Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) has named Rihanna Davis, a LaFayette High School student who attends the Walker LAUNCH College and Career Academy in Rock Spring, as its 2026 Dual Enrollment Student of the Year.
The award recognizes an outstanding high school senior who has participated in GNTC’s Dual Enrollment program. Davis received the award and a $1,000 scholarship from the GNTC Foundation on Tuesday, March 24, during GNTC’s annual High School Appreciation Luncheon at GNTC’s Gordon County Campus in Calhoun.
“Receiving this award is a huge honor,” Davis said. “It shows that hard work always pays off.”
Georgia’s Dual Enrollment program allows qualified high school students in GNTC’s nine-county service area to maximize their education and career training by taking college-level courses that earn college and high school credit at the same time. Degree-level core classes will transfer to any institution in the University System of Georgia (USG) or the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG). College credits also count toward high school rigor and HOPE Scholarship rigor requirements.
By participating in Walker LAUNCH’s Dual Enrollment program, Davis completed her associate degree in Automotive Technology at GNTC in December 2025; the Chickamauga resident and first generation college graduate has also earned two diplomas and several certificates in Automotive Technology.
“Earning my associate degree before my high school diploma is a huge accomplishment,” Davis said. “It’s easy to underestimate the achievement, but it took a lot of hard work and commitment. Because I am so passionate about Automotive Technology, it felt easy for me.”
Davis plans to continue her college education and earn degrees in Marketing and Mechanical Engineering. She said she also plans to continue her education in the future in Diesel Equipment Technology and Automotive Collison Repair, with the end goal of a career in the automotive industry.
“Growing up in north Georgia, I was surrounded by cars,” Davis said. “My dad built a variety of vehicles, and I was always right there watching, learning and getting inspired. Some of my best memories are of the time we spent together working on vehicles.”
“Cars were never just machines to me; they were something that brought my family closer,” Davis said. “That environment taught me patience, attention to detail and the pride that comes with building something from the ground up.”
As she has gotten older, Davis has started doing more automotive work herself, such as detailing vehicles, helping with paint preparation, working on engines and transmissions and posting automotive media.
“My goal is one day to own an automotive shop and inspire other women to pursue a trade and enjoy it,” she said. “I want to create a space where others can learn, grow and feel the same passion that was passed down to me. At the end of the day, my story isn’t just about cars; it’s about family and using that foundation to build something meaningful for the future.”
The Dual Enrollment program helped her realize her goal, she explained. She entered the program at Walker LAUNCH her sophomore year of high school.
“I always took honors and AP classes, but I began to want a slight change in my high school career path,” she said, urging others to consider Dual Enrollment as an option.
“Dual Enrollment gives you a head start in your career,” she said. “Even if you don’t know exactly what you want to do, taking prerequisite courses can be useful for college. Dual Enrollment even gives you the opportunity to figure out what you want to do.”
Minimum qualifications for being named GNTC’s Dual Enrollment Student of the Year are being a current high school senior, maintaining a minimum 2.0 grade point average (GPA), planning to enroll at GNTC after high school to pursue an accredited program of study and being in good standing with the high school and college.
GNTC hosts the annual High School Appreciation Luncheon to show appreciation to the faculty and staff from regional high schools for their contribution to the college’s Dual Enrollment program. Counselors, faculty and administrators from high schools across the northwest Georgia region took part in the luncheon.
Dual Enrollment represents 37% of total enrollment at GNTC, said Kristi Hart, director of High School Initiatives at GNTC.
In Academic Year 2026, 3,670 Dual Enrollment students were enrolled through GNTC, and this year’s enrollment reflects an increase of more than 200 students over the previous year, Hart said. One hundred thirty-seven students participated in the Accelerated Career program offered through Dual Enrollment this year.
As part of the luncheon, Stuart Phillips, vice president of Student Affairs and Student Success at GNTC, conducted a fireside chat with siblings Logan and Ella Knight and their mother, Menta, about the Dual Enrollment program. Ella Knight is a Dual Enrollment student, and Logan Knight is in the Accelerated Career program.
Participating in the Accelerated Career program is enabling Logan Knight to graduate from high school on schedule with his sister this spring, after losing a year of school time during his treatment for brain cancer. Now in remission, he has earned four certificates in Cybersecurity at GNTC and plans to pursue his associate degree in the Computer Support Specialist program at GNTC.
When his twin sister graduates, she will have completed 30 semester credit hours in General Education transferable credits and will have earned GNTC’s Early College Essentials certificate. Ella Knight plans to attend Georgia Highlands College to study Graphic Design. Georgia Northwestern Technical College delivers high-quality workforce education to the citizens of northwest Georgia. Students can pursue associate degrees, diplomas and certificates in a wide range of career pathways, including aviation, business, health, industrial and public service. Over the past year, 14,082 people benefited from GNTC’s credit and noncredit programs. The college has an annual credit enrollment of 9,342 students and achieved a 100 percent placement rate. An additional 4,740 individuals are served through adult education, continuing education, business and industry training and Georgia Quick Start® programs.