Emanuel County Schools recently announced the STAR Student and STAR Teacher for Swainsboro High School and Emanuel County Institute for 2021-2022. STAR Students and STAR Teachers representing the Emanuel County Schools System are as follows: Emanuel County Institute STAR Student, Landon Goodman; Emanuel County Institute STAR Teacher, Kendall Hadden; Swainsboro High School STAR Student, Savannah Reynolds; and Swainsboro High School STAR Teacher, Cindy Riner.
These students and their chosen teachers were recognized at the recent annual Chamber of Commerce Banquet held Tuesday, January 27, at the Swainsboro Golf and Country Club. Chamber President Ken Warnock gave recognition to Swainsboro High Schools STAR student, Reynolds, and her choice for STAR teacher, Riner, and Emanuel County Institutes STAR student, Goodman, and his choice for STAR teacher, Hadden. Unfortunately, due to a BETA convention that was being held out of town, neither party was able to be in attendance for the night but were honored through comments by Warnock in which he congratulated the winners for their hard work and outstanding achievements. Personal letters written by the STAR students were also read wherein tribute was paid to the respective STAR teachers who contributed so much to the success of these scholars. Emanuel County Schools Superintendent Scotty Hattaway also commended the STAR representatives prior to the annual banquet recognition, stating, “We are very proud of our Emanuel County School System STAR Students, ECI's Landon Goodman and SHS's Savannah Reynolds, for their academic accomplishments. This honor is reflective of their dedication to their academic achievement and years of hard work and focus. We are also proud of STAR Teachers , ECI's Kendall Hadden and SHS's Cindy Riner. It is an honor when a student acknowledges a teacher for the role and the impact that they have played on their student's academic career. We congratulate both students and teachers.”
The two STAR students as well as their selected STAR Teachers received their formal board recognition during the Emanuel County Board of Education meeting held February 8 in the Emanuel County Institute auditorium. STAR SHS Student Savannah Reynolds and STAR SHS Teacher Cindy Riner, were announced as the county-wide STAR winners for the Emanuel County Schools district. The two will move on to compete at region level and, hopefully, state level.
Emanuel County STAR Representative Biographies
Emanuel County Institute STAR Teacher — Landon Goodman
Landon Goodman, son of Joey and Shauna Goodman of Twin City, is a senior at Emanuel County Institute.
Landon has been recognized many times for academic excellence and achievement throughout his high school career. He was chosen as a district representative for Governor’s Honors in Mathematics. He was a recipient of the Georgia Certificate of Merit, an award that recognizes students who are in the top 5% of their graduating class in the state of Georgia. He is also a Georgia Scholar nominee, an award that honors students who exhibit excellence in all phases of school life, in community activities, and in the home. Landon has also participated in the Dual Enrollment program at East Georgia State College since his junior year of high school.
Landon is co-president of 21st Century Leaders, an organization that collaborates with business and professional leaders to connect, transform and inspire Georgia high school students to become the next generation of leaders through training and hands-on experience. Through this club, Landon also leads community service projects such as voter registration for eligible high school students and food drives for families in need. He is also Sergeant-at-Arms of the Technology Student Association, a national student organization that develops students’ skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics as well as business education. He participates in rigorous problem solving competitions at the state level for this organization. Landon is also a member of Senior Beta Club.
Landon has participated in leadership summits at the Fulford Youth Academy, which develops leadership skills and qualities in students who have demonstrated leadership potential. He is also a member of the Citizen’s Bank Advisory Board. The objective of this board is to expose students to the world of banking and finance as well as encouraging them to become active and productive members of the community.
Landon was voted “Most Intelligent” by his peers as part of the Senior Superlatives for the class of 2022. He has participated in tennis for four years and has also helped coach the middle school tennis team.
Landon plans to attend East Georgia State College in the fall, and will later transfer to Augusta University to major in biology and become a pediatrician.
