bashful when he first entered the literacy

Georgia spotlight in recent years and literacy budgets

program; he was wearing tinted glasses and was soft -

have doubled in response.

spoken, " recalls Rhetta. "But just a year later, at his

GED graduation, he was like a celebrity - surrounded

That money has helped each of the 159 counties in

by students as he told his story. He has become a

Georgia hire full -time adult literacy teachers. In

totally different person."

addition, 1,590 computers for special "literacy labo -

ratories" have been purchased.

Other 1997 EAGLE Award winners named Literacy

Ambassadors included Suk Cha DeWitt, 5~. a Korean

Literacy programs are usually held in schools and

immigrant who came to the United States in 1969:

libraries, but also include such unconventional venues

Olga Kirolos, 48, an

as a Sparta pool hall.

Egyptian woman who

The hall converts into

emigrated to Georgia

a classroom for local

with her family 15 years

adults twice a week.

ago and is determined

In all, Georgia literacy

to enter a graduate

programs reach more

studies program:

than 1oo,ooo adult

Timothy Owens. 41 , a

students each year.

orcross resident who

overheard a supervisor

"We need to provide

mocking him and

classes for students

enrolled in literacy

whenever they want

classes; and Jose Luis

them and wherever they

Solis, 41, a Mexican immigrant with a

First Lady Shirley Miller and Dr. Ken Breeden at Georgia "s 8th Annual Literacy Conference in February '997 (Photo/ DTAE File)

can take them," says Rhetta. "If that means

design degree who learned

evening programs and Sunday

English as a second language in Georgia and today

programs and classes in pool halls , well, so be it."

volunteers as a language and art tutor in Forsyth and

Lumpkin County schools.

These efforts seem to be making a difference: between

1990 and 1995, the number of GEDs awarded in

Georgia rose 6o percent, the largest increase in the

G r

gra

the Fastest

nation. The state's adult literacy program is recognized

While it is difficult to accurately assess the problem of

as one of America's top five . Asked to summarize its

adult illiteracy - the U.S. Census Bureau stopped

worth, though, Rhetta points not to statistics or awards,

tracking literacy rates in 1930 - high school gradua -

but instead to the success of the students themselves.

tion statistics make it clear that a significant number

of Georgia adults still probably cannot read well.

"The important thing," concludes Rhetta, "is to note the

accomplishments of these adult learners. One of our

"The important thing is to note the accompltshments of these

first ambassadors later became director of a day care center in Houston County where she had worked. Some of them go on to college. We have one student who has

adult learners. "

maintained a 4.0 grade point average. One won a national award. One has a successful lawn business.

The latest figures, from 1990, indicate that only about two -thirds of Georgia's adults hold high school diplomas- this is lower than the national average of 75 percent. Among African-American adults in Georgia, the number who graduated from high school dips even lower to 57 percent.

"These students can compete successfully."
Paul Karr is a prize-winningjoumaltst whose work has appeared m Sports Illustrated, the San Francisco Examiner-Chronicle and otlu!rpub!icatums.

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Dr. jeu11 Del urd kemp (Piwto DTIF File!

