Please see below for more information regarding the Lower Pearl River Valley Foundation and Maddox Foundation's support for MEC's Student-Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) Program award recipients from across the state.
Lower Pearl River Valley Foundation Provides 2020 STAR Support
A grant from the Lower Pearl River Valley Foundation, based in Picayune, MS, enabled STAR Students and STAR Teachers from Pearl River county to be honored in nontraditional ways during the pandemic. Over 600 STAR Students and STAR Teachers received recognition from MEC's M. B. Swayze Foundation Student-Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) program. This year, the program marked 55 years with the theme “Above and Beyond.” Honors included video recognition from Governor Tate Reeves, Clarion-Ledger spadea, and Zoom virtual announcement of the Top 20 along with an interview of the Top 3 All STAR Students. The Kelly Gene Cook, Sr. Charitable Foundation, Inc. provided scholarships and awards to the top 20 STAR Students and STAR Teachers respectively. Each STAR Student received a medallion, certificate, and lapel pin. Each STAR Teacher was honored with a certificate and lapel pin for their outstanding achievements:
Pearl River County
- Pearl River Central High School
- STAR Student - Jaiden B. Burns
- STAR Teacher - Chayna M. Adams
- Picayune Memorial High School
- STAR Student - David K. Fisk
- STAR Teacher - Maria Passmore
- Poplarville High School
- STAR Student - Micah J. Davis
- STAR Teacher - Jacqrin L. Dodge
Maddox Foundation Provides 2020 STAR Support
A statewide sponsorship from the Maddox Foundation based in Hernando, MS, enabled STAR Students and STAR Teachers from 11 Northwest Mississippi counties to be honored in nontraditional ways during the pandemic. Over 600 STAR Students and STAR Teachers received recognition from The Mississippi Economic Council’s (MEC) M. B. Swayze Foundation Student-Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) program. This year, the program marked 55 years with the theme “Above and Beyond.” Honors included video recognition from Governor Tate Reeves, Clarion-Ledger spadea, and Zoom virtual announcement of the Top 20 along with an interview of the Top 3 All STAR Students. The Kelly Gene Cook, Sr. Charitable Foundation, Inc. provided scholarships and awards to the top 20 STAR Students and STAR Teachers respectively. Each STAR Student received a medallion, certificate and lapel pin. Each STAR Teacher was honored with a certificate and lapel pin for their outstanding achievements:
Bolivar County
- Bayou Academy
- STAR Student - Meredith C. Wessel
- STAR Teacher - Shawn G. Layman
Coahoma County
- Lee Academy
- STAR Student - Landon H. Wong
- STAR Teacher - Sheree Noland
DeSoto County
- Center Hill High School
- STAR Student - William Charles Gibson
- STAR Teacher - Michelle Jones
- STAR Student - Wyatt James Edwards
- STAR Teacher - Alisha Green
- DeSoto Central High School
- STAR Student - Samuel E. Traylor
- STAR Teacher - Leslie Pleasants
- STAR Student - Annie T. Phan
- STAR Teacher - Matthew Morgan
- Hernando High School
- STAR Student Matthew B. Robinson
- STAR Teacher - Tonya Floate
- Horn Lake High School
- STAR Student - Timothy T. Thornton
- STAR Teacher - Kenny D. Jones
- Lake Cormorant High School
- STAR Student - Isabella A. Beasley
- STAR Teacher - Lisa M. Hutchinson
- Lewisburg High School
- STAR Student - Julia G. Huffman
- STAR Teacher - Maggie S. Dennis
- STAR Student - Jacob A. Nelson
- STAR Teacher - Libby A. Hatchett
- Northpoint Christian School
- STAR Student - Spencer N. Quon
- STAR Teacher - Tammy Skinner
- STAR Student - Samuel P. Lee
- STAR Teacher - Cindy K. Williams
- Olive Branch High School
- STAR Student - Reese B. Myres
- STAR Teacher - Kara J. Stevens
- STAR Student - Jordan P. Smith
- STAR Teacher - David Neal Beene, Jr.
- STAR Student - Jordan M. Wootten
- STAR Teacher - Lisa S. Webb
- Southaven High School
- STAR Student - Jared Murphy Fontenot
- STAR Teacher - Anthony B. Embry
- STAR Student - Shawn C. Andrew
- STAR Teacher - Robert M. Wilkie
Lafayette County
- Lafayette High School
- STAR Student - Roman W. Fisher
- STAR Teacher - Virginia Cornelius
- Oxford High School
- STAR Student - Edward Yang Hu
- STAR Teacher - Jeffrey S. Jones
- STAR Student - Sophia Adams Quinn
- STAR Teacher - Stella D. Lindsey
- STAR Student - John-Russell C. Crawley
- STAR Teacher - Christopher G. Baugh
- STAR Student - Bach X. Nguyen
- STAR Teacher - Sommer S. Husbands
- STAR Student - Karina R. Patel
- STAR Teacher - Candice E. Knef
- STAR Student - Donald F. Rogers
- STAR Teacher - John Mistillis
Marshall County
- Byhalia High School
- STAR Student - Karina Corona
- STAR Teacher - Alice McClendon
- H. W. Byers High School
- STAR Student - Wyatt Mason
- STAR Teacher - Earnest Kyle Leon Ethridge
- Marshall Academy
- STAR Student - Kristy Wang
- STAR Teacher - David E. Hoggatt
Panola County
- North Delta High School
- STAR Student - Bronwyne T. Bain
- STAR Teacher - Barbara L. Finke
- South Panola High School
- STAR Student - Hannah G. Selvy
- STAR Teacher - Annah K. Bailey
Quitman County
- Delta Academy
- STAR Student - Casey D. Moore
- STAR Teacher - Angela A. Tindall
- Madison S. Palmer High School
- STAR Student - Deonte D. Adams
- STAR Teacher - Mattie F. Grimes
Sunflower County
- Indianola Academy
- STAR Student - Sarah F. Downs
- STAR Teacher - Naomi W. Makamson
- North Sunflower Academy
- STAR Student - Cori Ashlyn Barnett
- STAR Teacher - Patti Tidmore
Tallahatchie County
- Charleston High School
- STAR Student - Matthew L. Wilson
- STAR Teacher - John F. Nophlet
Tate County
- Coldwater High School
- STAR Student - Angela S. Beard
- STAR Teacher - DeShun T. Readus
- Independence High School
- STAR Student - Thaiena M. Williamson
- STAR Teacher - Mary A. Smith
- Magnolia Heights School
- STAR Student - Judith C. Meeks
- STAR Teacher - Meg G. Woods
- Senatobia High School
- STAR Student - Benjamin C. Jackson
- STAR Teacher - Mandy T. Mothershed
Tunica County
- Tunica Academy
- STAR Student - Anna G. Gibson
- STAR Teacher - William B. Earnheart
STAR Students are seniors with the highest ACT scores (minimum 25) and minimum grade point average of 93 in their high school. They are chosen from more than 250 public, private, and parochial schools. The STAR program has two specific purposes: emphasize scholastic excellence and encourage greater scholastic effort among Mississippi students; and recognition of the teacher profession.