STAR Students, Teachers Honored

Outstanding students from across the South Cobb County area were honored at the STAR banquet on Feb. 13 in Marietta.

Each year a top academic senior in each high school is named the STAR student and in turn each names their STAR teacher to share the recognition. They include:

At Campbell High School Marianna Agudelo named her physics teacher, Anthony Osinski.

At Pebblebrook High School Lindsay Forrister named her 10th Grade American Literature teacher Dominic D’Agostino.

At South Cobb High School Emma Edoga named Health Occupations teacher Dr. Ellen Katowitz.

At Whitfield Academy Matt Owens named Math teacher Stephen Hellier.

Miss Forrister, of Acworth, is daughter of Cindy and Walter Forrister of Acworth. She has applied to several schools but is leaning toward Vanderbilt. And vocal major in drama minor. She has appeared in Steel Magnolias. Of her Star teacher. She said, “he has taught me a lot. He has always been there as a great supporter.”

Miss Agudelo, plans to attend MIT to study particle physics and will go on to get her PhD. She is the daughter of Luis and Felicia Agudelo of East Cobb. She is in the International Baccalaureate program at Campbell High School. Of her STAR teacher, she said, “he introduced me to physics. Without his class, I wouldn’t have a chance to go to MIT.”

Owens, a Mableton resident in Vinings Estates, plans to attend Vanderbilt and study engineering.  He is the son of Brian and Sharon Owens. He has attended Whitfield Academy since the fifth grade and is captain of the wrestling team. He said his STAR teacher is, “a great guy. He teaches me a lot more than just math.”

Miss Edoga is in the Academy of Research and Medical Sciences magnet program at South Cobb High School. She plans to study to be a pediatrician. She plays on the varsity soccer and volleyball team.She is the daughter of Bernard and Elizabeth Edoga of Powder Springs. She said that her STAR teacher, “has helped her a lot, and given me great advice. She is a person you can talk to.”

The Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) program honors Georgia’s outstanding high school seniors and the teachers who have been most instrumental in their academic development.

To obtain the STAR nomination, high school seniors must have the highest score on the test date on the three-part SAT taken through the November test date of their senior year and be in the top 10 percent

or top 10 students of their class based on grade point average. The local STAR recognition banquet was held Feb. 13 in Marietta, sponsored  by the Metro Marietta Kiwanis Club.