Local STAR students and teachers recognized by Decatur Rotary
Twenty-eight students from high schools in DeKalb County have been named PAGE STAR Students for 2021, and each student selected a STAR Teacher for recognition as well.
The PAGE Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) program, now in its 63rd year, is sponsored, administered, and promoted by the Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE) and the PAGE Foundation. To obtain the STAR nomination, graduating 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 among the top 10 students of their class based on grade point average.
STAR begins each year in participating high schools throughout Georgia when the STAR Student is named and chooses a STAR Teacher to share in this recognition. The students and their teachers are honored by their schools and receive special recognition in their communities from more than 170 statewide civic organizations and businesses that serve as local sponsors of the STAR program.
Students then compete for school system titles, and those winners compete for region honors. Region winners compete for the honor of being named State PAGE STAR Student. STAR Teachers continue with their STAR Students at every level of the program.
The downtown Decatur Chick-fil-A restaurant and Georgia United Credit Union sponsored Decatur Rotary Club’s DeKalb County STAR program virtual ceremony April 30, and all awardees received Decatur Chick-fil-A gift cards. Five students also won school system recognition and received an additional cash prize courtesy of Decatur Rotary and Georgia United Credit Union.
The 2021 STAR school, students and teachers from Decatur City Schools and DeKalb County Schools are:
Decatur High School, Yildiz Derinkok,* Erika Leach
Arabia Mountain High School, Monique Morse, Ross Knezek
Ben Franklin Academy, Cormac Frederick, McCabe Barry Dunnavant
Cedar Grove High School, Akilha Crystal Norton, Genetta Reeves
Chamblee Charter High School, Catherine Coassaboom,* Kathryn Zuehlke
Chamblee Charter High School, Megan Woo,* Holly Isserstedt
Clarkston High School, Selihom Araia, Kristen Bibb
Columbia High School, Kai Ija Annis, Hetal Raval
Cross Keys High School, Jonathan Marquez, Tracy Vax
DeKalb Early College Academy, Moontashir Siam, John Alberts
DeKalb School of the Arts, Willa Grace Pevey, Brian Daniels
Druid Hills High School, William Wainwright,* Brett Flater
Dunwoody High School, Daniel Larry, Maslia David Gay
Dunwoody High School, Tyler Logan, Rush Mike Berry
Lakeside High School, Ezra Gray Dolensky, Tara Buonamici
Lakeside High School, Austin James Beale, Adam Crawford
Marist School, Jack Griffin, Aaron Schmitt
McNair High School Jahmal Mifford, Ray Danielle Garriott
Miller Grove High School, Alisha Michelle, Frazier Latasha Farmer
Redan High School, Tierra Nyemah Phillips, Nichelle Marshall
Southwest Dekalb High School, Solari Michelle, Reeder James Seda
St. Pius X Catholic High School, Cody Nelson,* Carrie Stockard
Stephenson High School, Blessing Love, Cheryl Wyatt
Stone Mountain High School, Knighton Ivory, Walker Clifford Southern
Tapestry Public Charter School, Meredith Jean, Pollette Lauren Sullivan
Towers High School, Amauri Ferguson, Jamila-Akilah Harris
Tucker High School, Mihir Alexander, Misra Stephanie Willocks
W.D. Mohammed High School, Inaya Champion, Zarinah Abdur-Rahman
*also honored as system winners