Landon has selected Mr. Kendall Hadden as his STAR teacher. When asked why he chose Mr. Hadden, he replied, “Mr. Hadden has always been the teacher that I know I can go to for advice and guidance about anything that I am doing. He is a selfless person and will drop whatever he is doing to help me or any other student who needs his help. My time in his class has been some of my most challenging, but therefore my most rewarding, moments of high school. His problem-solving activities have caused me to stumble and fail, but they taught me to work harder and think outside the box in the face of adversity. Those activities have prepared me to think critically and face much bigger problems that I will face in my life. Mr. Hadden’s inspiration and words of encouragement through these challenges played a major role in my growth as a student and problem solver, and we developed a strong bond during his classes. He became more than just a teacher; he became a friend. I know that no matter where I go or what I do in life, I can always come back to Mr. Hadden and count on him to be there for me.
Emanuel County Institute STAR Teacher — Kendall Hadden
Mr. Hadden has a Bachelor of Science in Middle Grades Math and Science, a Master of Science in Leadership, and an Educational Specialist Degree in Curriculum and Instruction.
Mr. Hadden started out his ECI career in 2007 as a 6th-grade math teacher. In 2015, he accepted the position as the high school Technology and Engineering teacher. Mr. Hadden also started a Technology Student Association at ECI, and 7 of his students have qualified for national level competition in Dragster Design and On Demand video.
This is what Mr. Hadden stated about being selected as Star Teacher
“I first met Landon when I was teaching 6th-grade math. I had heard that I was getting a student that was truly exceptional in mathematics and science. This was exciting news because those were the two subjects that always interested me the most. Just as I had heard, Landon was exceptional. Even as a 6th-grade student, he understood the mathematical process of an upper-level high school student. It was fun just trying to challenge him. I didn’t realize how much of an impact this young man would have on my teaching career. When Landon was in 8th grade, he was the youngest student to take my Foundations of Engineering class. It was in that class that I found a way to challenge him. Landon is a very process-driven student, and most of the challenges (projects) that we do in Foundations of Engineering have multiple ways of being completed. You really have to think out of the box with very few instructions other than what the challenge has to accomplish. It was in that class that I witnessed his first failure and I saw him struggle. I tell my students all the time, you learn more from your mistakes/failures than you do your accomplishments. I think this is where Landon and I bonded as student and teacher. I taught him how to not overthink a problem. Landon would go on to be an officer the last three years in Technology Student Association and competes in various competitions among the best in the state and is now Star Student. I know he will do great things in his life and I’m sure he will look back on some of our conversations about life. I’m honored he has chosen me as Star Teacher.”
Swainsboro High School STAR Student — Savannah Reynolds
Savannah Reynolds, Swainsboro High School’s STAR Student, is the daughter of Brett and Selena Reynolds. Throughout high school, Savannah has been a member and leader of multiple clubs and organizations. In FBLA, she served as secretary her sophomore year and president for the past two years. She has placed at regional and state competitions and even competed at the FBLA National Convention her freshman year. Savannah has also been a member of Beta Club. She served as treasurer her sophomore year, vice president her junior year and president her senior year. While in Beta Club, Savannah has competed and placed at the state and national levels. By serving as a class representative during her freshman and sophomore years and president of student council for the past two years, Savannah has represented her peers at Swainsboro High School. Savannah has also been actively involved in 4-H. She was named a 4-H Master in Food for Health & Sport her freshman year, and she was named a 4-H Master in History her junior year. She currently serves as county council president for Emanuel County 4-H. Through her club involvement, Savannah has participated in various service projects, ranging from local community efforts to national initiatives. In addition to her club activities, Savannah has been a member of the SHS concert band, dance line team and tennis team all four years of high school.
In addition to club competitions, Savannah has received a number of other accolades throughout her high school career. She was named the school and district winner for the Young Georgia Authors competition three years in a row as well as the district winner for the DAR essay contest during her sophomore year. She was named a semi-finalist in the area of social studies for the Governor's Honors Program her junior year, and she was selected as a Washington Youth Tour delegate with Altamaha EMC. She has also been selected as the district nominee for the U.S. Senate Youth program for the past two years. In addition, she serves on the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Board and the Citizens Bank Student Advisory Board. Savannah was also recently named as a semi-finalist for the Coca Cola Scholars program.