A Garden of Lifelong Learning
we want people to learn and to have a garden. but 11 e want them to plant it them e lve . not wait for someone e lse to plant it for them ... says Dr . Jea n DeVard Kemp .
Comparing Iifelong learning to planting a ga rd en. she exp lains . .. , f the.' plant their own ga rd en . they feel good about it they become strong and
enriched. Our job Iat the Office of Adult Literac.\ I is to give people the
tools they need to gro11 their own garden of li l'elong learning...
During more than 10 )ears as assistant commissioner. she has guided DTAE's Office of Adult Literacy by two fundamental beliefs:
Give peop le the too l they need to create their 011 n uccess and to "gro11 their 011 n garden ... Ce leb rate ac hi eve ments every step o ft he 11 a).
DeVard - Kemp belie!' in celebrating achievements is e1 ident in the numerou OAL programs that honor the individual . bu inesses and communities committed to improving adult literacy. She is especially proud of the EAGLE Award Literacy Ambassador program because of its focus on the student . "The p ositive attitudes and increased self esteem of the LiteracY Ambassadors are contagiou ... says DeVard - Kemp. "The impact of the awa rd rippl es through the Ambassado r's family. co 110rkers and neighbors. enco uragi n g ot he rs to enhance their ski ll s."
DeVard - Kemp's preparation for her leadership role comes from a formal background in education and a lifetime of helping others. But her inspiration comes from the personal succe stories he hears as she travels throughout the state. An cld eri, brother and ister. born and raised in Missis ippi. proudly point to their hometown on the map ther have learned to read and tell her. 011 11 e know wh ere we 11 e re born ... A teenage daugh ter decides not to drop out of school wh en he see her mother earn aCED. These stories fu e l he r enthusiasm for OALs mi ion: "to enab le even adul t learner in Georgia to acquire the basic skills o f read ing. writing. com puta lion, speaking. a nd listening."
DeVa rd - Ke mp e ncourage everyone to attend a CEO graduation. She promises it will change yo ur outlook. '' Lite racy is eve ry body's business ... ex plains DeVa rd - Kemp. "When we touch a community and the right people become involved. it always lead s to success.
Elame W. Chaney 1s an or~arn::atwn de\elopment consultant m Atlanta. Ga

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Ni e Markets and Welfare Reform Breathe New t:ife Into South Georgia's Apparel Industry

Deborah Dennis picks up a marker and gently taps the blackboard, directing attention to an imposing eight column table scrawled across it. Today's lesson begins. "On Tuesday, I worked nine hours," says Dennis, pointing to a number on the line for that day. "My operation is serging leeves. My SAH is 8.osoo." (SAH is the Standard Allowed Hours to sew 100 garments.) My amount sewn is 1~6 : she says. turning to the cla s. To compute my earned hours for that day. what do we do. class?
o. this is not a math cia plodding through a dreaded
lf'o.rrro.s.s \folded Products 111 Waycross. c(l .. /I!(UHlj(Jctures autorn obtle jloorma ts.

word problem. Dennis is a tu dent leadi ng a lesson on calculating a wee k's pay. Sh e and her cia smates - single moth ers from 19 to ~6 year old - are welfare recipients enrolled in a unique program at Okefenokee Technical Institute in Waycross, Ga.
The Apparel Manufacturing Center at OTI is training welfare recipients as industrial sewing operator . It helps those on public assistance make the tran ition to work as required by new welfare reform legislation. while simultaneously meeting th e local apparel industry' need for a trained workforce. The program i no" in its second year.
But the OTl Apparel Manufact uring Center is not just for training workers. By acting as a so urcing agency and promoting more effici ent manufacturing methods. the Apparel Center is fighting to save the region' cut-ande" industrie and preserve a livelihood for Georgians in OTI" seven - county service district.
NAFTA and Georgia .Jobs Although the orth American Free Trade Agreement's overall impact on Georgia has been positive. OTI"s ervice district ha felt the downside of the treaty. The seven - county district - Atkinson. Bacon. Brantley.

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Charlton. Cl in ch . Pierce and Ware - has experienced 15 plant closings and the loss of 1. 656 jobs in the apparel-sewn products secto r since ' 993. Nationwide. the appa rel indu stry has taken the biggest hit under A}!A. with 14 percent of the jobs going over seas. Georgia lost 2-:- percent or r5J oo of its apparel (S IC 23) manufacturing jobs.

j w w l.1 Roppe wspect.<J a uarment seun byo student.

This is where Oil's Apparel Manufacturing Center comes in.
The Course "This is a six-week course with guaranteed jobs. says Jimmy Roppe. instructor at the Apparel Center. M ost of our clients a re hard - co re unemployed - never have worked a day in the ir life. Some have no high school diploma or CEo.

