Starr's Mill High School
Encyclopedia
Starr's Mill High School is a "2005 Georgia School of Excellence" school located in unincorporated Fayette County
Fayette County, Georgia
Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 91,263. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 106,144. The county seat is Fayetteville....

, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. It is governed by the Fayette County Board of Education.

The school serves southern Peachtree City
Peachtree City, Georgia
Peachtree City is a city in Fayette County, Georgia, United States.Census estimates in 2005 indicated a population of 34,524. In 2007, the city announced a plan to formally annex an unincorporated area between Georgia State Route 74 and the border with Coweta County that is commonly referred to as...

, Brooks
Brooks, Georgia
Brooks is a town in Fayette County, Georgia, USA. The population was 553 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Brooks has a total area of , of which, of it is land and 0.25% is water.-Demographics:...

, and Fayetteville
Fayetteville, Georgia
Fayetteville is a town in Fayette County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 15,945. The city is the county seat of Fayette County. Fayetteville is located approximately 22 miles from the city of Atlanta....

, Georgia

History

Some time after being commissioned by the Fayette County Board of Education alongside Peeples Elementary School and Rising Starr Middle School
Rising Starr Middle School
Rising Starr Middle School is a Georgia Lighthouse School to Watch located in unincorporated Fayette County, Georgia. It is governed by the Fayette County School System....

, Starr's Mill High School relocated from its temporary location at the LaFayette Education Center to its current location at 193 Panther Path during the 1997-1998 school year. Only eight years later the school was declared a 2005 Georgia School of Excellence, one of only three high schools in the state to receive this honor. In 2005, Principal Sam Sweat left his position, which was filled by Audrey "The Inspector" Toney, previous vice-principal in charge of academic affairs.

School Profile

Starr's Mill High School opened in 1997-1998 with 40 Teachers and 650 Students. The current enrollment is 1,780 students and 112 teachers, and the student population consists of 87% caucasian students and 13% minority students.

5% of Starr's Mill minority students participate in the ESOL Program, and 3% of students receive free/reduced price lunches. Most SMHS students reside in Fayetteville
Fayetteville, Georgia
Fayetteville is a town in Fayette County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 15,945. The city is the county seat of Fayette County. Fayetteville is located approximately 22 miles from the city of Atlanta....

 and Peachtree City.

Starr's Mill is one of only 3 high schools in Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...

 to be declared a School of Excellence in 2005, and it has been ranked as one of the best school public schools in America by Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...

 Magazine.

Starr's Mill High School boasts the most AP classes available for students in Fayette County, although the school only allows the students to take a maximum of 4 AP classes. The 4th AP class must be approved by the principal.

Academics

The current SAT
SAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...

 average at Starr's Mill is 1632 (out of 2400), and it had 7 National Merit Finalists for the 2003-2004 academic year. Starr's Mill has consistently ranked in the Top 15 Public High Schools in the state of Georgia regarding academic achievement. 96% of the Class of 2009 planned to attend college.

Starr's Mill High School received a 2005 Silver Award for Highest Percentage in meeting and exceeding academic standards.

Athletics

Starr's Mill High School has had ten State Championships in less than eight years, with five of the ten championships coming from the soccer program. It also has been ranked the 5th Most Successful Athletic Program in the State (GHSA
Georgia High School Association
The Georgia High School Association governs athletic and club events for member high schools in Georgia, USA. The GHSA is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations. The association comprises 437 public and private high schools...

 Directors Cup Standing).

The football program, now under the leadership of its second head coach, Chad Phillips (Mike Earwood was the coach from the beginning of the school's existence through the 2009 season), has only failed to reach the state playoffs 3 times (1998, 2003, 2008) in program history. In 2000, the team reached the state semi-finals despite only having a varsity football team for 3 seasons. The team's most successful season was in 2010, when the team won their first 14 games before falling to Chattahoochee in the state championship. Over the years, the Starr's Mill football program has produced several Division I players such as Zach Laskey (Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...

), Jeffery Greene (Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...

), Alex Barr (North Carolina State), Ryan Nowicki (University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...

), Denzel Cole (Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...

), Reuben Houston
Reuben Houston
Reuben James Houston was a cornerback for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team from 2002 to 2005. Houston had 158 career tackles, 16 pass breakups, 12 tackles for loss, five forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. He is also a former all-ACC triple jumper for Georgia Tech's track...

 (Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...

), Sam Mittelman (USC), Darrell Burston (Florida State), Andy Smith (University of Memphis
University of Memphis
The University of Memphis is an American public research university located in the Normal Station neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee and is the flagship public research university of the Tennessee Board of Regents system....

), Jason Earwood (Georgia Southern), Clint Barbour (Georgia Southern), Deante Battle (Northwestern
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....

), Johnny Edwards IV (Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...

