By Nicole Thomas
Starkville High School’s 2017 STAR Student is Jay Travis. Jay, who earned a 35 on his ACT, selected SHS English teacher Amy Bordelon as his STAR Teacher, recognizing her as the teacher who most impacted his high school career.
The Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) program recognizes high school seniors in Mississippi who earn the highest ACT score in their graduation school. The STAR student then selects his/her STAR teacher.
Jay, who often got into trouble as a fourth grade student for hiding his library book inside his textbook so he could continue to read during science class, credits Ms. Bordelon with re-igniting his love of reading during her ninth grade English class.
“She introduced to me to a lot of literature,” said Jay. “And she got me into Shakespeare. She’s really passionate about it, and her class really helped sustain my success as a high school student.”
Ms. Bordelon admits she loves sharing Shakespeare with her students, calling it almost magical.
“Shakespeare does the work. I just bring it to them,” Bordelon said. “Jay was definitely always an asset to class discussions, and his passion for language and literature really shines through his writing.”
This marks Ms. Bordelon’s first selection as a STAR Teacher.
“I am very honored and humbled especially since I taught Jay when he was just a freshman,” said Bordelon. “My ultimate goal as a teacher is to have a lasting, positive impact on my students, and I’m just thrilled that Jay remembers my class.”
Jay, a finalist for Mississippi State University’s most prestigious scholarship program, is still considering numerous college offers to decide where she will attend college, but he plans to study English or economics.
Jay and Ms. Bordelon will be honored during a luncheon hosted by the Mississippi Economic Council and the M.B. Swayze Foundation recognizing all of the STAR Students and STAR Teachers in the state in April.