Posted: 2/26/2010
On Feb. 8, Ethan Boswell, Nancy Lovas, math teacher Mr. Steve Hellier and science teacher Mr. Christopher McDonald were honored at the annual Student Teacher Achievement Recognition banquet. Twenty five students and 25 teachers were honored. The STAR program was created in 1958 to honor academic excellence.
Ethan Boswell is a member of the National Spanish Honor Society, National Honor Society, National Society of High School Scholars, and Whitefield Academy’s academic bowl team, High Q. His athletic pursuits include soccer and cross country. Ethan has served the community by participating in Metro Kidz, Adopt-A-Block, as well as math and basketball camps. Ethan has received numerous awards including the University of Georgia Certificate of Merit, the Furman University Scholars Award, and the Rensselaer Medal Program Award. He was also recognized as an AP Scholar and as an Outstanding Participant in the National Achievement Scholarship Program. Ethan has received the Whitefield Academic Excellence Award during his freshman, sophomore, and junior years for securing the highest GPA in the grade.
Nancy Lovas has been an active member of the Whitefield Academy Color Guard and the National Honor Society. She has taken piano lessons for 10 years and currently teaches piano to younger students. Nancy has also served the local community as a tutor to Lindley 6th Grade Academy students and as a Sunday school teacher. She has received such honors as the University of Georgia Certificate of Merit, the Association of Christian Schools International Academic Award, and has been on Whitefield Academy’s Headmaster’s List since the ninth grade.
Since 1994, the Professional Association of Georgia Educators Foundation has coordinated the program with the state Chamber of Commerce and Department of Education. School counselors nominate students, who must have the highest score in one sitting on the three-part Scholastic Aptitude Test and be in the top 10 percent or the top 10 students of their class. STAR students are asked to select a teacher who influenced him or her throughout their school career.
“I chose Mr. Steve Hellier as the STAR Teacher because he has had a special influence on my life. As my AP Calculus teacher, Mr. Hellier encourages students to ask questions. He has a passion for helping his students understand the material he presents in class so that we can succeed,” Lovas said. “As my adviser, Mr. Hellier has taught me the importance of building character-as it is one of the most important possessions a person has.”
Boswell said, “The reason I chose Mr. Christopher McDonald as the STAR Teacher is because he asks difficult, challenging questions that engage students to think about things from completely different angles. He goes out of his way to help students’ master concepts through experiments and mimes. He challenges all his students to become better thinkers and to continually raise the bar higher.”
