Olson, Kannapell named STAR students

GAINESVILLE - Students from Chestatee High School and Gainesville High School were named Tuesday to represent the Hall County and Gainesville school systems in the District STAR Student competition this year.

The Kiwanis Club of Gainesville again hosted the STAR Student/STAR Teacher luncheon.

This year's system STAR students and teachers are Matthew Olson and Darrell Skogman of Chestatee High, who will represent the county school system, and Claire Kannapell and Lara Freeman of Gainesville High, who will represent the city school system.

The Student Teacher Achievement Recognition Program (STAR) nominates students who have scored the highest score on their SAT and sit at the top 10 percent of their class.

After the students are selected, they get to choose their STAR teachers.

This year students and teachers from eleven schools in Gainesville and Hall County, both public and private, were chosen. They are as follows:

Brenau Academy STAR student is EunByeol Jo with STAR teacher Deb Kroll

Chesttaee High STAR student Matthew Olson with STAR teacher Darrell Skogman

East Hall High STAR student Yesenia Vargas with STAR teacher Seth Hutchinson

Flowery Branch High STAR student Michael Young with STAR teacher Terri Barker

Gainesville High STAR student Claire Kannapell with STAR teacher Lara Freeman

Johnson High STAR student Kyle Marcus Bellamy with STAR teacher Billy Daniel

Lakeview Academy STAR student Austin Scott Atherton with STAR teacher Gina Bryant

Maranatha Christian STAR student Tyson James Schmeltz with STAR teacher Lyndrid Patterson

North Hall High STAR student Ava Danielle Myers with STAR teacher Alan Kirkland

Riverside Military STAR student Soung Whoo Han with STAR teacher Stacy Burge

West Hall High STAR student Brittnay Nicole Farmer with STAR teacher Anna Weaver

“It feels great I didn’t really know what to expect, but it's fantastic,” said Olson after he was chosen the county's STAR Student.

His STAR Teacher, Darrel Skogman, however, said he knew what to expect out of a kid like Matthew. “It didn’t really surprise me that Matt was the district winner because he is a really intelligent kid,” said Skogman.

Kannapell's reaction to being chose the city's STAR Student was similar to Olson's. “It’s a real honor, because sometimes for academics you don’t get honored like you do with sports and other things.”

Her STAR Teacher, Lara Freeman, said Claire was an amazing student when she walked into her classroom and is still amazing today.

Both students will now compete for District 2 honors at an awards banquet on March 19 at First Baptist Church in Jasper.