Stuart Mullis of Rentz is the recipient of the Johnny B. Howard Scholarship offered through the OFTC Foundation- South, Inc. The scholarship is awarded annually to a student who is enrolled in the welding and joining program at Oconee Fall Line Technical College (OFTC). Priority is given to students who are attending or have graduated from West Laurens High School. Stuart is an upcoming senior at West Laurens High School and is a dual-enrolled student at OFTC.

The scholarship is given in memory of Johnny Buford Howard, a life-long resident of Laurens County, who was the welding and joining technology instructor at Heart of Georgia Technical College for nine years. Howard died in July 2007.

The only change to the HOPE program in 2013 was to reduce the required GPA for HOPE Grant recipients at the college grade point checkpoints. TCSG students using the HOPE Grant had been required to maintain a 3.0 GPA at those checkpoints. Starting with Fall Semester 2013, the checkpoint GPA will be reinstated to 2.0.

Beginning with the Fall Semester 2013, TCSG students who are receiving the HOPE Grant may also be eligible for additional financial assistance from Georgia's Strategic Industries Workforce Development Grant (SIWDG) Award for the following TCSG programs: Commercial Truck Driving, Early Childhood Care/Education and Practical Nursing.