) and Chad Gloer (University of Georgia), Bradley Connor (United States Air Force Academy). Starr's Mill football players have been noted to go hard or go home.

With the large number of golf courses in the area, Starr's Mill is known throughout the state as a high school golf powerhouse. 2003 graduate Jeremy Garner was the first panther to play division one golf in college when he was recruited by the United States Naval Academy and later named the Midshipmen's team captain. Evan Scanlan, a classmate of Garner, became one of the most competitive college golfers in the southeast as a starter for Columbus State
Columbus State University
Columbus State University is a public institution of higher learning located in Columbus, Georgia. Founded as Columbus College in 1958, the university was established and is administered by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, and is fully accredited by the Commission on...

 and would later turn professional. Wilson shot a record 63 in the state playoffs in 2007 and went on to attend the prestigious Stanford University.

The Starr's Mill Varsity Boys and Girls Lacrosse teams, which were formed in 2005, are fairly new additions to the school. The girls team did exceptionally well in the first season, making it to the 2006 State playoffs. The boys' team first made the playoffs in 2008, and has reached the tournament in each subsequent year.

Both the boys' and girls' swimming teams are also among the school's athletic powerhouses. The team has won the Fayette County championships for 11 years in a row, and produces state champions frequently.

The girls volleyball teams have built a reputation of excellence in the Region and the State. They won it all in 2004 capturing the 5A State Championship, and followed that up the next 3 years by finishing in the top 4 in the State playoffs, finishing as the State runner up in 2006 and 2007. Several girls have gone on to play Division 1 volleyball: Shelley MacBean at Elon University
Elon University
Elon University is a private liberal arts university in Elon, North Carolina, United States. Formerly known as Elon College, it became Elon University on June 1, 2001. The campus is a botanical garden and features oak trees, brick sidewalks, fountains, and lakes...

, Nikki Patriarca at Valdosta State University
Valdosta State University
Valdosta State University, also referred to as VSU, or Valdosta State, is an American public university and is one of the two regional universities in the University System of Georgia. Valdosta State is located on a campus at the heart of the city of Valdosta...

, Kirsten Carr at Georgia Southern, Mary Chaudoin at Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...

, Alexis Shaffer at Furman University
Furman University
Furman University is a selective, private, coeducational, liberal arts college in Greenville, South Carolina, United States. Furman is one of the oldest, and more selective private institutions in South Carolina...

 and Kylie Jacob at Jacksonville University
Jacksonville University
Jacksonville University is a private university in Jacksonville, Florida, on the banks of the St. Johns River. The school was founded in 1934 as a two year college and was known as Jacksonville Junior College until 1958, when it shifted its focus to four-year university degrees and adopted its...

.

The boys and girl's cross country teams were the 2004-2005 Region 4 AAAAA Champions, and the girl's 2006 Track & Field team was the Region 4AAAAA Champions.

Starr's Mill baseball has risen to the ranks of state powerhouse over the years. Most notably were the 2006 (#1 nationally ranked) and 2009 (State runner-ups) seasons

Starr's Mill High School won 5AAAAA State Championship in soccer in 2006.

In soccer, Starr's Mill won the 2010 4AAAAA State Championships in both girls and guys, making it the first school in Fayette County to do it since 2000.

Starr's Mill is also the home of The 2000 GHSA AAA Wrestling State Champions, and The 2001 GHSA AAAAA Wrestling State Champions.

Starr's Mill swim team has won regions for the past decade

Starr's Mill is also home to the 2010 Boy's Tennis State Champions and 2007 Girls Tennis State Champions in Class AAAA.

Also, started its roller hockey club team in 2004.

In 2010, Starr's Mill successfully made it to its first football State Championship Game. They eventually lost to Chattahoochee on December 10, 2010, when they played in the Georgia Dome. Their school record season was 14-1.

Fine arts

Starr's Mill has a remarkable Fine Arts program. The program includes one orchestra, three bands, four drama classes, and five choruses.

Every year, the band and chorus program have many students that go to District VI Honor Band and to Georgia Allstate. The top band at Starr's Mill (Wind Ensemble) is very well known in Georgia and is consistently invited to events such as the CSU Honor Bands of GA, and UGA Janfest. The marching band is also well known, winning numerous competitions in the past few years. The marching band won all three of its competitions in 2008.

The band program offers 3 classes:
  • Wind Ensemble
  • Symphonic Band
  • Concert band


The Starr's Mill chorus is constantly recognized at state level and nationally.

The Chorus program consists of 7 choruses:
  • Bella Voce (advanced Woman's chorus)
  • Chanticleer (advanced mixed chorus)
  • Bel Canto (beginning women's chorus)
  • Jazz choir(select female ensemble)
  • Camerata (Men's chorus)
  • Men of the Mill (select Men's a cappella group)


In 2006, Chanticleer was invited to premiere a Mass entitled Missa Romantica by James Mulholland at the GMEA conference in Savannah,Ga. A very high honor and once in a lifetime opportunity. They were accompanied by Starr's Mill's Wind Ensemble.

