STARs Are Named
Taylor Edwards has been named STAR student for Jasper County High School, and she chose as her STAR teacher, band teacher Chris Savage.
Cheyenne Galloway was named Piedmont Academy’s STAR student, and she chose her mother, Beth Galloway, as her STAR teacher.
The Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) program is sponsored locally by the Monticello Kiwanis Club.
The STAR program honors Georgia’s highest achieving high school seniors and the teachers who have been most instrumental in their academic development.
Since its creation in 1958 by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, the STAR Program has honored nearly 25,000 high school seniors who have in turn chosen their STAR Teachers to share in this recognition. Every accredited high school in Georgia is eligible to participate in this preeminent student/teacher academic recognition.
In the mid-1990’s the Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE) Foundation was asked by the Georgia Chamber and the State Department of Education to assume responsibility for the oversight, administration and promotion of the statewide STAR program.
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To obtain the STAR nomination, high school seniors must have the highest score on any single test date of the three-part SAT taken through the November test date of their senior year and be in the top 10 percent or top 10 students of their class based on grade point average. Nominees’ SAT scores must be equal to or higher than the latest available national average on the critical reading, math and writing sections. Each high school STAR Student is asked to name his/her STAR Teacher.
Taylor Edwards is a senior at Jasper County High School. She served as the drum major of the Marching Hurricanes last fall, and has strived to make the most of her high school years by staying involved in her school and community. She looks forward to starting college in the fall semester and pursuing a career in nursing.
When asked why she chose Chris Savage as STAR teacher, Taylor said, “Where to even start? Since I first met Mr. Savage when I joined the Marching Hurricanes in the eighth grade, he has constantly encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and to have confidence in myself. All of the extra time and effort that he puts in is a testament how much he cares about the students works with.”
Mr. Savage said this about being chosen STAR teacher:
“I feel that being chosen as STAR Teacher is the highest honor a teacher can have, because it comes from those who matter the most: the students. It is definitely an honor to be chosen by Taylor, who has had many great teachers throughout high school and has no doubt been influenced by all of them. It is humbling that she chose me as her STAR teacher.
“However, simply having had the opportunity to watch Taylor grow over the last four years has been an honor in itself. Taylor has grown into quite possibly one of the brightest, nicest, and most sincere students I have taught. She is always polite and always speaks and acts with intelligence and poise. I am extremely proud of the young lady she has become, and hope that some day my own daughters can follow in her footsteps both as a student and a person.”
Cheyenne Galloway had this to say about the honor, and her choice of STAR teacher.
“Many teachers at Piedmont Academy have influenced my development as a student, an athlete, and an individual. They have all made me work hard to achieve my goals and have pushed me to be the best that I can be in the classroom and on the field.
“I also had the privilege to be taught by my mother for a number of years, and she has been employed at my school for most of my life. My mom taught me history in the fourth grade, and she taught all of my classes in the fifth grade and prepared me for the transition to middle school. She taught me to be prepared always and gave me her love for learning. Her impact on my academic career did not stop there; she started the FFA program at Piedmont and taught me agricultural science during my freshman, sophomore and junior years.
“During my years in the FFA, with my mother as my advisor, I learned to appreciate fully the role of teachers in encouraging students to become the best student, leader, and, person that he or she can be. Through the organization, I gained confidence to lead and serve others better.
“Because of my mother’s involvement in the FFA, I, too, became heavily involved with the organization. The club has led to my participation in many skill-building activities and to my formation of lifelong friendships. Since we have been at the same school for most of my life, I have always been comfortable knowing that my mom was never far away when I was sick, when I needed someone to talk to, or when I simply needed a note signed. From an early age, I have been taught to work hard and to care for others always before myself. I have been privileged to have my mom to teach me valuable lessons not only at home but also in the classroom.”
About Cheyenne, Beth Galloway said:
“God has blessed me with the opportunity to be Cheyenne’s mother and teacher. I taught Cheyenne in different subject areas during her fourth, fifth, ninth, 10th, and 11th grade years. Some may assume that would make life easier for Cheyenne, but unfortunately for her, she had a mother and teacher that always expected more from her than anyone else in the class. I never wanted there to be a reason for accusations of favoritism.
“When Cheyenne was in the fifth grade, I told her that her father would have to help her with her homework for that year because no other students had their teacher at home to help with their homework. Her response was a flood of tears. Anyone that is familiar with Cheyenne’s personality understands that she is a perfectionist in every way. She has an internal motivation always to push herself to be the best.
“In the classroom, she has always chosen to take the hardest work load, study many hours into the night, and succeed at every task. She takes this same attitude to the softball field which led to her to a college scholarship. Cheyenne started out as a pitcher in softball but changed to catching for a couple of reasons. Her perfectionist spirit could not tolerate walking a batter, and her drive to know all that is going on around her led her to the catching position where she could see the entire field. Her quick response and high intellect makes her a force to be reckoned with on the field.
“Even though Cheyenne is serious about her academics, she has a love for life. She has a smart wit that can best be seen with her brother, she is very loyal to her friends, and she loves her entire family – all 30 of us! I am honored Cheyenne chose me as her STAR teacher. There is no better compliment or award I could ever receive in my life.”
The STAR students and teachers will be honored by the Monticello Kiwanis Club next Monday, and the county STARs will be named at that time.
After the high school STAR students compete for system titles; system STAR students in turn compete for region-wide honors in the 12 STAR Regions. Region winners and their STAR Teachers are invited to Atlanta to compete for the state STAR scholarships and awards.
