Every year, the Professional Association of Georgia Educators Foundation honors top students at both public and private high schools from across the state. Students who receive the highest scores at their school on the SAT, a college entrance exam, and have grade-point averages in the top 10 percent of their class are recognized as STAR students, which stands for Student Teacher Achievement Recognition program. Each STAR student then chooses a teacher as his or her STAR teacher. After STAR students and teachers are chosen from the high schools, school system winners are named. Winners chosen from districts compete for the title of state STAR student. Here are the STAR students and teachers from schools in Reporter Newspapers communities: Brookhaven, Buckhead, Dunwoody and Sandy Springs. Their names and photos were provided by their high schools.
Atlanta Girls’ School Africa McLeod, STAR student Melissa Bobeck, STAR teacher
Atlanta International School Liam Simkins-Walker, STAR student Peter Hamer-Hodges, STAR teacher
Brandon Hall Mary Gunning, STAR student Scott Chruszcz, STAR teacher
Cross Keys High School Kui Sit, STAR student Monique Whorton, STAR teacher
Chamblee Charter High School Mollie Simon, STAR student Christopher Y. Smith, STAR teacher
Dunwoody High School Mallory Harris , STAR student Raymond Wise, STAR teacher
Dunwoody High School Maddie Dill, STAR student Erik Vincent, STAR teacher
The Galloway School Lakota Rich, STAR student Rebecca Klein, STAR teacher
Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School Natalie Kessler, STAR student Gerard Gatoux, STAR teacher
Holy Spirit Preparatory School Carson Hooper, STAR student Michael Rondeau, STAR teacher
The Lovett School Halle Payne, STAR student Debi Ohayon, STAR teacher
Marist School Joey Paris, STAR student Sergio Stadler, STAR teacher
Marist School Brendan Phillips, STAR student Anne Washington Saunders, STAR teacher
Marist School Erin Connolly, STAR student Matt Romano, STAR teacher
Mount Vernon Presbyterian School Joseph Martin, STAR student Tom Rounds, STAR teacher
North Atlanta High School Bailey Palmer, STAR student Robert Bramlett, STAR teacher
North Springs Charter High School Jake Busby, STAR student Jan Arnette, STAR teacher
Pace Academy Kal Golde, STAR student Elizabeth Kann, STAR teacher
Pace Academy Joshua Rogers, STAR student Gus Whyte, STAR teacher
Riverwood International Charter School Ben Dolder, STAR student Diane Kopkas, STAR teacher
St. Pius X Catholic High School Christina DeLurgio, STAR student Melissa Page, STAR teacher
Weber School Emily Bachner, STAR student Michele Brown, STAR teacher
The Westminster Schools Alexandra Smith, STAR student Freddy Martin, STAR teacher
The Westminster Schools Maya Grimes, STAR student Woody Barnes, STAR teacher