Published: May 31, 2009 10:14 pm      

NE Lauderdale School STAR Student and Teacher 2009

Ericka D. Reed has been named a STAR (Student-Teacher Achievement Recognition) Student for the 2008-2009 school year by the Mississippi Economic Council’s M.B. Swayze Educational Foundation, sponsor of the STAR program. 

  The Mississippi Economic Council and its M.B. Swayze Educational Foundation sponsor the Student-Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) Program in an effort to encourage scholastic achievement among the state’s high school students.   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 has two specific purposes:

• Emphasize scholastic excellence and encourage greater scholastic effort among Mississippi students; and

• Recognition of the teaching profession.

The Northeast Lauderdale High School senior was honored during the annual Education Celebration in April at Mississippi College in Clinton. Ericka was a member of the Science Club, National Honor Society, was recognized for having a perfect score on the Statewide Biology I Test, was a volunteer of Leadership for a Healthy Lauderdale County, was listed in "Who's Who Among American High School Students," and received the highest average in accelerated geometry, AP American History and AP English II.

Erica plans to attend the University of West Alabama, where she will be a pre-med/biochemistry major.

She is the daughter of Cheryl Reed.

  Each STAR Student is asked to designate a STAR Teacher, the classroom teacher who has made the greatest contribution to the student’s scholastic achievement. 

  Kelley M. Godwin was designated STAR Teacher by Ericka. Godwin teaches 12th grade English at Northeast Lauderdale High School. She received a bachelor of science degree in English education fro Mississippi University for Women and a master of English education degree from Mississippi State University. Godwin has been teaching for 12 years and has been designated as a STAR Teacher one other time.

  Nearly 500 STAR Students and STAR Teachers receive recognition from MEC’s Swayze Foundation.