By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
STAR students name their influences
Seniors from Riverside Military, Brenau head to district competition
0227star11
Brenau Academy STAR student Joan Michelle Coles, left, with her STAR teacher Brooke Burt.

0227STARAUD1

Hear Joan Michelle Coles, a Brenau Academy senior, react to being named the Hall County winner in the program.

0227STARAUD2

H ear Samuel Lovic Dean, a Riverside Military Academy senior, react to being named the Gainesville winner in the program.

GAINESVILLE — Students from Brenau and Riverside Military academies were honored today as Gainesville-Hall County winners in the state Student Teacher Achievement Recognition Program.

Joan Michelle Coles of Brenau Academy and Samuel Lovic Dean of Riverside now advance to district STAR competition at an awards banquet set for 7 p.m. March 20 at First Baptist Church in Jasper.
The districtwide winner will advance to the state banquet in April in Atlanta.

The winner of District 2, which includes Hall, Dawson, Pickens, Gilmer, Fannin, Union, Towns, Rabun, Lumpkin, Habersham, Stephens and White counties, will advance to the State STAR Student-Teacher banquet to take place in late April in Atlanta.

Nine other Gainesville-Hall students were singled out for high academic achievement as part of the program, which recognizes students who have attained the highest score on the SAT in their school.

Winners also must be in the top 10 percent or among the top 10 students of their class based on grade-point average.

Hall and Gainesville school officials announced the winners at a luncheon sponsored by the Gainesville Kiwanis Club at the Gainesville Civic Center.

Also, as part of the program coordinated statewide by the Professional Association of Georgia Educators, STAR students name STAR teachers, or those they consider as their strongest influences.
Coles named Brooke Burt as her STAR teacher and Dean named Matt Bohon.

The other school winners are:

  • Stephanie Marie Davies and her teacher, Robin Parr, Chestatee High School.
  • Jillian Nicole Wilms and her teacher, Wesley McGee, and Hannah Noel Allen and her teacher, Terry Miller, all of East Hall High School.
  • Tiffany Chong and her teacher, Terri Barker, Flowery Branch High School.
  • Robert Mansfield Jennings and his teacher, Lara Freeman, Gainesville High School.
  • Daniel James McGrail and his teacher, Ann Brunk, Johnson High School.
  • Timothy A. Scully and his teacher, Hyuk Kim, Lakeview Academy.
  • Luke James Maloney and his teacher, Jeff Chandler, North Hall High School.
  • Riley James Winton and his teacher, Ernie Phillips, West Hall High School.