"The cut - and - se,, indust1y is regarded as a declining ind u try... says Rav Miller. president of Oil. "But it is an important part of our local economy. Our mi sio n is to support our indu stri es.
In fact. few othe r op ti ons for emp loyment ex ist in the region. Therefore. keeping the apparel indu liy \'iable is paramount to th e area's economic health as a whole. ot only that. the dome tic appa rel industry
finally is reachi1~g an equilibrium. An estimated
20-25 percent of appare l industry jobs will remain in the nired States largely because off bore uppliers cannot provide quick turnaround. If the local apparel industry can find the ri ght markets and a stable work force. i; \\ill be a reliable source of employment for South Geo rgia.
Recently. the picture for the seven - county area has tarted to look better. "Th e appa rel jobs are coming back." says j ohn Pike. vice president for econom .ic development programs at Oil. "We have a niche market dealing with either high quality items or quick turn around items or specialty things that ca n' t be done off hore."

"The cut-and-sew industry is regarded as a declining industry," says Ray Miller, president of OTI. "But it is an important part of our local economy Our mission is to support our industries."

However. the area existing industry and ne\1 sta tiup

businesses that employ sewing operators - such as

Hedstrom's trampoline manufacturi ng fa cility - a re

) faced with a labor shortage. If the plants cannot operate at full capacity. their profitability is reduced. often to the point that the doors must be closed for good.

Workers 1rho \\ere laid off during recent plant closings

are reluctant to fill current openings for fear of being

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burned again.

"Right no,,. ,,e know indust ry need roo people. We a! o kno\1 how many people ar e on welfare ... says Pike.

The course provides 21 o hours of instruction in basic industrial sewing skills and terminology. hands - on ga rment production. math skills and work ethics. Visits to area plants let tudent experience th e \\ork environment firsthand. Those \\ho successfully complete the cour e are guaranteed job at Satilla Manufact uring in Blackshear. Wayc ross - area busi nes es. such as Matt' jackets and Waycross Molded Products. also a re eager to hire graduates because they require considerab ly less in - plant training and quickly reach wo percent production or higher.
"Thi cla s is set up exactly the \\ay rd run a plant and I've run plant ... says Rappe. He has ,,orked in th e ap pare l ind ustry sin ce 1964 . with 11 years at Oxford Tndu tries and uyears at Ithaca Industries to hi s cred it.
"We were really fortunate to get .I immy I Roppe I... says
Pike. "because he has skills all the \\ay from kno\\ing ho\1 to sew to knowing how to lay out a plant to the monetary end and the management end.
Dedicated to Success The program \\orks because it is a partnership among Oil. area businesses. the Department of Family and Children Services. Family Connections. and other public and private agencies. Everyone involved is dedicated to success.
Roppe drives some of the students from their home in Alma. which is 3o miles from OTf. to and from class. "Once you set you r course in life that you re go ing to do more and do better. it opens up other doors automatically... says Roppe. He wants to make sure that those doors open for his students.
So do the project's partners. AJter a graduate goes to work. DFCS provides a $150 clothing all owance for work clothes. child care and Medicaid/ Medicare for one yea r. and transportation ass istance. In Alma Bacon County. Family Connections (Department of Human Resources) provides additi ona.l suppor1 to graduates who go to work.

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/Jdllmlil n'all:-; (1). pi(Jf1/ nlllf1(Jl:('I"Cll \I(J/1 's]ucJ.:et.o.; !f1 troycross. Cn ..
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The next part of the success equation is the graduates determination.
.. You can make it here. sa1s Victoria Simpson. an Apparel Center graduate 110rkingat an area plant. .. But you .ve got to 11 ant to. l can do about anyth ing he
Ithe plant manager I puts me on no11.
ince it sta rted. six classes have completed the apparel program. In the October 199-:- cia . onlv one student quit the program and all but one oft he graduat es are 11orking.
"Once you set your course in life that you're going to do more
and do better, it opens up other doors automatically."
In previous classe . about 3o percent of the students dropped out. Of those 11 ho graduated. even though ther 11ere guarantet>d jobs. onh -:-2 percent actually 11ent to 110rk and half of those quit in the first two months. These ma1 not seem like encou raging fig ures. but the program is a positive first step in help ing !'amiti es 11 ith a history of unemployment and dependence on 11elfart> make the Iran ition to 110rk.
.. You have to bring them in like a 11ave and some will sta1. sa1s Roppt>. 1 t 11ashes back. Then the second 11a1e. ma1be a fe11 more 11ill sta1.
Then there is the problem of keeping the manufac turing plants viablt>.

