Abrielle Carnathan of Tupelo, has been named STAR Student at The Mississippi School of the Arts (MSA) for the 2020-2021 school year by the Mississippi Economic Council (MEC) M. B. Swayze Foundation, sponsor of the Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) program. Established by the Mississippi Economic Council in 1965, the purpose of the STAR program is to recognize outstanding students & teachers in Mississippi.
The Mississippi School of the Arts Visual Arts Senior will be listed with the 2021 STAR Students and STAR Teachers in the STAR booklet.
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. “The STAR program encourages and promotes academic achievement among Mississippi’s high school seniors. We congratulate all of our STAR Students and STAR Teachers for their exceptional level of achievement,” said Vickie Powell, Senior Vice President of Foundations. Each STAR Student is asked to designate a STAR Teacher, the teacher who has made the greatest contribution to the student’s scholastic achievement.
Kelly Varner, MSA Visual Arts teacher, was designated as her STAR Teacher.
Over 600 STAR Students and STAR Teachers will be recognized for their exceptional achievement by MEC’s M.B. Swayze Foundation with medallions, certificates and lapel pins. 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 STAR is the naming of the Mississippi ALL-STAR Scholar for 2020–2021 school year and winner of the coveted $24,000 Cook Foundation Scholarship.