Valdosta High School

This was an exceptional year for the Valdosta High School STAR student program. Each year, the Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) program nominates Georgia high school senior students who receive the highest scores on a three-part SAT in one sitting and who must be in the top 10% of their class. The Kiwanis Club of Valdosta is the STAR sponsor for Valdosta High School. This year, two outstanding students, Kerry Smith and Alex Wilson have been named as the honored recipients.

Kerry Smith, daughter of Nathan and Elizabeth Smith, is a member of the VHS International Baccalaureate program and has also taken many Advanced Placement classes. Kerry is the President of the Interact Club, is a member of the Beta Club where she serves as the Vice President, and is the Editor in Chief of the Valdosta High School Sandspur Yearbook Staff. Kerry is also a talented athlete and is a member of the Valdosta Aquatics Swim Team (VAST) and the VHS Swim Team. She qualified for the State swim meet this year and competed in the 400 free relay and the 200 Medley relay that was the first relay team to reach a state final. Kerry plans to follow in her parents’ footsteps and attend Georgia Tech to study Industrial Engineering.

On leaving VHS, Kerry says, “I'll miss the close bonds and friendships I formed during high school. Sharing experiences and the support system we built together are something I'll cherish. I'll also miss the sense of community and shared passion that came with being part of my extracurricular activities.”

Alex Wilson is the son of Scott and Melody Wilson. He has taken AP classes at VHS as well as Dual Enrollment classes at Valdosta State University. Despite taking the majority of his classes at VSU, Alex is still very active at Valdosta High School and is a member of the Beta Club, a starter for the VHS Varsity Baseball Team and shows his school spirit as the leader of the Doopsters, the VHS student spirit organization. One of the things he will miss most is "painting up" under the Friday Night Lights at Bazemore-Hyder and away games with the Doopsters. In addition, Alex was chosen for the Lowndes Youth Leadership League and is a member of the NCC Youth Group. Alex plans to attend either Georgia Tech or the University of Georgia when he graduates.

Each STAR student has the opportunity to name the teacher that has been the most instrumental in his or her academic development. This year, both STAR students chose the same teacher, Mrs. Joy Roberts. Roberts holds a B.S. in Secondary Education, and a Master of Science in Education from Troy State University and is a 24-year veteran teacher who has spent her entire career at Valdosta High School.

When asked how she felt about being chosen as the double STAR teacher this year, Roberts responded, “I was in complete shock. I am pleased to be representing Valdosta High School with these amazing young people. Both Kerry and Alex are all-around good students and great people and I am incredibly proud to be even a small part of each of their stories.”

Smith had Mrs. Roberts for AP World History and AP Psychology classes as a sophomore. “Mrs. Roberts made me realize how much of an impact a teacher can have on the understanding and enjoyment of material that would not normally come naturally to me. I did not find an appreciation for history until my 10th grade World History class with Mrs. Roberts. She taught me study and note-taking skills that I still use in my classes today. Mrs. Roberts was a teacher who had a passion and understanding for her material and was a person that I truly enjoyed being around.”

Mrs. Roberts says of Smith, “I have been impressed with Kerry since the first day that I met her. She is an extremely soft spoken, gentle person, but I have learned through watching her in the classroom and in the swimming pool that when she sets her mind to something she displays a competitive spirit and passion that shows in her results. Although it has been two years since Kerry was in my class, I have kept up with her progress, and I know that she remains focused and driven and gives 100% to everything that she does. IB is an extremely rigorous program, but Kerry has dedicated herself to its requirements both inside and outside the classroom.”

Wilson was in Roberts’ AP World History class during his 10th-grade year. “I chose Mrs. Roberts because she was very encouraging and made work fun. She taught me time management and better work ethic skills.”

The admiration that Wilson shows Roberts is reciprocated. “Alex is a quiet student and is friendly and funny to those who are lucky enough to know him. He is the type of student that every teacher hopes to have at least once in their careers; he is determined, intelligent, well spoken, and very hardworking. Alex is humble and a joy to be around and I look forward to cheering on all of his accomplishments, because I know there will be many.”

Smith and Wilson are the Valdosta City Schools system winners and will compete for region honors out of the 12 STAR Regions at a banquet to be held in March. Region winners and their STAR teachers are invited to Atlanta to compete for the state STAR scholarships and awards. Finally, region winners are interviewed, and the runner-up and State PAGE STAR student and STAR teacher are announced.

Pictured left to right: Kiwanis Club of Valdosta Immediate Past-President Dr. C. Alex Alvarez, STAR Student Kerry Smith, STAR Teacher Joy Roberts, STAR Student Alex Wilson, VHS Principal Dr. Johnnie Marshall