Clarke Central High School senior Carolina Turner (left) and Cedar Shoals High School senior James Xiao (right) stand in front of a Rotary International banner. Turner was nominated for Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) student for the district and nominated social studies department teacher Drew Wheeler as her STAR teacher. “Mr. Wheeler was pivotal to motivating me as a student and expanding my academic scope of interest,” Turner said. “Even though I wasn’t expecting to be interested in my AP Macroeconomics class this year, the learning activities we did forced me to develop more interest in the subject.” Photo fair use of Clarke County School District
CCSD seniors Carolina Turner from CCHS and James Xiao from CSHS were recognized as STAR students on Feb. 13 at the Classic City Rotary Club’s weekly luncheon.
The Clarke County School District recognized its Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) program winners at the Classic City Rotary Club’s weekly luncheon on Feb. 13.
The award acknowledges one senior at each high school who obtains the highest SAT score and is in the top 10% of their class based on grade-point average. Among the two winners were Cedar Shoals High School senior James Xiao and Clarke Central High School senior Carolina Turner.
“(Winning) STAR student is mostly a vindication of my diligence and intellect throughout these past four years at Central,” Turner said in a press release. “This recognition is important to me because it’s an acknowledgment that all of the work that I’ve put into my academics and into preparing for the SAT has paid off.”
Turner named social studies department teacher Drew Wheeler as her STAR teacher, crediting him for being a catalyst in her academic pursuits.
“(Wheeler) was my AP (Macroeconomics) teacher and he made the class really fun and interesting for me,” Turner said. “He also led the Academic Bowl team, which was important to my extracurricular and academic development.”
“This recognition is important to me because it’s an acknowledgment that all of the work that I’ve put into my academics and into preparing for the SAT has paid off.”
— Carolina Turner,
STAR student winner
Xiao won the STAR student for the CCSD system, which includes both public and private schools.
“I’m just happy to be able to be (a) STAR Student,” Xiao said in the press release. “My parents really wanted me to get this achievement, so I’m happy that I could do it for them as well.”
Xiao named CSHS veteran math department teacher Greg Huberty as his STAR teacher, who also went on to win for the CCSD system.
“It is both an honor and a privilege to be named STAR teacher,” Huberty said in the press release. “An honor because of all the phenomenal teachers at Cedar Shoals that I am honored to represent and a privilege because the greatest reward for a teacher is the acknowledgment that you have made a meaningful contribution to the intellectual growth of a student.”
CCSD superintendent Dr. Robbie Hooker views the recognition of the students and teachers as meaningful both personally and on behalf of the CCSD community.
“Honoring these amazing young people and the teachers who have supported them is one of the best parts of my job,” Hooker said in the press release. “These students represent the promise of our community.”
