Senate Concurrent Resolution 508

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING THE 8 OXFORD HIGH SCHOOL 2013 STUDENT-TEACHER ACHIEVEMENT RECOGNITION (STAR) STUDENTS WHICH IS A RECORD FOR MISSISSIPPI SCHOOLS.

WHEREAS, Oxford High School has 8 Student-Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) Students and Teachers this year which is believed to be a record for Mississippi schools; and

WHEREAS, "In the last 12 years, no Mississippi high school has had that many STAR Students," said Vickie Powell, Vice President of Foundation Programs at the Mississippi Economic Council, which sponsors the STAR Student Honor. "These Star Students should be embraced by the entire community along with the parents, the teachers and all those who helped mold and guide their success," said Oxford High School Principal Michael F. Martin. "This state record number of STAR Students is a truly unbelievable achievement"; and

WHEREAS, any Mississippi high school with at least one senior with a score of 25 or greater on the American College Test and a 93 or higher grade-point average is eligible to name one STAR student, who then shares the honor with one teacher. Subsequent nominees from the same school must have at least a 35 on the ACT and at least a 93 GPA; and

WHEREAS, for both the student and the teacher, it is a huge honor because of the students' achievements and because the student chooses the teacher who had the most impact on their educational career; and

WHEREAS, Oxford High's 2013 STAR Students, their intended majors and colleges, and STAR Teachers and their subject areas are as follow:

· Dora Chen — chemical engineering or Spanish — Princeton University, the University of Virginia, or Harvard University; Joan Westmoreland, English;

· Taide Ding — neuroscience — Yale University or Stanford University; Barbara Lowe, debate;

· Rosalie Doerksen — biochemistry — the University of Pennsylvania; Mary Stone, pre-AP world history;

· Chase Gladden — neuroscience — Bowdoin College; John Davenport, theater;

· Sam Mossing — mathematics — the University of Mississippi; Jeffrey Jones, mathematics;

· Jimmy Pan — Vanderbilt — engineering, Chris Baughman, mathematics;

· David Rozier — Ole Miss — chemical engineering; Jim Reidy, science;

· Yujing Zhang Vanderbilt or Ole Miss — biology; Marni Herrington, science; and

WHEREAS, these students are the folks who will be performing our surgery one day, building our skyscrapers and solving world problems; and it is with great pride that we recognize these students whose record of achievement has brought honor to their school, their community and to the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate the 8 Oxford High School 2013 Student-Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) Students which is a record for Mississippi schools, and extend our best wishes to the students, parents, teachers and administrators on this auspicious occasion.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to the 8 Oxford STAR Students and Principal Michael Martin, forwarded to the Oxford School Board and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.