Chidera Osuji Named STAR Student
Submission
Date: February 10, 2015
Release
Date: For Immediate Release
Contact: J.D. Hardin, 770-957-6601 ext. 161, john.hardin@henry.k12.ga.us
(Release
# 0040-02-15)
Chidera Osuji Named Henry County STAR Student
Dutchtown High
School Senior now moves on to regional competition
HENRY COUNTY,
GA – Dutchtown High School senior Chidera Osuji was named Henry County STAR
Student at the annual STAR Student and Teacher Banquet held at Eagle’s Landing
County Club on Tuesday, February 10.
The
Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE) Foundation, the Georgia
Chamber of Commerce, and the Georgia Department of Education sponsor the STAR Program
each year, but the Henry County Chamber of Commerce takes on the local
recognition ceremony with sponsorship support from various businesses in the
community.
Osuji earned
the recognition by having the highest SAT score out of seniors in schools –
public and private – throughout the county. For a student to be a STAR Student
at their respective high school, that student must have the highest SAT score
and be in the top 10 percent or top 10 students of the class based on grade
point average.
Osuji, a 4.6
GPA honor student, applied to and is still waiting to hear back from her top
three college choices of Yale University, Duke University, and Columbia
University. After graduating from college, Osuji indicates that she plans to
return to her home country of Nigeria to assist with economic, educational, and
health development.
John Emerson,
band director at Dutchtown High School, was selected by Osuji as her STAR Teacher. He said he was honored to be chosen by one of
his student leaders in the band, but noted why Osuji stands out among her
peers.
“To be selected
as a STAR Teacher is deeply humbling and a huge honor,” said Emerson. “What
sets Chidera apart from other students is her drive for perfection. Whether it’s band or soccer or anything that
she’s doing, she’s always giving 100 percent all the time.”
The two
honorees will now move on to the regional competition in Griffin on Thursday,
March 19, for a chance to then move on to the state STAR Student and Teacher Program
in Atlanta in April.
This is the 57th
year for the STAR Program. Since the
beginning, the STAR Program has recognized more than 24,000 students and their
teachers from around the state.
The Henry
County STAR Student and Teacher honorees are as follows:
- Community Christian School – Draven Brennan
(student), Jonathan Irby (teacher)
- Dutchtown High School – Chidera Osuji
(student), John Emerson (teacher)
- Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy – Davis
Reynolds (student), Jennifer Williams (teacher)
- Eagle’s Landing High School – Joseph Campbell
(student), Dr. Shawn Jones (teacher)
- Henry County High School – Tyson Hardnett (student),
Brandi Burns (teacher)
- Locust Grove High School – Cheyenne Crawford
(student), Russ Lee (teacher)
- Luella High School – Imari Genias (student),
Lisa Boyd (teacher)
- Ola High School – Savannah Caldwell (student),
Deb Salter (teacher)
- Stockbridge High School – Davin Bryant
(student), Rebecca Mitchell (teacher)
- Strong Rock Christian School – Hailey Bause
(student), Kelly Fletcher (teacher)
- Union Grove High School – (TIE) Thushara
Mudireddy (student), David Amick (teacher)
- Union Grove High School – (TIE) Ryan Palmer
(student), Barry Krakovsky (teacher)
- Woodland High School – Richie Landers
(student), Michael Shook (teacher)
For more
information on the STAR Student Program, visit www.pagefoundation.org.
###
Photo 1 – IMG_3617: (l-r) Henry County Chamber of Commerce CEO David Gill, Chamber of Commerce Board Chair June Wood, STAR Student Chidera Osuji (Dutchtown High School), Rita Osuji, Joseph Osuji, Dutchtown High School Principal Nicole Shaw, STAR Teacher John Emerson, and Henry County Schools Superintendent Rodney Bowler.
Photo 2 –
IMG_3626: (l-r) Imari Genias (Luella HS), Davis Reynolds (Eagle’s Landing
Christian Academy), Savannah Caldwell (Ola HS), Tyson Hardnett (Henry County
HS), Hailey Bause (Strong Rock Christian School), Chidera Osuji (Dutchtown HS),
Thushara Mudireddy (Union Grove HS), Davin Bryant (Stockbridge HS), Joseph
Campbell (Eagle’s Landing HS), Draven Brennan (Community Christian School), Cheyenne
Crawford (Locust Grove HS), Ryan Palmer (Union Grove HS), and Richie Landers
(Woodland HS).