Latanza Monique Williams, a 1998 graduate of Lincoln County High School, recently earned a Masters of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) for Middle Grades Education from Augusta State University on May 9, 2009.

To complete the program, she completed her practicum experience at Thomson-McDuffie Junior High School teaching eighth-grade Georgia Performance Standards Mathematics.

The M.A.T. program requires candidates to have an undergraduate degree and pass state certification requirements for the specific grade level or subject area. Graduates of this program attain an in-depth knowledge of the subject matter described by the professional, state and institutional standards. As a graduate of Augusta State, students are required to be certified in two subject areas. Latanza is certified in both, middle grades mathematics and language arts. Also, she will go on to complete certification in early childhood. Latanza will begin her teaching career this summer at R. L. Norris Elementary School in Thomson, Georgia as a fifth-grade teacher.

Latanza is married to Michael Williams and is the daughter of Franklin and Kathy Jones, of Lincolnton. She is also the mother to Katelyn Bennett. She greatly appreciates the tremendous amount of prayer and support from her loved ones.