The 2026 STAR Student and Teacher Banquet was held Thursday, January 15, 2026, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Middle Georgia State University’s Robert F. Hatcher Conference Center. STAR Students and Teachers from participating Bibb County high schools were recognized during the event, and the overall system winner, Samantha Lee of the Academy for Classical Education, was announced. Lee will advance to the Region 6 STAR Student Reception on March 19, 2026, at Middle Georgia State University.

The event was presented by sponsors Cadence Bank and Choose Macon and hosted by Middle Georgia State University in partnership with the Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce and the Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE).

The PAGE Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) program is sponsored, administered, and promoted by the Professional Association of Georgia Educators. Created by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce in 1958 and now in its 66th year, the program has honored nearly 29,500 students and the teachers selected as the most influential to their academic achievement. To obtain the 2026 STAR nomination, graduating high school seniors must have the highest score on a single test date on the SAT and rank in the top 10 percent or top 10 students of their class based on grade point average.

STAR begins each year in participating Georgia high schools when the STAR Student is named and selects a STAR Teacher to share in this recognition. Students and teachers are honored by their schools and receive recognition in their communities through more than 170 statewide civic organizations and businesses that serve as local sponsors. Students advance from the school level to system, region, and ultimately the state competition, with STAR Teachers continuing alongside their students at each level.

2026 Bibb County STAR Students and Teachers recognized include:

• Academy for Classical Education: Samantha Lee, STAR Student (*Bibb County Winner); Claire Dent, STAR Teacher

• Central Fellowship Christian Academy: Emory Andrews, STAR Student; Bryton Schulenberg, STAR Teacher

• Covenant Academy: Chase McGhee, STAR Student; Jeremy Johnston, STAR Teacher

• First Presbyterian Day School: Jacob Burnsed, STAR Student; Dr. Drew Shealy, STAR Teacher

• Howard High School: Nathan Miller, STAR Student; Julia Manard, STAR Teacher

• Mount de Sales Academy: Bea Bernardino Paschoini, STAR Student; Georgina Olson, STAR Teacher

• Central High School: Robert Le, STAR Student; Tamara Boston-Williams, STAR Teacher

• Rutland High School: Savannah Neville, STAR Student; Dr. Hema Keerthi, STAR Teacher

• Southwest Magnet High School and Law Academy: Loy Thomas, STAR Student; Elizabeth Martin, STAR Teacher

• Tattnall Square Academy: Asa Scott, STAR Student; Julie Scott, STAR Teacher

• Westside High School: Tray Kimbrough, STAR Student; William Farran, STAR Teacher

• Windsor Academy: Landon Ussery, STAR Student; Erin Anderson, STAR Teacher

• Northeast High School: Zaris Odoms, STAR Student; Keith Heard, STAR Teacher

• Stratford Academy: Kory Stewart, Zarif Rahman, Kelty Glenn, and Tony Xu, STAR Students; Robert Randall, Mike Kelley, Bobby Stecher, and Kenna Jones, STAR Teachers

The PAGE Foundation honors outstanding students and teachers and encourages academic excellence through competitive academic programs such as PAGE STAR, the PAGE Academic Bowl for Middle Grades, and the PAGE Georgia Academic Decathlon.

The Professional Association of Georgia Educators is a statewide professional association representing more than 95,000 educators, administrators, and support personnel. PAGE provides professional learning opportunities, leadership development, legal services, and legislative advocacy to support educators and improve student achievement. For more information, visit www.pagefoundation.org.

For more information about the banquet or the STAR program, please contact J.R. Olive at 478-621-2005 or visit www.maconchamber.com.