Cherokee Schools Honors STAR Students, Teachers

CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA — The Cherokee County School District has named its 2020 STAR Students and Teachers.

The STAR, or Student Teacher Achievement Recognition, Student honor is awarded to the high school senior from each Georgia public and private high school with the highest score on any single test date of the SAT (taken through the November test date of senior year), who also in the top 10 percent or top 10 students of his or her class based on grade point average. Each honored student is invited to select his or her favorite teacher to be named that school’s STAR Teacher.

“These students and teachers are shining examples of excellence in academic achievement and education,” Superintendent of Schools Brian Hightower said. “We’re so proud of them, and we greatly appreciate PAGE and the Lions Clubs for their longtime sponsorship of this program.”

The honorees are:

• Cherokee High: Anna Huller, student and Garrick Cheyne, teacher
• Creekview High: Jack Eno, student and Drew Lawson, teacher
• Etowah High: Sydney Kahn, student and Rebecca Schwartz, teacher
• River Ridge High: Alicia Mazzurra, student and Mary Jo Mulvey, teacher
• Sequoyah High: Valerie Ambriz-Villela, student and Andrew Oberlies, teacher
• Woodstock High: Michael Brown, student and Dr. Derek Engram, teacher

High school STAR Students compete for system titles, and this year, the overall Cherokee County STAR Student resulted in a tie. The winners are Alicia Mazzurra from River Ridge High and Valerie Ambriz-Villela from Sequoyah High.

System STAR Students compete for region-wide honors in the 12 STAR Regions, and Region winners compete for the statewide title, sponsored by PAGE (Professional Association of Georgia Educators), as well as scholarships and awards. STAR Teachers continue on with their STAR Students at every level of the program.

The Canton and Woodstock Lions Clubs honored Cherokee students and teachers at their annual STAR Student and Teacher Recognition Ceremony on Tuesday at the Cherokee Arts Center in downtown Canton. The honorees will be recognized by the Cherokee County School Board and Superintendent of Schools at Thursday’s School Board meeting.