Darlington senior Oscar Jin has been named the 2024 Darlington STAR Student. Yang selected Math Department Head Al Shorey as his STAR Teacher.
Jin has taken 15 AP and Honors classes, and is a member of the math team, cross country team and Chess Club. He previously served as a member of the DarBots robotics team and the Dar Tech Team. The summer after his junior year, Jin was selected to attend the Stanford University Mathematics Camp, where he furthered his knowledge and passion for the subject of mathematics.
He was awarded the Rensselaer Medal and E.L. Wright Awards for the highest GPA in the subjects of Pre Calculus Honors, AP Computer Science, AP Chemistry, AP Biology, AP English Language, AP Statistics and AP Calculus BC. Jin is the son of Mr. Ron Jin and is from Shanghai, China.
"Mr. Shorey's commitment to the math team was truly exceptional," said Jin. "From driving us to various tournaments to consistently showing pride in our efforts, regardless of the results, he exemplified dedication and support. The impact he has had on my mathematical journey and the math club is immeasurable."
Shorey has taught math at the Upper School since 2013 and serves as head of the department. A retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, he holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the United States Military Academy, an M.S. in Engineering Management from the University of Missouri at Rolla and an M.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Tennessee.
"Oscar is a student with a true love of learning," said Shorey. "When he came as a sophomore, we were concerned with the level of rigor that he pursued as a brand new student. He proved to be up to the task and then some. Oscar's work ethic is unmatched. He has pushed me as a teacher with his curiosity and desire to learn concepts at a deeper level. I didn't always have the answers, but we could figure things out together. I'm excited to see what he goes on to do after high school!"
Locally, the STAR Students and their selected STAR Teachers are honored by their schools and recognized by the Rome Floyd Chamber, which serves as the local sponsor of the STAR program. Students then compete for local school system titles, and those winners move on to compete for regional honors.
The PAGE Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) program, now in its 65th year, is sponsored, administered and promoted by the Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE). Since its creation by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce in 1958, the STAR program has honored nearly 30,000 students and the teachers selected as the most influential to their academic achievement. To obtain the 2022 STAR nomination, 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.
