Newton County Schools (NCS) has announced its 2026 STAR Students, highlighted by a tie for District STAR Student.
Two students earned the exact same highest SAT score in the district, resulting in co-District STAR Students for 2026. Aoqi Xu of Alcovy High School and Jack Allred of Newton High School each scored a 1520 out of 1600 on the SAT — the highest score achieved in the district this year.
The students were formally recognized during the Kiwanis Club of Covington meeting on February 19. The Kiwanis Club of Covington has served as the local sponsor of the STAR program for nearly 60 years.
The Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) program, sponsored statewide by the Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE) Foundation, honors high school seniors with the highest SAT score on a single test date who are also in the top 10 percent or top 10 students of their class based on grade point average. Each STAR Student selects a STAR Teacher — the educator who has had the greatest influence on his or her academic achievement.
In addition to being named their respective schools’ STAR Students, Xu and Allred will both represent Newton County Schools at the Regional STAR Program.
Alcovy High School
Aoqi Xu is a senior at Alcovy High School and the Newton College & Career Academy. In addition to earning a 1520 on the SAT, Xu has completed an extensive list of Advanced Placement courses, including Precalculus, Statistics, Calculus BC, Language and Composition, Computer Science, U.S. History, Macroeconomics, Chemistry, Literature and Composition, World History, and Physics. He has also participated in dual enrollment through Georgia Tech, completing Linear Algebra and Calculus III virtually.
Xu is actively involved in TSA, Math Team, and Robotics, and he founded the Newton College & Career Academy Rocketry Team.
He plans to attend Georgia Tech in the fall to major in aerospace engineering with a minor in either computer science or mathematics. His career goal is space exploration and to contribute meaningfully to society.
Xu selected Mr. Patrick Alligood, his engineering and AP Calculus teacher, as his STAR Teacher. This marks Mr. Alligood’s second time being named a STAR Teacher.
When asked why he selected Mr. Alligood, Xu stated, “I really appreciate his teaching. He really has a passion for math and he also gave me a lot of freedom to do whatever I want. He made me his student aid and I helped teach sometime. He also allowed me and encouraged me to start the rocketry team. He’s really supportive of my goals and he’s just a great teacher in general.”
Newton High School
Jack Allred is a senior at Newton High School and a student in the Newton College & Career Academy STEM Institute. In addition to earning a 1520 on the SAT, Allred has completed numerous AP courses, including Government and Policy, Biology, World History, Computer Science Principles, Pre-Calculus, Seminar, Calculus BC, Chemistry, Language and Composition, Macroeconomics, and Statistics.
Allred serves as co-president of the STEM Student Council, Captain of the Math Team, and Captain and Co-founder of the Academic Team. He previously served as president of TSA and also works at Chick-fil-A.
Jack has earned a GIFT scholarship that covers tuition, housing, and other expenses to attend Vanderbilt in the fall. He plans to major in secondary education with a minor in mathematics, with the goal of returning to Newton County Schools as a math teacher and potentially pursuing school administration in the future.
Allred selected Ms. Kelly Elder, his AP Statistics Quest STEM teacher, as his STAR Teacher. This is Ms. Elder’s second time being named a STAR Teacher.
When asked why he chose Ms. Elder, Allred said, “I think the biggest reason is because she’s been a consistent mentor throughout high school. I really struggled with math a lot in middle school, but when I got to high school Ms. Elder not only helped me comprehend it better and also helped me discover a passion for it. It’s helped me discover that that’s what I want to do and that’s what I love.”
Eastside High School
Tallis Howard was named Eastside High School’s 2026 STAR Student after earning a 1480 out of 1600 on the SAT.
Howard has completed numerous Advanced Placement courses, including World History, Human Geography, U.S. History, Latin, Chemistry, Language and Composition, Pre-Calculus, Psychology, Literature and Composition, Biology, Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Calculus AB, and Government.
She is actively involved in the Junior Classical League, where she was elected Georgia State Historian and manages the Eastside Junior Classical League social media channels. She serves as president of the Eastside Interact Club, is an Eagle Ambassador, and participates in Eco-Eagles and the National Honor Society.
Howard has been accepted to both Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia and plans to major in neuroscience with the goal of becoming a doctor.
She selected Mr. Eric Adams, her AP Latin teacher, as her STAR Teacher. According to the PAGE STAR program, this is Mr. Adams’s 12th time being named a STAR Teacher.
When explaining why she selected Mr. Adams, Howard said, “He has always supported me through all of high school. From ninth grade through sophomore GHP applications and then last year running for state office for the Junior Classical League. He’s just always believed in me and been a huge role model. He’s just someone I admire and respect.”