More Than ..Just Training Training people for job does no good if the plants clo e. So the other aspect of the Apparel .\~anufacwri ng Centers program is to help th e local apparel industn find 11ork and modernize thci r operations.
Working with catalog compa n1 Augusta Sports11 car. Ropp e has managed to place 11ork at four area plants
keeping some busy throughApril1998 ... lf'the1 dont get the work. therre going to shut do11n. a1 Rappe ...Augusta Sports11ear had the 11 0rk and 11as fixing to send it to Mexico. We ju t tied the t11o together. Plans arc to tie in 11 ith othe r catalog companies and bring even more 11ork to the area.
Meanwhile. area plants are trying to modernize their operations. In th e past. U.S. apparel manufacturers reli ed on lo11 11age to tar compet iti1 e. but the cost of domestic labor can no longer compete 11 ith 01t>r seas 11ages. No11. the emphasis needs to be on .. just in Time .. (JlT) technolog) and management srstems. With ]IT. manufacturers gilt' their customersju t th e amount of product nt>eded. deli1ert>d on time and 11 ith excellent qual it\. Ind u t r1 expe rts believe the
u e of JIT techniques. suc h as modular manufactur
ing. will not only improve competit iveness. but is necessary for surviva l or the domestic industrr.
lpp(lrcl Center!.,rraduate Twnm1 Hmtrrl trork.., lfl (Ill ,1/nw. Ga .. ClJIJ'art'l plwlf

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Roppe is introducing modular manufacturing at seve ral area p lants. In thi s process . a team works to produce a comp leted garment. The numb er of ga rm ents in process eq ual s the number of team members - eight team members means eight ga rm ents are in - process at a time. In the traditional bundle system. hundreds of pieces are in process at a time. Each worker com pletes a single task before passing the bundle to the next worker for the next ope rat ion. It may take 18 20 da1s before a comp leted ga rm ent is produced.
Because team members must rely on each other for optimum product quality and completion rate, there is a strong sense of commitment and camaraderie.
:-.~odular manufacturing ofTers many benefits - cost sa1ings in interest. accurate delivery dates. sa tis fi ed customers. improved quality. red uced number of garments in - process. faster turn of a dollar. and fewe r irregulars. Small production job can be easi ly acco m modated as well as highly customized work. The team approach al o reduces employee turnover and ab en teeism. Because team members must rely on each other for optimum product quality and completion rate. there is a trong sense of comm itment and cama rade ri e. You can save 3o percent 11ith modular manufacturing com pared to the bundle system ... says Roppe.
'vlatts Jackets in Waycross already has formed a modular team to produce warm - up pants for Augusta

Sportswear. The Appa rel Center.s]anua rr 19 cJass 11ill be trained to work as a team for SatiJia Manufacturing. Satilla management wants to adopt modular manufacturing. but reasons that it 11ill be easier for newcomers to adapt to the change than for cu rrent employees u ed to the old bundle SYstem.
What Lies Ahead?
AJter on ly two months on the job. former welfare recipient Tammy Brown a lreadv is exceeding 100 percent e ffi c ie n cy. ra ising her pay sca le above base. "!like thi s ... because I can do m\' 01n1 work b1 myself." says Brown. "jobs are real scarce in Alma. This is probably about the best place to get a job.
That is why this program and the appa re l industn need s upp o rt. With limited emp loyment opportunitie in this rural a rea. the loss of a plant is a major blo11 to the local economy. Supporting 11hat the communitY already h as is the best way to leverage its assets.
"Georgia co uld be the textile leader in the nation ... say Ro ppe. "But someone has to take the lead and say. we have the facilities to run _vour product: 11 e hav e reasonable rates: we have the technical sup port ... an d then companies. because of our abi litr to
offer JIT response. excell ent quality and competitive
cos t. will migrate down here to us. But if11e just gi1e up our ha nd s. and quit with it. what"s here n011 ''ill leave.
"It"s go ing to be a chall e nge.
Ka th leen Co.-;ml 1s <'ch tor <~( Ht.s uh .s.

