Eight of Oxford High School’s best and brightest were recognized for their scholastic achievements. The Student-Teacher Achievement Recognition Program (STAR) named OHS STAR students and teachers earlier this month. 

STAR student status is awarded to seniors who have the highest ACT score at each school. Any student with a 35 or above receives a nomination. Oxford’s eight STAR students scored 35 or above, with three students scoring a perfect 36 ACT score. 

The eight students selected were Siena Cizdziel, Jackson Dear, Marawan Elgohry, Eve Gershon, Bozidar-Brannan Kovachev, John Allen Ligon, Gillian Meyers and Sydney Rester. 

Ligon, a member of the Oxford High tennis team and four-time state champion, was one of the three to earn a 36 on their ACT. He plans to major in pre-medicine and is deciding between Ole Miss and two other schools. Kovachev also recorded a perfect ACT score and is a nominated Presidential Scholar. He plans to major in computer science at either MIT, Stanford or Carnegie Mellon University. 

Meyers was the third student who earned a perfect ACT score and is deciding between the University of Virginia, Panoma College and Princeton to major in international studies. 

The other STAR students have several colleges on their wish list, including Rester and Dear, who have Ole Miss among their desired destinations this Fall. Elgohry plans to attend Emory University and major in economic statistics. 

Once a student is selected, they are asked to nominate their STAR Teacher. The teacher nominated by the student is based on the person who has made the greatest contribution to the student’s scholastic achievement, in the student’s opinion. 

Chris Baughman (Cizdziel), Sommer Husbands (Dear), Nicole Roberson (Elgohry), Diala Chaney (Gershon), Stella Lindsey (Kovachev), Sugi Wiltcher (Ligon), Rose Nash (Meyers) and Stefanie Beam (Rester) were the STAR teachers selected. 

Each STAR student and teacher will be honored at the Mississippi Economic Council’s Education Celebration in the spring. The MEC will provide certificates to all STAR students and teachers and students will be eligible for scholarships from the MEC.