In 2007, Chanticleer accepted an invitation to perform Faure's Requiem in the legendary Carnegie Hall in New York City.

In 2008, The Choral Ensembles sang the Evensong service at the National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

In 2009, Dr. Odom, the head Choral Director who has been in the Choral department for over 40 years, received an invitation GMEA asking for Camerata to perform at their concert in February in Savannah, GA. This event is highly prestigious and is a once in a lifetime event for anybody who participates in it.(Dr. Odom has had a choir perform there twice).

Not only were one of his choirs invited to GMEA, but he got another even more highly prestigious-beyond-belief invitation to the largest gothic cathedral in the whole world renowned for its pipe organ. Not only were Dr. Odom's Chanticleer and Camerata invited to perform, but they were invited to perform on a Sunday,(3-21-2010). This is one of the most famous events the school has been a part of and there is no doubt that the Starr's Mill High School Chorus Dept. is one of the most talented Choral Departments in the state of Georgia.

The drama program is well known statewide. The program puts on two shows a year: a play by the Advanced Drama class and a musical with auditions open to all students.

The classes featured are:
  • Advanced Drama I
  • Advanced Drama II
  • Beginning Drama
  • Regular Drama
  • Real Life Drama, where kids just duke out their feelings on stage.

Famous Alumni

  • Kelley O'Hara
    Kelley O'Hara
    Kelley Maureen O'Hara is an American soccer player from Fayetteville, Georgia. She was a forward for the Stanford women's soccer team and is a member of the United States U-23 women's national soccer team. She is the recipient of the 2009 Hermann Trophy...

     - US Women's National Team soccer player, including an appearance in the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup (Class of 2006)
  • Paris Bennett
    Paris Bennett
    Paris Ana'is Bennett is an American singer. She came to national recognition as a contestant on the fifth season of the reality television talent show, American Idol, finishing in fifth place...

     - American Idol contestant, 4th runner-up. (Class of 2006)

Athletics

  • Baseball
    Baseball
    Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...

  • Basketball
    Basketball
    Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

  • Cheerleading
    Cheerleading
    Cheerleading is a physical activity, sometimes a competitive sport, based on organized routines, usually ranging from one to three minutes, which contain the components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunting to direct spectators of events to cheer on sports teams at games or to participate...

  • Color Guard
    Color guard
    In the military of the United States and other militaries, the color guard carries the National Color and other flags appropriate to its position in the chain of command. Typically these include a unit flag and a departmental flag...

  • Cross-country
    Cross country running
    Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...

  • Dance
    Dance
    Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....

  • Fencing
    Fencing
    Fencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...

  • Trout Fishing
  • Marching Band
    Marching band
    Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...

  • Football
    American football
    American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...

  • Golf
    Golf
    Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....

  • Ping Pong
  • Lacrosse
    Lacrosse
    Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...

  • Soccer
    Football (soccer)
    Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...

  • Softball
    Softball
    Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...

  • Squash
    Squash (sport)
    Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...

  • Swimming
    Swimming (sport)
    Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...

  • Tennis
    Tennis
    Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...

  • Track
    Track and field
    Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...

  • Volleyball
    Volleyball
    Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...

  • Wrestling
    Scholastic wrestling
    Scholastic wrestling, sometimes known in the United States as Folkstyle wrestling, is a style of amateur wrestling practised at the high school and middle school levels in the United States. This wrestling style is essentially Collegiate wrestling with some slight modifications. It is currently...

  • Water Polo
    Water polo
    Water polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...

  • Winter Guard
    Winter Guard
    The Winter Guard is a fictional team of Russian superheroes in the Marvel Comics universe.The Winter Guard are noted for being "Russia's answer to the Avengers",.. Several members of the group formerly belonged to the Soviet Super-Soldiers, the People's Protectorate and the Supreme Soviets...


Academics

  • Academic Team
  • Beta Club
  • Chorus
  • Debate Team
  • French Club
  • German Club
  • Literary Magazine
  • Math Team
  • Mock Trial Team
  • National History Bee and Bowl
  • Newspaper - The Prowler
  • Science Olympiad
    Science Olympiad
    Science Olympiad is an American elementary, middle, or high school team competition which tests knowledge of various science topics and engineering ability. Over 6,200 teams from 49 U.S. states compete each year. Most teams compete in three levels of competition: regionals, states, and nationals...

  • Student Government Association
  • Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Percussion Ensemble
  • Yearbook
  • Ex Libris Book Club
  • Creative Writing Club
  • FCCLA

External links

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