Fannin County High School (FCHS) senior Kirsten Holloway was named the 2022 Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) student for Fannin County at the Kiwanis Club of Blue Ridge’s annual banquet Monday, February 28.
Holloway, the daughter of Robert and Alice Holloway, chose FCHS English teacher Tammy Thomas as her STAR teacher.
Holloway and Thomas represented Fannin County at the Region Two STAR event March 8.
Holloway stated she chose Thomas because “she has been the most caring and involved teacher in my academic career.”
This is Thomas’ third time being selected as STAR teacher, tying with her husband and fellow teacher Dewayne Thomas she jokingly pointed out.
“As a teacher, I really value that student who will slow down and examine what they are curious about,” Thomas said. “Kirsten was one of those students.”
Thomas praised Holloway’s talent in writing. “She is one of the best writers I’ve taught. Her creative writing is quite beautiful,” she said before reading an excerpt of one of Holloway’s writing assignments.
Holloway plans to attend the University of North Georgia at Dahlonega and pursue a degree in either biology or English.
Also recognized at the banquet was Mountain Area Christian Academy’s (MACA) STAR student Lacey Tipton. Tipton, the daughter of Mitchell and Dana Tipton, selected retired history teacher Jan Jones as her STAR teacher.
Tipton started at MACA when she was 4 years old and completed high school in three years, deciding to complete her junior year the summer after her sophomore year.
“That tells you something about Lacey and about her commitment to her studies and her drive, her drive for excellence,” said Nikki Shamblin, assistant administrator principal of MACA.
“We weren’t exactly the best of friends in middle school,” Tipton said of her relationship with Jones. “Beginning high school is when her impact really made an affect for me. She was always there for me.”
Jones, who retired last year, said, “There’s been times you’ve been there for a lot of us, too though.” She described Tipton as a reluctant, but strong, leader, who wants to see, and help, others succeed.
Tipton also plans to attend University of North Georgia Dahlonega campus and will pursue a degree in criminal justice with a minor in psychology.
To be nominated as a STAR student, high school seniors must have the highest SAT score on a single test date and be in the top 10% or top 10 student of their class based on their grade point average. The county level STAR student is based on SAT scores.
The Kiwanis Club of Blue Ridge has sponsored Fannin County STAR students and teachers since the beginning of the STAR program, 64 years ago. “There’s only a couple of organizations in the entire state that can say that,” Kiwanis Club STAR committee chairwoman Sharon McFarland said.
The Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE) sponsors, administers and promotes the STAR program.