Samuel McGinnis, Steven Bradley Are STARs
The Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) program honors high school seniors for excelling on the SAT, the standardized test for college admissions. In turn, each student who is chosen as STAR for his or her school, names a teacher who he or she feels has been most instrumental in the students’ academic success.
This year’s STAR student for Piedmont Academy is Samuel McGinnis. Mr. McGinnis selected Martha Mock as his STAR teacher. Mr. McGinnis is the son of Adam and Suzanne McGinnis of Monticello.
Steven Bradley is Jasper County High School’s STAR student. He chose Michael Cooper as his STAR teacher. Mr. Bradley is the son of Stanley and Melisa Bradley.
When asked about this year’s STAR student, his teacher, Ms. Mock, said: “John Steinbeck stated in his short story, ‘Flight’ A boy becomes a man when a man is needed. For the past few years, I have watched as Samuel McGinnis matured from a mischievous adolescent into an erudite young man. This young man is now prepared to tackle adulthood with perseverance and intellect enhanced by a facetious sense of humor and vitality for life.
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“Samuel’s creative and analytical abilities are astounding; his innovative utilization of these skills in capturing an image with his pen and paper has bestowed upon him the honor of being one of the most gifted and talented writers ever to grace my classroom. Whether he will admit it or not, Samuel relishes learning. He gleans from each and every situation a lesson to use in building his vast storehouse of knowledge for the betterment of his life and the lives of those around him.
“Samuel is wise beyond his years. Not only in my college English class but in all of his interactions with others, his compassion and kindness are vividly displayed. These attributes give him the ability to analyze a difficult poem or write one as poignant as the one we studied in class. His diligent work in his church mission field has increased his insight into the suffering of others and fueled his desire to help wherever and whenever he is needed.
“I am honored that Samuel chose me to be his STAR teacher. The greatest honor is being chosen by such an astute, exemplary student. I have faith in Samuel’s judgment to fulfill his plans for a career in the military. Whether he goes to the Naval Academy, Georgia Tech, or North Georgia, Samuel will truly be an asset in any endeavor that he chooses. His star will be luminous as he begins his quest to make the world a better place for all of us.”
Mr. McGinnis said, “All of my teachers here at Piedmont have had an enormous impact on my academic career and my life. Ms. Martha Mock is chief among these. Throughout her time teaching at Piedmont, she has been dedicated to the betterment of the school and all of its students.
“Though she has only taught me for two years, her compassion and motivation have made me into the student I am today. Her classes and lectures have always captured my attention and instilled in me a love of learning. She has taught me the importance of grammar and the proper structure for an essay as well as the importance of attention to detail and to take pride in my work. Though her workload was not easy, I am confident it will prepare me for college and the remainder of my life.
“Ms. Mock is truly one of the most gifted teachers I have had the pleasure of learning from. I feel very blessed to have had that opportunity to learn lessons of English and life from her.”
Mr. Bradley is on the school fencing team, which placed in the top three in tournaments even in its first year of competition last year. He also competes on the Envirothon Team, placing third in the state last year, as well as the Science Olympiad team, which also earned a berth at the state competition last year.
Captain of the school Quiz Bowl team, he attends several tournaments and was part of the winning team at Macon State College last year. He also helped with the Trivia Night fund raiser.
Selected by Duke University’s Talent Identification Program, Mr. Bradley excels in academics and enjoys poetry, reading and writing. He also has been a Young Georgia Authors winner.
Participating in 4-H events, he has also volunteered in the community.
Mr. Bradley has been accepted to the University of Georgia and plans to study economics.
Selecting his language arts teacher and fencing coach as the STAR teacher, Michael Cooper will join Mr. Bradley in being honored at the STAR banquet.
Mr. Cooper received a degree in English from the University of Tennessee and also received his master’s in English education there. He teaches senior English, advanced placement language and literature and drama.
Mr. Cooper directs the school One Act play and also coaches the newly formed boy’s soccer team. The coordinator of the school’s literary team, Mr. Cooper coaches the boy’s and girl’s Dramatic Interpretation contestants.
Mr. Cooper also coordinates and coaches the Poetry Out Loud contest at JCHS and is the Young Georgia Authors coordinator for Jasper County schools. Along with Amy Scroggs, he helps organize graduation exercises each year. Mr. Cooper enjoys reading and gardening.
