Olivia Aldridge Is County STAR

Olivia Aldridge was named the county wide STAR student at a banquet held Monday at Deptula’s Restaurant and hosted by the Monticello Kiwanis Club.

Miss Aldridge, a senior at Jasper County High School (JCHS) had the top SAT score in the county and she and STAR teacher, Brian Patrick were honored, along with STAR student Carley Cain and STAR teacher Bobbi Sauls from Piedmont Academy.

Miss Aldridge is the daughter of David and Linda Aldridge of Monticello.

In her remarks, Miss Aldridge said that throughout her childhood she was nurtured with words. She said that as early as second grade she kept notebooks. She told those gathered that she signed up for Honors American Literature under teacher Brian Patrick. She said, “He was intimidating.”

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Then she told how she stressed over her first assignment over The Crucible. She said she resolved not to let him down. She said that he has challenged her and fellow students, and made it clear she appreciates the high standards. She said he treats Jasper County students the same as he would those from anywhere else. “He does not shy away from real-world issues,” shes aid. He believes students in Jasper County deserve a good education, she said. And, most of all, she said he made her realize she has a gift, and she thanked him for that.

Mr. Patrick said he was impressed the first time he met Olivia. He said she filled a void he was feeling as a teacher. He said he had reached a point fairly early in his career when he was wondering if he made the right choice, that of teaching. He said that Olivia continued to exceed expectations, and he put her on a whole other level than most of the students. He said he recognizes that students at the top need to be pushed too. He said it has been an honor and privilege to teach Olivia.

Next, Miss Cain spoke. She said she had been active in sports, civic clubs and academics since beginning school at Piedmont Academy in the sixth grade.

“Four years ago, as I prepared to enter high school, I was absolutely terrified of Ms. Sauls and her classes….but mostly Ms. Sauls,” said the senior. “On the first day of civics, I was forced to fill the empty seat directly in front of her podium. I’m nearly positive that I spent the entire class period trembling.”

After encountering Ms. Sauls in the civics class, Miss Cain decided to take part in one-act play, but refused to have a speaking role.

This year she played the main character in the school’s one-act play. She has also taken other classes from Ms. Sauls, and participated in literary competition every year. She said the Ms. Sauls’ classes challenge her, but she thinks Ms. Sauls has taught her even more outside of the classroom. “As I entered my freshman year, I never anticipated how great Ms. Sauls’ impact on my life would be. In the last four years we have made each other laugh and cry more times than I can count. She has taught me to persevere even under the toughest of circumstances, always to strive for the greatest success, to focus on my goals, and above all else, never to back down.”

Ms. Sauls praised Miss Cain for her accomplishment, and described her as a woman of strong character, with a good work ethic who is always prepared. She said she is the kind of student teachers love to have. She wants to do better, always; she is never satisfied, said Ms. Sauls. She said that Carley came with a great set of values, her family is always there to encourage her, and she is true to her word. Ms. Sauls had nothing but praise for Piedmont’s STAR student.

The group heard from Piedmont alumnus Andy Williams who is the sales manager for the Convention & Visitors Bureau of Dunwoody.

He told of graduating from Piedmont and going to Young Harris which had 500 students at the time, and it was so much larger than his alma mater. He majored in pre-business, but after a number of classes started trying to figure out what he really wanted to do.

After earning an associate’s degree at Young Harris he attended Ga. Southern where he received a degree in tourism and commercial recreation.

He offered advice to the STAR students. He told them to find something they love doing. He said tourism is a passion for him. He told them to research their career choice. He told them they must balance school work and social life, and told them to get involved in college.

Then he told them when they started seeking employment to be persistent. He told them to pay their dues; be prepared to do the lesser jobs at first. He also urged them to listen to those who had gone before and their superiors in the work world. He told them not to take shortcuts, “go the honest way.”

He assured them that hard work and dedication will get them where they’re going. Lastly, he said, “Be a sponge, soak up everything; listen to experienced people.” And, most of all, he said, listen to your parents.

After Mr. Williams spoke, Jimmy Jordan of Monticello who works for the Professional Association of Georgia Educators, one of the sponsors of the STAR program talked about the program. The PAGE Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) program, now in its 55th year, is sponsored by the Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE) Foundation, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the Georgia Department of Education. Since its inception, the STAR program has honored more than 23,500 students and the teachers they have selected as having had the most influence on their academic success.

To obtain the STAR nomination, high school seniors must have the highest score on a single test date on the three-part SAT and be in the top 10 percent or top 10 students of their class based on grade point average.

The mission of the PAGE Foundation is to recruit, develop, retain and recognize outstanding teachers for all Georgia students.

Through its sponsorship of Future Educators Association of Georgia (FEA Georgia), Student Professional Association of Georgia Educators (SPAGE), PAGE Foundation Scholarships and professional learning, the PAGE Foundation works to recruit capable people to the teaching profession and provide career-long professional learning opportunities for educators.

STAR is one of several programs of academic excellence sponsored by the Foundation. Other academic competitions include the PAGE Georgia Academic Decathlon (GAD) and the PAGE Academic Bowl for Middle Grades.