Aarah Nicole Mayor, a senior visual arts student from Greenwood, Mississippi, has been named STAR Student at Mississippi School of the Arts for the 2023-2024 school year by the Mississippi Economic Council (MEC) Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) program, The program will be held April 4, 2024, at the Clyde Muse Center in Pearl, MS. The theme for the event is “Pathways to Success.” This year will mark the 59th Anniversary of the STAR program. Established by the Mississippi Economic Council in 1965, the purpose of the STAR program is to recognize outstanding students & teachers in Mississippi through its Education Celebration.
Aarah will be listed with the 2024 STAR Students and STAR Teachers.
Star Students are selected on the basis of academic excellence. Both American College Test scores and scholastic averages are compared to determine the school’s STAR Student, explained Vickie Powell of Jackson, Senior Vice President of Foundations. “The STAR program encourages and promotes academic achievement among Mississippi’s high school seniors,” she said. Each STAR Student is asked to designate a STAR Teacher, the teacher who has made the greatest contribution to the student’s scholastic achievement.
Maurice Calvert was designated as STAR Teacher. Maurice is currently in his 11th year as a visual arts instructor at Mississippi School of the Arts. “Aarah is just an overall hard-working, very detailed oriented and talented young lady. She is selfless and leads by example. She’s just a really good student overall and has represented MSA as an Arts ambassador to the highest level since being here,” said Calvert.
More than 550 STAR Students and STAR Teachers will receive recognition from MEC’s STAR Education Celebration. The top 20 STAR Students –The ALL-STAR Scholars – will receive scholarships and their STAR Teachers will receive awards provided by the Kelly Gene Cook, Sr. Charitable Foundation. The highlight of the Education Celebration will be the naming of the Mississippi ALL-STAR Scholar for 2023 – 2024 school year, winner of the coveted $24,000 Cook Foundation Scholarship.