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Newton resident named Georgia Piedmont's top 2022 instructor
Sherry Lowery
Sherry Lowery (Special | Georgia Piedmont Technical College)

COVINGTON, Ga. -- Georgia Piedmont Technical College has named a Newton County resident its Instructor of the Year award winner for the second time.

Sherry Lowery won Georgia Piedmont's Rick Perkins Award for Excellence in Technical Instruction for 2022, the college announced.

Lowery, who teaches courses in Early Childhood Care and Education, won the annual award for the second time after first winning in 2015. 

Faculty are nominated by their peers each year. Lowery, 64, said she was shocked and honored for her nomination and eventual second win

“My nominator is actually a work study student from the (Early Childhood) program who has taken each and every course I teach here in the college. I appreciate, too, that I am able to represent my peer faculty in this adventure,” Lowery said.

Lowery also is the founder of 100 Women Who Care Newton County which works to find funding for area nonprofits.

The college also named its GOAL (Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership) winner as student Natasha Henry, 25, of DeKalb County.

As the winners from Georgia Piedmont Technical College, Lowery and Henry will go on to compete on the regional stage this March. If named winners there, they will compete at the state level in April. 

The state winners will be ambassadors for technical education across the Peach State, including addressing the General Assembly.

Lowery said she would highlight technical education's value in speeches if named a state winner.

“Given the opportunity, I would not hesitate to mention that our programs are accredited, foundational, personal, and in many cases, free. Our students are sought after, highly respected, and employed."

Henry doesn’t hesitate when asked what she hopes to do with her diploma in air-conditioning technology.

“My ultimate goal is to do religious disaster relief,” Henry said, calling on her strong faith as a Jehovah’s Witness. 

Henry is honing her home-building skills and would eventually like to start her own HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning) company that specializes in helping those affected by natural disasters. 

Henry is scheduled to finish her program at GPTC this May; she also holds an associate degree from Georgia State University.

Both the GOAL and Perkins Award winners will be presented with $500 checks from the GPTC Foundation, in addition to enjoying their own parking spots for their one-year reign.