Heritage student and STAR teacher honored

Ben Click, a senior at The Heritage School in Coweta County, and his STAR Teacher, Gina Watkiss, were honored during the State STAR (Student Teacher Achievement Recognition) Banquet held recently in Atlanta by the Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE) Foundation. Now in its 44th year, the STAR program has honored more than 18,000 students and their teachers for academic excellence.

Click was among 19 of the state's top students who were finalists in the academic event, which began earlier this year with the naming of more than 450 STAR students in the state's participating public and private high schools. At their district celebration, each of the 19 STAR students received a $500 cash award from the Cecil B. Day Foundation. The STAR students were chosen on the basis of their SAT scores and class ranking. The students then chose the teacher who had the most impact on his/her academic career. Watkiss taught Click AP Chemistry and Biology.

Dustin Alligood, a senior at Perry High School in Houston County, was named as the 2002 State STAR Student. He chose his mathematics teacher, Mary Gentry, as his STAR Teacher. Conor Tochilin, a senior at The Westminster Schools in Fulton County, was chosen as runner-up in this year's competition. He named chemistry teacher

Penney Sconzo as his STAR Teacher.

The PAGE Foundation is the statewide coordinator of the STAR program in association with the Georgia Department of Education and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. The Foundation sponsors several programs of academic excellence. Other academic competitions include the PAGE Georgia Academic Decathlon and the PAGE Academic Bowl for Middle Grades. Through its sponsorship of Future Georgia Educators (FGE), the Student Professional Association of Georgia Educators (SPAGE), its National Board Certification initiative and scholarships, the PAGE Foundation strives to help aspiring and experienced teachers achieve their career goals.

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