The Colquitt County School System and Moultrie Kiwanis Club announced the county’s STAR Student and Teacher at Thursday’s Kiwanis meeting. From left are Colquitt County High School Principal Bob Jones, STAR Student Will Bannister, STAR Teacher Ben Pitchford, and Moultrie Kiwanis President John ‘Click’ Peters.

William “Will” Charles Bannister is the 2012 PAGE STAR Student for Colquitt County High School. Will is the son of Carol and Chuck Bannister.

The Moultrie Kiwanis Club annually sponsors the Moultrie STAR program. At the weekly Kiwanis Club meeting held Thursday, Bannister was recognized and given the opportunity to share in the distinction by naming a teacher that has been instrumental to him as his STAR Teacher. Bannister chose Colquitt County High School math teacher Ben Pitchford.

Bannister plans to attend an Ivy League school majoring in engineering, chemistry, or economics, while playing football. His career plans are to be involved in engineering management. Bannister was humble as he spoke to the Kiwanis club members and shared about his STAR Teacher selection. When asked why he chose Pitchford as his STAR teacher he said, “He goes above and beyond to help. Even when he does not have the answer, he was willing to find the resources to help me. He is not only involved in the classroom, but he also volunteers his time for student activities.”

STAR Teacher Ben Pitchford, is in his 10th year of teaching having received his bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and his master’s in education-secondary mathematics from Valdosta State University.  

Pitchford shared his thoughts on being chosen as Bannister’s STAR Teacher, “It is such an honor to be chosen by someone so intelligent. However, Will’s work ethic and perseverance are characteristics that I most admire in him. When someone like Will views me in a positive light, it means a lot.”

STAR begins each year in participating high schools throughout Georgia when the STAR Student is named and chooses a STAR Teacher to share in this recognition. The students and their teachers are honored by their schools and receive special recognition in their communities from more than 200 statewide civic organizations and businesses that sponsor local programs. Students then compete for school system titles, and those winners compete for region honors.

 Bannister along with his STAR Teacher will participate in the regional competition in late March. The Georgia STAR Student and STAR Teacher will be chosen from among the regional winners in late April.

 The PAGE Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) program, in its 55nd year, is sponsored by the Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE) Foundation, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the Georgia Department of Education. Since its inception, the STAR program has honored more than 22,000 students and the teachers they have selected as having had the most influence on their academic achievement. Students are selected on the basis of the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) scores and class standing/scholastic averages.