Skipper said the honor was not easily earned.
I took the SAT three times and made consecutively good scores each time, she said. I feel like I worked very hard for this honor, and I’m very glad to see my ambitions accomplished.
Dodge County High School Principal Dr. Susan Long says she is very proud of Skipper’s accomplishment.
“Anna is an outstanding young lady who has an abundance of talent and potential, and I know she will continue to excel”, she said. “I am so proud to have students like Anna in this school.”
One honor for the STAR student each year is selecting the STAR Teacher, Skipper chose Karl Hilliard as her STAR teacher.
“Mr. Hilliard has always encouraged me to trust my instincts and follow my heart”, Skipper said. “He treats me like an equal, and as a student, I feel that he has taken a real interest in me and in my future.”
Long reiterated Skipper’s praise of the STAR teacher.
“Mr. Hilliard is creative and innovative, and is an asset to Dodge County High School,” she said.
In response to his award, Hilliard says he is thankful for the recognition and incredibly proud of Skipper.
“I feel very good, and am thankful to Anna,” he said. “It is gratifying. That’s what this job is all about, helping kids.”
“Anna Skipper is one of the most creative, talented, and brightest kids I have ever had the pleasure to teach. She’s highly motivated and thinks outside the box,” he exclaimed.
Anna, whose brother Nash Skipper was last year’s STAR student, and Hilliard will attend a regional dinner at Macon State College on March 15 to officially recognize Anna’s success.
Skipper’s activities and honors extend far beyond her recent award. She is involved in many school activities such as Art Club, Anchor Club, Sr. Beta Club, Key Club, Tribe Scribe and One-Act Play, many of which she has been a member of all four years of high school.
Skipper has also received many student honors. She was voted the Most Likely to Succeed by her senior peers, elected to be a Senior Superlative by her teachers, selected as a Rotary scholar and is currently the Tribe Scribe editor. She has also been elected Southeast Region Chair and Senior Director of Activities in the State Anchor Club.
The STAR student is the senior with the highest score on the SAT. This SAT score must come from the time period set by the state STAR nomination committee and guidelines set by the state STAR nominating committee the student must rank in the top ten percent of their class. At DCHS, this award is given by the Eastman-Dodge County Chamber of Commerce.
