STC appeals to construct driving range

The success of the Commercial Truck Driving Program at the Hancock County campus of Sandersville Technical College (STC) prompted representatives to bring a proposal last week to the County Commissioners.

During the pre-meeting work session on Tuesday, August 7; Brenda Warren, Director of the Hancock County STC campus, Erica Harden, Vice President of Educational Services, and Roy Williams, Director of the Commercial Truck Driving Program, presented a request for assistance from the County to construct a driving range.

According to Warren, there is little room at the Hancock County campus for students to practice turning, backing up, and shifting gears all necessary skills for completion of the program.

To accommodate the course requirements, students are currently traveling to the STC campuses in either Washington County or to Jefferson County, where the corresponding counties assisted in constructing driving ranges for the school’s Commercial Driving Program.

“We are so pleased with what we are doing in Hancock County,” Harden told Board members.

“We began the program in 2004 with 7 students. In this past year, we enrolled 51 students for the program.”

The project has a proposition price of $500,000 which is based on what the other counties paid for their ranges. This rough estimate includes contractor grading, paving, striping, and lights.

Harden closed the presentation with an invitation to visit the STC Hancock County Center and see what the CTD program is doing. “We are teaching relevant skills so that the students find employment and good wages to support their families,” says Harden. “We need your help to meet the growing need for adult education in Hancock County.”

(2007, August 16). The Sparta Ishmaelite, p2.