Sen>ice lndu strr Academr Colu mb us Technica./ Institu te Columbu s. Ca. (Photo! DTAE File)
g~ ~;t_L~~
Service Industry Academy

On August~~- 1997, Geo rgia's Commissioner of Technical and Adult Education , Dr. Ken Breede n. met with 15 Columbus - area co mpani es to add ress joint concerns and possible solutions to the lack of skill ed labor for the area 's growing service industry.
On October ~8. 1997 - exactly two months and six days late r - Gov. Zell Miller. along with Breeden. unveil ed the Service Industry Academy at Columbus Technical Institute.
'The m ost critical infrastructure we must have to succeed in the ~ 1 st century is a trained. skilled work force. " Miller told the public officials and business leaders gathered at the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce. "And the Service Industry Academy provides a way to train workers for service industries. increasing employment and enhancing productivity and job performance .,. DTAE's qui ck response underscores Georgia's commitment to meeti ng business needs .
..When yo u add retail and consider that pmi of service. then the total service/ retail sector is over 55 percent of all the jobs," said Breeden . Manufacturers also need employees with customer service skill s for the sale and ongo ing maintenance of their products.
F. Michael Gaymon, presid ent of the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce , noted, "[The Service Industry Academy] pulls together state and local public officials, educational institutions and the business community to develop a unique program to meet current workforce needs whil e training a workforce for tomorrow's growth ."

With the full support of the participating business partners and a curriculum designed to teach basic and advanced skills in customer relations. the SIA will become a vital link in th e expansion of Georgia s trained labor pool. It will attract new businesses to the area and to the state itself. Firms outsid e of Columbus with call center operations already are anxious to locate there, acco rding to Columbus City Councilman Jack Roge rs.
The Service Industry Academy Is Born Some say there would be no SIA had it not been for Charlie Brown , presid ent of Technology Park/Atlanta . Inc . and past member of DTAE 's State Board ...We did a lot of work and studi es and research .. . to look at what was really needed and where it was needed ... said Brown. "We found out that there was really not a formal program for people involved in public contact situations or service industries.,. He encouraged DTAE to develop a service industry training program. and the Certified Customer Service Specialist was born.
The CCSS program is the keystone of the Academy. It is 154 hours of training that was developed by DTAE. s Qui ck Start and includes business and customer service
cess training. job simulations and assessments.
graduates in Columbus are guaranteed job interviews with business partners like AFLAC. AT&T Universal Card Services Corp .. Blue Cross and Blu e Shield of Georgia, Inc., CB&T Bank, Char- Broil. Colonial Bank. First Union National Bank of Georgia. Green Point Mortgage Corp. , Regions Ban k. SouthTrust Bank. SunTrust Bank. Synovus Service Corporation. TeleService Resources Inc., TSYS Total Soluti ons Inc. and Total System Services Inc.

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These companies, the Quick Start team and Columbus Technical Institute representa tives participated in a mid -September focus group to establish training requirements for entry -level customer service positions within their firms. "What began as a concept ... has become a reality with the Service Industry Academy." said Debbie Lane, chair of the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce's Workforce Education and Literacy Development (WELD) committee and vice president for human resources at Blue Cross.
The focus group decided that. in addition to the CCSS program, the Academy should offer advanced training in customer service. a Call Center Simulation Lab and training for other selected jobs. In the future, supervisory training, coaching skills, business writing and stress - management skills also will be offered.
"The pioneer service industry academy that you are developing here will become the model for other academies in other parts of the state," Miller said. Employers will be able to send their current personnel for training or hire new personnel, knowing that the Academy's Certified Customer Service Specialists possess the basic skills necessary to be productive workers from their first day on the job.
Skills for Future Growth Within the next year, 7 00 students in Columbus are expected to receive CCSS certification. Of the first 32 graduates, 91 percent got jobs right away, according to Gene Demonet, president of Columbus Technical Institute.
''We 'II directly benefit - in our banking operations, our service operations here in Columbus - as a result
Service Indus try Academy advertisement (Photo/ DTAE File)