Outside of school, Savannah has worked in various positions. She served as an intern for the Emanuel County Commissioners office her junior year and completed an intensive research project on the history of the local John C. Coleman Hotel. She also worked as temporary helper for the Emanuel County Elections Office. Savannah currently works as an assistant to the County Solicitor, an administrative assistant at the Emanuel County Board of Education, and as a radio host for RadioJones. She is also a member of Swainsboro First Baptist Church where she is a member of Acteens.
After graduation, Savannah plans to attend UGA and to pursue a double major in history and communication studies. She then hopes to attend law school and practice in the fields of intellectual property and historic preservation.
Savannah selected Mrs. Cindy Riner as her STAR Teacher. Savannah had Mrs. Riner for three math courses at SHS, and Savannah attributes her success in the classroom and on the SAT to Mrs. Riner’s enthusiasm and expansive knowledge of her subject matter. In addition, Mrs. Riner has served as Savannah’s Beta Club advisor throughout high school. Savannah will be forever grateful for the support and encouragement Mrs. Riner has provided for her over the years.
Swainsboro High School STAR Teacher — Cindy Riner
A 1991 graduate of Swainsboro High School, Cindy Riner began her teaching career in 1999 and she has been teaching at her beloved alma mater since then. Mrs Riner holds an Associates of Arts degree from East Georgia State College and a Bachelor of Science degree in Middle Grades Education from Georgia Southern University. In 2002, she furthered her education by earning a Master of Education degree in Secondary Math. She is currently pursuing her Education Specialist degree in Instructional Technology through Kennesaw State University and will graduate in the summer of 2022.
Throughout her career, she has not only earned many degrees, but she has also earned her gifted endorsement and many hours of professional development. This has allowed her to grow as a teacher and better meet the needs of her students. Since 2002, Mrs. Riner has been teaching in the math department at SHS, and she currently teaches Algebra II and Precalculus.
In addition, Mrs. Riner has served as Beta Club sponsor for the past twelve years and as math department chair for the past year. She is a member of Emanuel County 4T (Teams Transforming Teaching Together) and serves on SILT (School Instructional Leadership Team) as well as other committees. Mrs. Riner has always had a love for mathematics and being a classroom teacher has given her the opportunity to share that passion and love with her students. She loves working with students and sharing the “Aha!” moments they experience in their academic pursuits and personal growth.
In addition to teaching, her passions include traveling, crafting, and spending time with family and friends at the beach. She lives in Swainsboro with her husband Greg and their son Daylan, a seventh-grader at Swainsboro Middle School.
Mrs. Riner had this to say about Savannah Reynolds and why she thought that she was a STAR student. “It has been such a blessing for me to teach Savannah in multiple math classes as well as to work with her throughout her years in Beta Club. Being selected as Savannah’s STAR teacher is considered the highest honor because Savannah is such a remarkable young woman of intellect, ambition, and grace. Savannah’s legacy is one of academic and extracurricular achievement, leadership, and service to Swainsboro High School. She is humble and never afraid of a challenge. In fact, she seeks opportunities to deepen her understanding through analysis of complex texts and comparison of multiple perspectives on intriguing topics. She is a sincere and curious scholar who shares her love of learning with both her peers and teachers. Even with her countless leadership positions in clubs, sports, and charitable organizations, Savannah manages to work at several jobs and still devotes time to her family, friends, and church. She seems to balance these responsibilities effortlessly, prioritizing her academic success.”
About PAGE STAR Program
The PAGE Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) program, now in its 64th year, is sponsored, administered, and promoted by the Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE) and the PAGE Foundation. Since its creation, the STAR program has honored nearly 28,000 students and the teachers they have selected as having had the most influence on their academic achievement. To obtain the 2021 STAR nomination, graduating high school seniors must have the highest score on a single test date on the SAT and be in the top 10 percent or top 10 students of their class based on grade point average.
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 one of the more than 170 statewide civic organizations and businesses that serve as local sponsors of the STAR program. Students then compete for school system titles, and those winners compete for region honors. Region Winners compete for the honor of being named State PAGE STAR Student. STAR Teachers continue on with their STAR Students at every level of the program.
