Chamblee Middle School Student Takes First Place in Statewide Manufacturing Appreciation Design Contest

Nabila Islam, an eighth grader from Chamblee, Ga., shared a stage with Gov. Nathan Deal today in honor of Georgia’s manufacturing industry.

Islam took first place in the poster category of the 2012 Manufacturing Appreciation Week (MAW) student design contest. She received a $500 scholarship check, presented at the MAW Governor’s Awards Luncheon held at the Georgia International Convention Center.  She is no stranger to this stage, having won first place in the elementary schools placemat competition in 2009 and 2010.

Gov. Deal congratulated all the winners of the contest, and praised the commitment to manufacturing they symbolize. “I really appreciate the fact that you would see it important to recognize these fine young folks,” he said. Students from around the state submitted design entries featuring Georgia manufacturers and their products. The three design categories were placemat, poster and t-shirt.

During the ceremonies, Gov. Nathan Deal named Georgia’s 2012 Manufacturers of the Year: Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia in West Point in the large manufacturer category (more than 500 employees); Quad/Graphics’ facility in The Rock in the medium manufacturer category (150-500 employees); and Cartersville’s Applied Thermoplastic Resources in the small manufacturer category (fewer than 150 employees).

To underline his support for manufacturing and making Georgia the best place to do business, Gov. Deal used the opportunity to sign HB 386, the Georgia Jobs and Family Tax Reform Plan, before the awards presentation ceremony. HB 386 eliminates the state sales tax on energy used in manufacturing and provides a variety of tax cuts for Georgians.

Co-hosted by the Technical College System of Georgia and the Georgia Department of Economic Development, the awards luncheon is the highlight of MAW, celebrated this year April 16-20. This is the 18th year celebrating Manufacturing Appreciation Week in Georgia. Chamblee Middle School is within the service district of Georgia Piedmont Technical College.

Georgia Piedmont Technical College, a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, promotes a student-centered environment for lifelong learning and development, encompassing academic and technical education for employment in a global community.  The college has nine centers of learning in DeKalb, Newton, Rockdale, and Morgan counties. Georgia Piedmont Technical College currently has more than 5,000 students enrolled in diploma or degree programs and more than 9,000 in adult education classes.  Academic and Technical programs at Georgia Piedmont Tech cover more than 120 different occupations.  For more information, visit our website at www.GPTC.edu.

Photo: Nabila Islam with Gov. Nathan Deal