of this effort. " said Jimmy Blanchard. chairman of Synovus Financial Corporation.
Besides providing trained workers. area business leaders expect the pro gram to reduce employee turnover and increase profitability. Since SIAgradu ates are trained in the basic fundamen tals of customer service , companies hiring new personnel will be able to concentrate on product training. according to Lane.
Blue Cross already has hired five of the recently grad uated Certified Customer Service Specialists. One new- hire was Lisa McCullough. When McCullough relocated to Columbus from ew York. she applied for a job at Blue Cross and found out about SIA.
After an intensive three- month summer course three hours a night, four nights a week. for I3 weeks McCullough graduated in October. She got the desired job at Blue Cross and training she "could take anywhere, apply anywhere else."
Graduation from the new SIA is "not just the first step toward employment and a satisfying professional career, it's the window of opportunity to a lifetime
of educational programs."
Graduation from the new SIA is not just the first step toward employment and a satisfYing professional career. it's the window of opportunity to a lifetime of educational programs," said Breeden. ''A student can start here and use the HOPE Scholarship and move right on up to a
four -year degree." cess graduates earn IS credit hours
that can be applied toward continuing their education at a technical institute or state university.
"There's certainly a lot of interest about the program. " Demonet said - both from the business sector and from those in search of employment. An advertisement highlighting the Academy and guaranteeing graduates
a job interview with one of the 14 business partners
began appearing in Columbus-area newspapers in ovember. More than I,ooo people are expected to
respond to the ad.
Suzanne Robinson is afree -lance writer tn Roswell. Ga.

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Georg-ians
During two days last Novernber, Athens -Clarke County reference librarian Clare Auwarter helped a young mother find information on car seats, an older patron investigate kneereplacement surgery, a job seeker gather data for an upcoming interview, a young woman learn more about African-American artist Jacob Lawrence and a high-school student research the fast -food industry.
Although the requests are not unusual, the ease with which Auwarter can help patrons find the information is unique within the United States. Using GALILEO . Georgia Library Learning Online , Auwarter can access a collection of ~3 databases by touching a few keys on a computer. In fact , any Georgian can.
That is because the Office of Public Libraries , Planning and Technology - a unit of the Department of Technical and Adult Education since FY 1997 - is part of a collaborative effort to create a statewide electronic library. The first step was to connect all 56 public library systems to the Internet. In FY 1997, $1.~ million
was appropriated by the Georgia General Assembly to provide each public library system with three computer workstations, a printer, four dial - in phone lines and access to GALILEO and the Internet through Peach et, the state's telecommuni cations network for education. The next step is to connect one library in each
county- or an additional1o1libraries- by the end of 1998.
The impetus for GALILEO dates back to 1994 and a group of academic librarians interested in using electronic technology to benefit all Georgia libraries . "There was a lot of appeal to the idea of having one set of resources . in effect, a statewide library, " says William Gray Potter, university librarian at
the University of Georgia and one of the originators of the GALILEO project.
While academic librarians were developing GALILEO , a separate, parallel pilot project was under way to link five public libraries and the Office of Public Library Services, then under the Department of Education, according to Tom Ploeg, DTAE's acting director for Public Library Services.
"In July 1993 , we received notification that our proposal to link our offic e and Bartow, Chattooga, Grady, Screven-Jenkins counties and the
Ocmulgee Regional Library in Eastman had been selected for funding under the State Distance Learning and Telecommunication Program, " he says. "Generally, these were all rural library systems and most didn't have local Internet providers." This early link was successful and even allowed the connected libraries access to the database FirstSearch. The public library community quickly saw the benefits of joining efforts with the academic librarians, says Ploeg.

