COVINGTON, Ga. - Newton County School System and the Kiwanis Club of Covington are pleased to announce the 2018 STAR Students and STAR Teachers. 

In order to obtain the STAR nomination, high school seniors must have the highest score on a single test date on the three-part SAT.  The SAT is a national college entrance exam some colleges and universities utilize to measure critical thinking skills students need for academic success in college. The SAT assesses how well students analyze and solve problems. It is typically taken by high school juniors and seniors. Each section of the SAT is scored on a scale of 200 to 800, with the new version of the exam worth a total of 1600 points. In order to qualify for STAR Student, the student must also be in the top 10 percent or top 10 students of their class based on grade point average.

Newton County School System’s three high school STAR Students and STAR Teachers are:

Alcovy High School—Seth Carpenter

Seth Carpenter is a senior at Alcovy High School and the Newton College and Career Academy STEM Institute. He is Alcovy High School’s 2018 STAR Student.  Carpenter scored a very impressive 1430 out of 1600 on the SAT. In addition to his studies, Carpenter has participated in several extra-curricular activities including the Student Technology Association, band, and Junior Classical League. He has also worked as an intern at Nisshinbo Automotive. During his time at Alcovy and the STEM Institute, Carpenter has taken several Advanced Placement or AP courses, including World History, U.S. History, Literature, Language, Statistics, Calculus, Physics, and Economics.

Carpenter has not determined which college he plans to attend yet although he has applied to Emory University, the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, the University of Southern California, New York University, and Princeton. He plans to major in either engineering or business and ultimately establish a career in one of those fields.   

Carpenter selected his AP Statistics teacher, Mr. Joshua Cook, from the Newton College and Career Academy STEM Institute, as his STAR Teacher. This is Mr. Cook’s first time being selected as a STAR teacher.

When asked why he selected Cook, Carpenter said, “I’ve really enjoyed his teaching this year. It’s a hard class but I’ve done well because of him. I like his teaching style and the way he helps people understand the material.” 

According to Cook, Carpenter truly is a star student.   

“My experience as a teacher has been enriched by the opportunity to have a student as wonderful as Seth,” Cook said. “Seth has a thirst for learning that makes me excited to see what he accomplishes as he transitions into the next phase of his life.”

Newton High School—Anthony Fiddes

Anthony Fiddes is a senior at Newton High School and the Newton College and Career Academy STEM Institute. He is also Newton High School’s 2018 STAR Student. Fiddes achieved an excellent score of 1420 out of 1600 on the SAT. During his high school career, Fiddes has participated in the FBLA and the Entrepreneur Business Incubator program.

He has also taken several AP classes during his time at Newton High and the STEM Institute, including Micro and Macro-Economics, Literature, Statistics, Calculus, Physics, Latin, Chemistry, U.S. History, Language and Composition, and World History.

Fiddes has applied to Emory University, Princeton, Stanford, Yale, Rice, Oglethorpe, and Georgia Tech. He intends to major in computer science and ultimately wants to start up his own company and own his own business.

Fiddes chose his 11th-grade chemistry instructor, Ms. Kemily Pattillo, from the NCCA STEM Institute, as his STAR Teacher. This is the second time Ms. Pattillo has been selected as a STAR Teacher. When asked why he chose Ms. Pattillo, Fiddes said, “We took AP Chemistry and Chemistry in the same year so it was a lot of work. She did a great job teaching those classes. She’s also just a very kind and loving person.”

According to Pattillo, Fiddes is an outstanding student and a pleasure to have in the classroom.

“Anthony is a highly intelligent yet humble and fun person to be around,” Pattillo said. “He’s had a smile on his face every single time I’ve seen him in the nearly two years that I’ve known him. His quick wit and infectious laugh along with his ability to engage in academic banter make Anthony unique among his peers. I truly enjoyed the time he was in my class and miss having his positive personality in the room. I know he will be successful in college both academically and socially and I can’t wait to see what he accomplishes in the future.” 

Eastside High School, Newton County School System—Molly Carter

Molly Carter is a senior at Eastside High School and their 2018 STAR Student. She is also the Newton County School System’s 2018 STAR Student, as she had the highest SAT score in the district. Carter scored an outstanding 1530 out of 1600 on the SAT. Her extra-curricular activities at Eastside High School have included tennis, Junior Classical League, and Mock Trial. During her time at Eastside, Carter has taken numerous AP classes, including Human Geography, World History, U.S. History, Latin, Statistics, Language, Literature, Calculus, Micro and Macro-Economics, and Chemistry.

She has applied to the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, Furman, Wofford, Davidson, Washington University, William & Mary, Wake Forest, Clemson, Vanderbilt, and the University of Mississippi. Carter plans to major in biochemistry with a minor in math. Her career goal is to become a surgeon.

Carter chose her AP statistics teacher, Mr. David Hornbeck, as her STAR Teacher. This is Hornbeck’s first time being selected as a STAR teacher.

When asked why she chose Hornbeck, Carter said, “He was the first one to kind of help encourage us to take the SAT and ACT and he was there for us during the whole process. He’s a great teacher.”

According to Hornbeck, Carter is truly an outstanding student.

“Molly Carter is one of the most naturally intelligent, highly motivated, and remarkable students I have had the pleasure of teaching,” Hornbeck said. “She is as phenomenal a person as she is a student, and she will make the world a better place both with her character and incredible abilities. I could not be more proud of everything Molly has achieved, and I cannot wait to see what she'll do in the future.”

“These STAR students are indicative of the high-quality, high-caliber students we have in Newton County,” said Samantha Fuhrey, superintendent of Newton County School System. “We commend Seth, Anthony, and Molly for staying the course and demonstrating what one can accomplish through hard work and discipline. In addition, we thank the parents, teachers, and leaders who have supported these students through the years.”

The PAGE Student Teacher Achievement Recognition program is sponsored by the Professional Association of Georgia Educators Foundation. Since its inception, the STAR program has honored more than 26,500 students and the teachers they have selected as having had the most influence on their academic success.