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Morris is no stranger to the STAR program, as she was the Toombs County High School STAR Student in 2009, and later won the Toombs County STAR Teacher award in 2019. “It has been wonderful to return to my alma mater and give back to my students what my teachers gave to me,” she emphasized. “It is so rewarding to know that you have made a positive impact on a student, and such an honor to represent a school and community I love.”

Vidalia Heritage Academy Luke Moxley, son of Sean and Alisha Moxley, was named Vidalia Heritage Academy’s STAR Student; Moxley chose Vidalia Heritage Academy High School Math Teacher Steve Miller as his STAR Teacher.

Moxley has attended Vidalia Heritage Academy for 10 years. He has excelled in both academics and athletics, as he received All-Region and All-State for his work on the school’s varsity baseball team. After high school, Moxley plans to seek his pre-med degree.

“This award is an exciting honor,” he emphasized. “Thank you to my parents for always supporting me and raising me to be the man I am today.”

When asked if he had any advice for his fellow high school students, Moxley remarked, “Keep working hard, you still have a whole life ahead of you.”

He also spoke about his decision to name Miller as the STAR Teacher. “Mr. Miller’s knowledge and approach to teaching made me appreciate his classes and come in everyday excited to learn, and he is an overall great man,” Moxley explained.

Miller has worked at Vidalia Heritage Academy for 9 years, and previously taught for 5 years in Boca Raton High School in Florida. He currently teaches Algebra 2, Geometry, and Precalculus at Vidalia Heritage Academy, and taught Moxley during Moxley’s freshman and sophomore years.

“Luke is an outstanding student in every way,” Miller shared. “He is very intelligent but also disciplined in his approach to life. He has a pleasant personality, and is easy to get along with. He is also a terrific athlete, especially in baseball.”

This is not the first time which Miller has received the STAR teacher award, as he was also given the honor several years ago. He reacted to this recent accomplishment, saying, “It's a very nice honor, especially since the student names the teacher he feels has made an important investment. I know that I am just one of many through the years who have poured into Luke's life. I'm appreciative that he mentioned me. Luke's parents, Sean and Alisha Moxley, have always been a source of encouragement to me. I'm grateful for them, too.”

Vidalia High School

Jude Collins, son of Deirdre and Jimmy Collins, was recognized as the Vidalia High School STAR Student.

He has attended Vidalia City Schools for 10 years, and participated in the district’s Beta Club, while competing in skateboarding competitions outside of school. After graduation, Collins plans on attending Georgia Tech to study architecture.

“I’m honored and grateful to be chosen as star student,” he reacted. “Thank you to my dad for always pushing me and helping me reach my goals.” When asked if he had any advice for his fellow high school students, Collins remarked, “Work hard and always set aside time to focus on your school work and study.”

Collins selected J.R. Trippe Instructional Coach Julie Caraballo as his STAR Teacher. Caraballo has 22 years of experience in education, having taught 1 year at St. Mary’s Middle School, 2 years at Sally D. Meadows Elementary School, and the past 19 years at J.R. Trippe Middle School. During these 19 years, Caraballo taught Language Arts, Social Studies, and Science to 5th, 6th, and 7th grade students before becoming an instructional coach for the school 3 years ago.

Caraballo taught Collins in 2018-2019, as he was in her 7th grade Language Arts class. Caraballo commented on Collins, complimenting his excellence in the classroom. “Jude being STAR student came as no surprise. He has always been a dedicated, focused and very talented student. He is an ideal student to teach and a young man of high character. He is well deserving of this tremendous accomplishment and I could not be more proud of him! I have no doubt that Jude will go on to achieve all of his dreams and will make a lasting impact on the world,” she emphasized.

She added, “I am thankful to have had the opportunity to teach not only Jude but his siblings as well. He comes from a tight-knit family of character and his parents have instilled in their children a love for learning, concern for others, and a desire to make the world a better place.”

Collins also shared his thoughts on the teacher, highlighting her excellent ability to make learning enjoyable. “I chose my star teacher because she’s the teacher that showed me reading can be fun and enjoyable. She is also an amazing person who always gives to her community,” he explained.

This marks the first time which Caraballo has been named a STAR Teacher; yet, she is no stranger to being recognized for her work in the classroom, as she previously was named the J.R. Trippe Middle School Teacher of the Year in 2011, the Rural Teacher of Excellence in 2022, the Vidalia City Schools District Teacher of the Year in 2023, and a Top 10 Finalist for the Georgia Teacher of the Year in 2023.

“Being named STAR Teacher is one of the greatest achievements of my career. To find out that I made a lasting impact on a student and inspired in him a passion for reading affirms my calling as a teacher. When you view the profession as a calling rather than a job, there is not greater reward than to find out you made a difference for a student. I am humbled and truly honored,” she concluded.

System Winners

Three system winners have also been named for the area; these system winners will now be recognized at PAGE’s Region 8 STAR Student/STAR Teacher Banquet at Georgia Southern University on January 19.

The Montgomery County System Winners are Montgomery County High School STAR Student Tulsi Patel and STAR Teacher Kerri Anderson, as Montgomery County High School is the only school within the system.

The Toombs County Schools System Winners are Toombs County High School STAR Student Noelia Nevarez and STAR Teacher Megan Morris. This system is composed of Toombs County High School and Robert Toombs Christian Academy.

The Vidalia City Schools System Winners are Vidalia High School STAR Student Jude Collins and STAR Teacher Julie Caraballo. This system is composed of Vidalia High School and Vidalia Heritage Academy.

These winners will go on to compete in the regional competition against students and teachers from several other systems to determine who will move on to the state competition in Atlanta on April 28.

About STAR

The PAGE Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) program is sponsored, administered, and promoted by the Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE) and the PAGE Foundation. Since its inception in 1958 the STAR program has honored nearly 29,500 students and the teachers selected as the most influential to their academic achievement. High school seniors must have the highest score on a single test date on the SAT and be in the top 10 percent or top 10 students of their class based on grade point average to qualify for STAR nomination.

STAR begins each year in participating Georgia high schools when the STAR Student is named and chooses a STAR Teacher to share in this recognition. The students and their teachers are honored by their schools and receive special recognition in their communities from one of the more than 172 statewide civic organizations and businesses that serve as local sponsors of the STAR program. Students then compete for school system recognition as the top STAR Student, and those winners compete for region honors. Region winners contend for the honor of being named State PAGE STAR Student. STAR Teachers continue on with their STAR Students at every level of the program.

PAGE and the PAGE Foundation honor outstanding students and educators and encourage academic excellence through competitive academic programs such as PAGE STAR, the PAGE Academic Bowl for Middle Grades and the PAGE Georgia Academic Decathlon.