The Clarke County School District Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) Students were announced on Feb. 3. Clarke Central High School seniors Riley Wares, Wyatt Meyer and Luke Schliekelman all tied as CCHS honorees by their identical SAT scores. “The STAR program, created in 1958 by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and now sponsored by the Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE), recognizes the senior at each high school with the highest SAT score on any single test date who is also in the top 10% of their class based on grade-point average. Every STAR Student also names a STAR Teacher who has influenced them in their academic pursuits,” CCSD Director of Communications Scott Thompson stated in the press release. Graphic by Jane Ripps
The CCSD announced the Cedar Shoals High School and CCHS 2024-25 STAR (Student Teacher Achievement Recognition) Students for the 2024-25 school year on Feb. 3.
Clarke Central High School seniors Riley Wares, Wyatt Meyer and Luke Schliekelman, along with Cedar Shoals High School senior Sebastian Caillault, were named the 2024-25 Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) Students in the Clarke Country School District on Feb. 3.
The STAR Student recognition is awarded to a student at each Georgia high school who posted the highest SAT score in one sitting and is also in the top 10% of their class. Every STAR Student also names a STAR Teacher who has shaped their high school career. At CCHS, Wares, Meyer and Schliekelman all tied for the recognition.
Wares, who is a National Merit Scholar Semifinalist and member of the CCHS Ecology and Robotics Club, plans to continue his studies at the University of Georgia come fall. Wares named CCHS Career Technical and Agricultural Education department teacher Chris Suguichi as his STAR Teacher.
“Mr. Sugiuchi has been very supportive of me through the engineering program, and I have enjoyed his style of teaching,” Wares stated in a Feb. 3 press release. “In addition, he is a great robotics team coach. He assisted me with learning leadership skills, design management and teamwork as part of the Robotics Program.”
“The STAR program is particularly meaningful to our district because it not only recognizes some of our highest performing students, but also allows them to acknowledge the role teachers have played in their success.”
— Dr. Robbie P. Hooker,
CCSD Superintendent
For Sugiuchi, the honor pays testament to Wares’ hard work within the classroom and robotics alike.
“Riley has a remarkable ability to approach challenges with ingenuity and determination,” Sugiuchi stated in the press release. “I am truly honored to have taught Riley in my engineering class and worked alongside him on the Robotics Team. I am proud to have been part of Riley’s journey and can’t wait to see how he applies his talents in the future.”
Currently ranked first in the Class of 2025, Meyer is the Editor-in-Chief of the ODYSSEY Media Group, CCHS’ student-run news publication. He was named Georgia’s Junior Champion Journalist by the Georgia Scholastic Press Association in March 2024, and intends to continue his studies in journalism at a four-year university.
“Having been a student at CCHS for four years, being recognized for my academic efforts is rewarding,” Meyer stated in the press release. “However, I guarantee that I would never have won this honor, nor experienced a comparable degree of academic success, without mentorship from Mr. (David) Ragsdale.”
Ragsdale, who is the ODYSSEY Media Group Adviser, has worked alongside Meyer throughout his high school career.
“I’m honored to be named his STAR Teacher and remain grateful for the opportunity to mentor and collaborate with this scholar during his high school career,” Ragsdale stated in the press release. “I expect big things from him in the future and I look forward to seeing all he’ll accomplish.”
Photos of the Clarke Central High School Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) Students, who were recognized on Feb. 3, are displayed. CCHS seniors Riley Wares, Wyatt Meyer and Luke Schlielman were recognized, along with their selected STAR Teachers, at a Feb. 3 banquet. “It was an honor to be recognized at the banquet by the Classic City Rotary Club of Athens,” Meyer said. “Everyone was super welcoming and I’m proud of my achievements and those of the other honorees.” Photos courtesy of Scott Swain, Erica Cascio, Kye Streetman and Scott Thompson
The final CCHS student recognized was Schliekelman, a varsity cross country runner and robotics enthusiast. He plans to attend the Georgia Institute of Technology in the fall.
“Winning STAR student makes me feel proud of what I have accomplished in high school, and motivates me to continue to pursue my passions,” Schliekelman stated in the press release. “I selected Mr. (Scott) Swain as my STAR teacher because taking AP Physics with him my junior year increased my interest in science and mathematics, and taking his Scientific Research class my senior year allowed me to explore these topics in greater detail through experiments.”
Through their time working together, CCHS science department teacher Scott Swain has recognized the focus and consistency Schliekelman brings to the classroom.
“In the time I have gotten to know Luke, I have found him to be a young man of few words and deep thought,” Swain stated in the press release. “His ability to score the highest or close to highest grade on every test showed his deep understanding of the material. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for this brilliant young man.”
Caillault, who was the STAR Student for CSHS, was the overall CCSD STAR Student for receiving the highest SAT score. He will move on to a regional – and potentially statewide – competition.
“The STAR program is particularly meaningful to our district because it not only recognizes some of our highest performing students, but also allows them to acknowledge the role teachers have played in their success,” CCSD Superintendent Dr. Robbie P. Hooker stated in the press release. “We all remember those teachers who have made a difference in our lives, and it gives me great pleasure to see our students recognizing that impact and its role in their individual journeys.”
