STAR students, teachers receive recognition

Seven area high school seniors were recently named the STAR Student of their respective schools for the 2022-2023 school year by the Mississippi Economic Council M.B. Swayze Foundation.

Established by the Mississippi Economic Council in 1965, the purpose of the Student-Teacher Achievement Recognition, or STAR, program is to recognize outstanding students and teachers from across Mississippi during its annual Education Celebration. This year’s theme is “The Pursuit of Excellence.”

Local students receiving this year’s honor are seniors Brady Lagendyk and Spence Hanegan from Lamar School, Haley Jenkins from Meridian High School, Avrie Boles from Clarkdale High School, Kaitlyn Foreman of Northeast High School, Cayden Allen Wright of Southeast High School and Drew Eakes of West Lauderdale High School.

STAR Students are selected on the basis of their academic excellence. Both American College Test scores and scholastic averages are compared to determine the school’s STAR Student, said Vickie Powell of Jackson, senior vice president of foundations.

“The STAR program encourages and promotes academic achievement among Mississippi’s high school seniors. We congratulate all of our STAR Students and STAR Teachers for their exceptional level of achievement,” she said.

Jenkins said she was excited to be named Meridian High’s 2023 STAR Student.

“I’m very excited to be named STAR Student,” she said. “It just lets me know that my hard work has paid off over these four years. I’m very grateful.”

Jenkins plans to attend Mississippi State University in the fall and major in biological sciences with a pre-dental tract. Her hopes are to become a pediatric dentist.

Lamar’s Lagendyk plans to attend Emory University next fall where he has signed a letter of intent to play golf for the next four years. He plans to enter business school with the goal of earning his degree in finance.

Meanwhile, Hanegan, also of Lamar, who has yet to announce his college choice, plans to major in mathematics or economics. 

Clarkdale’s Boles plans on attending Mississippi State University, where she will major in chemistry with a concentration in pre-pharmacy.

Foreman , a senior at Northeast, plans to attend the University of Tennessee, where she will major in chemical engineering.

Cayden Allen Wright, a senior at Southeast, is planning to attend lineman school to become a traveling utility lineman.

West Lauderdale’s Drew Eakes will attend Mississippi State University in the fall with plans to major in mechanical engineering.

Each of the STAR Students was asked to designate a STAR Teacher, usually the teacher who has made the greatest contribution to the student’s scholastic achievement.

For his STAR Teacher, Lagendyk chose Lamar’s Cindy Slimp, who teaches Advanced Placement (AP) English, English IV and speech.

“After only a few weeks in Mrs. Slimp’s class, I knew that I wanted her to be my STAR Teacher. It is evident that she is passionate about her job,” he said. “She has given me a respect for British literature that I would have never come to without her. Outside of class, Mrs. Slimp has helped me edit my writing. I have become a much better writer throughout the year thanks to her help.”

Meanwhile, Hanegan, chose Dr. Ralph Henson, who teaches AP world history and Bible at Lamar School.

“I chose Dr. Henson as my STAR Teacher because he has a great ability to teach students how to reason and think critically,” he said. “He is also a good, empathetic and understanding person and treats everyone around him as such.”

Boles selected Audrey Ivey, who teaches chemistry, physics and geometry at Clarkdale High School, to be her STAR teacher.

For her STAR Teacher, Foreman named Timothy Maloney, who teaches computer science and biology at Northeast High School.

At Southeast High School, Wright chose Olivia “Leann” Vick, who teaches AP psychology, algebra III, pre-AP algebra and algebra II.

At West Lauderdale, Eakes selected math teacher Timothy Caldwell, who teaches AP calculus, advanced math plus and algebra III as his STAR Teacher.

Jenkins designated Vanessa Reed, who teaches history, government and economics at Meridian High.

All seven seniors and their STAR Teachers will be honored during the annual Education Celebration on April 13 at the Clyde Muse Center in Pearl.

Altogether, more than 600 STAR Students and STAR Teachers will receive recognition from the economic council’s M.B. Swayze Foundation at the celebration. The top 20 STAR Students –The ALL-STAR Scholars – will receive scholarships and their STAR Teachers will receive awards provided by the Kelly Gene Cook Sr. Charitable Foundation.