(Gwinnett County, Ga., January 30, 2026) — Partnership Gwinnett hosted the annual Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) Reception, sponsored by the Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE) and PAGE Foundation, at the John C. Maxwell Leadership Center in Duluth on Jan. 29, 2026. More than 250 students, teachers, principals, and guests gathered to honor the highest-achieving seniors and their most academically influential teachers who have impacted their educational journey.
“The STAR program shines a spotlight on the extraordinary students and educators who make Gwinnett County Public Schools a place of excellence,” said Dr. Al Taylor, interim superintendent of Gwinnett County Public Schools. “These students have demonstrated exceptional dedication and perseverance, and their success reflects the commitment of teachers who inspire them every day. We are proud to partner with organizations like Partnership Gwinnett to celebrate achievement and prepare students for bright futures beyond graduation.”
“Gwinnett’s long-term economic success depends on a strong, prepared talent pipeline, and that pipeline starts with students like these,” said Kevin Carmichael, Senior Vice President of Economic Development for Partnership Gwinnett. “Thanks to the wonderful teachers and school system infrastructure here in Gwinnett, these STAR students are being well prepared for expanded career paths beyond graduation. Celebrating their achievements is an investment in the future workforce that will power Gwinnett’s industries.” The presentation recognized 39 students from 33 schools from Gwinnett County Public Schools, Buford City Schools, and eight private schools, all located in Gwinnett.
From Buford City Schools:
- Victoria Kil and teacher Brent Leitsch, Buford High School
- Ariel (Ted) Son and teacher Bridget Wildes, Buford High School
From Gwinnett County Public Schools:
- Michael Azzi and teacher John Jameson, Archer High School
- Joshua Heaton and teacher Dr. Chandra Narayan, Archer High School
- Calvin Vuu and teacher Ben Austin, Berkmar High School
- Aiden Pierce and teacher Christopher Michael, Brookwood High School
- Emerson Green and teacher Dr. Lisa DeMent, Central Gwinnett High School
- Kale Maxwell and teacher Matthew Ludewig, Collins Hill High School
- Eliyab Bisrat and teacher Michael Peterson, Dacula High School
- Rafael Romero Ivushich and teacher Alan Cummings, Dacula High School
- Angelina Nguyen and teacher Danielle Malcom, Discovery High School
- Hayyan Sharif and teacher Dr. Christopher De Castro, Duluth High School
- Ethan Ewiah and teacher Linda Maunder, Grayson High School
- Grayson Sowter and teacher Charles Kachmar, Gwinnett County Online Campus
- Yohan Kim and teacher Dr. Amanda Phillips, Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology
- Jessica Caruso and teacher Dr. Amanda Phillips, Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology
- Jessica Han and teacher Patricia Caldwell, Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology
- Sarah Lee and teacher Darby Bagwell, Lanier High School
- Tayyab Rajgoli and teacher Teresa Brooks, McClure Health Science High School
- Anna Nguyen and teacher JiYou Oh, Meadowcreek High School
- Yovel Yeboah and teacher Megan Ivester, Mill Creek High School
- Michael McDaniel, and teacher Daniel Hauck, Mountain View High School
- Joanne Lu and teacher Madeline Crain, Norcross High School
- Josh Chandran and teacher Michael Corriveau, North Gwinnett High School
- Layla Harris and teacher Kimberly Korth, Parkview High School
- Joseph Lu and teacher Ian Jones, Paul Duke STEM High School
- Eun Jae (Julia) Lee and teacher Briana Curtis, Peachtree Ridge High School
- Angelique Agnor and teacher Frank Bendin, Phoenix High School
- Isabelle Breazu and teacher Trey Brennan, Seckinger High School
- Aaden Scarlett and teacher Michael Dunn, Shiloh High School
- Ralph Sylvestre and teacher Dharmendrakumar Patel, South Gwinnett High School
From Gwinnett’s Private Schools:
- Zeena Ahmed and teacher Dr. Gloria Bruce, Al Falah Academy
- Noah An and teacher Tom Meeker, Greater Atlanta Christian School
- Sarah Mix and teacher Stacey Warbington, Hebron Christian Academy
- Gavin Prussia and teacher Dr. Matthew Lewis, Killian Hill Christian School
- Wonji Lee and teacher Wendy Albrecht, Notre Dame Academy
- Laurel Sommer and teacher Sydney Isbell, Providence Christian Academy
- Gabriel Espin and teacher Jason Wisdom, Sugar Hill Christian Academy
- Larry Men and teacher Jeff Foster, Wesleyan School
In addition to each of the individual schools, system winners were also announced, and they will now advance to compete for region honors. Region winners will then compete for state honors in March 2026.
System Winners:
- Victoria Kil and teacher Brent Leitsch, Buford High School
- Ariel (Ted) Son and teacher Bridget Wildes, Buford High School
- Eun Jae Lee and teacher Briana Curtis, Peachtree Ridge High School
- Josh Chandran and teacher Michael Corriveau, North Gwinnett High School
- Aiden Pierce and teacher Christopher Michael, Brookwood High School
- Yohan Kim and teacher Dr. Amanda Phillips, Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology
- Jessica Caruso and teacher Dr. Amanda Phillips, Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology
- Jessica Han and teacher Patricia Caldwell, Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology
The PAGE STAR honors the highest-achieving high school seniors and their most academically influential teachers. Students must have the highest score on any single SAT taken through the November test date of their senior year with their SAT scores equal to or higher than the 2025 national average scores on the evidence-based math, reading, and writing sections, as well as rank in the top 10% or top 10 students of their class based on their GPA.
