Ashworth Middle School's Vicky Chen receives Honorable Mention in Student Design Contest

May 1, 2019

Vicky Chen, a seventh grader at Ashworth Middle School, was celebrated by Gov. Brian Kemp at the Governor’s Awards Luncheon held recently at the Georgia International Convention Center in College Park, Ga.

Chen received honorable mention in the 2019 Manufacturing Appreciation Week (MAW) student design contest in the sixth through eighth grade category. She will receive a $50 scholarship check.

Students from around the state submitted design entries featuring Georgia manufacturers and their products. Chen represented Ashworth Middle School and Georgia Northwestern Technical College.

“The design contest exposes students to the rich diversity of career opportunities available in manufacturing, and it fosters a deeper understanding and appreciation for how critical manufacturing is to the prosperity of their own local communities,” said Richard Warner, noted Georgia journalist and emcee of the event. “Now more than ever, we need to make young people aware that manufacturing is an area where they can express their creativity, and where their skills are rewarded.”

The artwork created by Vicky Chen, a seventh grader at Ashworth Middle School, received an honorable mention in the 2019 Manufacturing Appreciation Week (MAW) student design contest.
The artwork created by Vicky Chen, a seventh grader at Ashworth Middle School, received an honorable mention in the 2019 Manufacturing Appreciation Week (MAW) student design contest.

The Governor’s Awards Luncheon is the highlight of MAW, celebrated this year April 15-19. Co-hosted by the Technical College System of Georgia and the Georgia Department of Economic Development, MAW brings attention to the tremendous contribution manufacturing makes on Georgia’s economic growth.

According to Gov. Kemp, nearly 9,802 manufacturing facilities are located in Georgia, providing 406,602 jobs and generating more than $22.7 billion in wages for Georgia’s citizens. He noted manufacturing contributed more than $61 billion to the state’s economy last year.

This is the 25th year celebrating Manufacturing Appreciation Week in Georgia. This year’s sponsors included the Georgia Association of Manufacturers, the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership with the Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Power, and Aprio.

Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) provides quality workforce education to the citizens of Northwest Georgia. Students have the opportunity to earn an associate degree, diploma, or a certificate in business, health, industrial, or public service career paths. This past year, 12,785 people benefited from GNTC’s credit and noncredit programs. With an annual credit enrollment of 7,499 students, GNTC is the largest college in Northwest Georgia. GNTC has an additional enrollment of 5,286 people through adult education, continuing education, business and industry training, and Georgia Quick Start. GNTC is a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia and an Equal Opportunity Institution.

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