GALILEO's 23 core databases include thousands of sources and provide information on topics ranging from business to medicine to government publications. For example , ABI/Inform has abstracts of articles from nearly 1,ooo business and management journals; full text of about 250 of the journals is available .
Census data, Georgia government publications, current state laws and Georgia Secretary of State records also are available on GALILEO. Plans are underway to make additional documents accessible.
Without GALILEO, database access would be too expensive for most libraries. "Back in 1992 we subscribed to Periodical Abstracts and it only cost about $1 ,6oo," Auwarter says. "However, that was only abstracts, not full text. The Periodical Abstracts database we receive [now] through GALILEO has 635 full -text journals dating back to 1993 and abstracts dating back to 1988. It would cost more than $18 ,ooo annually for Athens - Clarke [County] to have that access ." ow, each library pays a mere $125 annually for each computer with GALILEO access beyond the three provided by the state.
Roger Slater, assistant commissioner for the Office of Public Libraries, Planning and Technology, has used GALILEO to track legislation as it travels through the Georgia General Assembly. However, he points out that just as there is more to a library than books, there is more to GALILEO than the databases.
"We tend to think only about the databases, but GALILEO is actually an umbrella term for a variety of activities," he says. "We're also providing access to web- based instruction and materials through the Internet. Already, a number of our technical schools are using the Internet to deliver instruction. Using the Internet increases our patrons' flexibility and access to education. They can control their time. A single parent, for example, isn't locked into our libraries' hours for accessing information."

(click Here~
The Internet makes distance learning possible through GSAMS (Georgia Statewide Academic and Medical System). the most comprehensive distance learning and healthcare network in the world. Georgia Online Database (GOLD) facilitates interlibrary loan of books and other resources from any library in the state. And for those without Internet access, the public library is a place for sending and receiving e- mail.
Peggy Johnson, assistant director of the Elbert County Library, says GALILEO offers an easy and c01nfortable way to help patrons. "GALILEO is my favorite place to go," she explains. ''I'm not a big fan of computers, but GALILEO is so handy for finding magazine articles and other information. It has helped us a lot out here in the trenches where we can't afford to have huge amounts of reference materials. "
Those involved with GALILEO credit its rapid and broad based success to the cooperative working relationship between the various individuals and organizations.
"Getting the [next] 101 sites connected is a massive , massive undertaking. I can't tell you how many folks are involved from all the cooperating and contracting agencies, " Ploeg says. "Of any state exploring an arrangement like GALILEO, we probably have the broadest -based group of people and organizations involved."
Georgia leads the nation in development of its statewide library. Other states are looking to GALILEO as a model.
Denise H. Horton is afree-lance writer in Athens. Ga.

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Georgia Department ofTechnical and Adult Education
Technical Institutes Albany Technical Institute Albany, Georgia Altamaha Technical Institute Jesup, Georgia Athens Area Technical Institute Athens, Georgia Atlanta Technical Institute Atlanta, Georgia Augusta Technical Institute Augusta, Georgia Carroll Technical Institute Carrollton, Georgia Chattahoochee Technical Institute Marietta, Georgia Columbus Technical Institute Columbus, Georgia Coosa Valley Technical Institute Rome , Georgia DeKalb Technical Institute Clarkston, Georgia East Central Technical Institute Fitzgerald, Georgia Flint River Technical Institute Thomaston, Georgia Griffin Technical Institute Griffin, Georgia Gwinnett Technical Institute Lawrenceville, Georgia Heart of Georgia Technical Institute Dublin, Georgia Lanier Technical Institute Oakwood, Georgia Macon Technical Institute Macon, Georgia Middle Georgia Technical Institute Warner Robins, Georgia Moultrie Area Technical Institute Moultrie, Georgia North Georgia Technical Institute Clarkesville, Georgia North Metro Technical Institute Acworth, Georgia Ogeechee Technical Institute Statesboro, Georgia Okefenokee Technical Institute Waycross, Georgia Pickens Technical Institute Jasper, Georgia Sandersville Regional Technical Institute Sandersville, Georgia Savannah Technical Institute Savannah, Georgia South Georgia Technical Institute Americus, Georgia Southeastern Technical Institute Vidalia, Georgia Swainsboro Technical Institute Swainsboro, Georgia Thomas Technical Institute Thomasville, Georgia Valdosta Technical Institute Valdosta, Georgia Walker Technical Institute Rock Spring, Georgia West Georgia Technical Institute LaGrange, Georgia
College Technical Divisions Bainbridge College Bainbridge, Georgia Clayton College and State University Morrow, Georgia Coastal Georgia Community College Brunswick, Georgia
Dalton College Dalton, Georgia