Seniors Grace Guo, Zach Kimani and Hayes Parsa were recognized as Darlington's 2026 STAR Students on Feb. 20 after a three-way tie for top SAT score in the senior class. Guo and Parsa selected Math Department Head Al Shorey as their STAR Teacher, while Kimani chose history teacher Heather Shores.
Guo has taken seven AP and Honors courses at Darlington, and was named a Commended Student in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program. She is a member of National Honor Society and the varsity cheerleading squad.
"Grace is among my most favorite students that I've taught at Darlington," said Shorey, who has taught math at the Upper School since 2013 and serves as head of the department. "She has taken the toughest courses that we offer in addition to taking Multivariable Calculus through One Schoolhouse. Grace has the same pleasant and positive demeanor whether she is struggling in a course (which doesn't happen a lot) or crushing it. Her 'Can Do' attitude and approach will enable her to accomplish phenomenal things in college."
A retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, Shorey 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, a M.S. in Civil Engineering and Masters in Math from the University of Tennessee.
"Mr. Shorey always challenges me to go beyond just finding the right answers and instead focus on truly understanding how and why each concept works," said Guo. "He also creates an environment where working through challenges is seen as a natural part of learning, and where we always feel comfortable asking questions. In Calculus BC and Linear Agebra, he finds ways to make complex ideas easier to follow while still holding us to high standards, which has pushed me to think more critically and independently. He’s also my advisor for multivariable, where he continues to support my growth and encourages me not to give up."
Kimani has taken 17 Honors and AP courses at Darlington, and was named a Commended Student in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program as well as an AP Scholar with Distinction by The College Board. He serves as president of the Discipline Committee, head boarding prefect for Moser House, and is a member of the Dar Tech Team, Servant Leadership Committee, Tiger Tutors, and varsity cross country and track and field teams.
"Zach is not only a superb student, but is a natural leader who epitomizes servant leadership at Darlington," said Shores, who has taught Upper School history since 2022.
Shores holds a B.A. in History and an M.A. in History from the University of West Georgia, and has 20 years of experience in the field of public history, 16 of those in teaching college-level courses.
"Ms. Shores' enthusiasm and positivity make class engaging every day," said Kimani. "She strikes the perfect balance between serious and relaxed in the classroom, a feat that, for me, sets her apart from all other teachers I’ve had. Most importantly, she has a servant's heart, she truly cares about her students, and she goes above and beyond to motivate and help us. She makes us feel like we are capable, like we can take on the lizard people and come out on top. It’s been a pleasure learning from her."
Parsa has taken 24 Honors and AP courses at Darlington, and was named a 2026 National Merit Finalist as well as an AP Scholar with Distinction by The College Board. He serves as president of the Honor Council, head day prefect for Summerbell House, co-president of the Servant Leadership Committee, Student Council class representative, editor in chief of The Darlingtonian, and is a member of the varsity cross country and track and field teams as well as the Tiger Tutors.
"I've spent a lot of time with Hayes as his teacher in AP Calculus AB and BC and also as his advisor and as a member of the Honor Council," said Shorey. "Everything that Hayes takes on, he does to the highest standard possible. In the classroom, he works hard to truly understand the underlying concepts of the course and superior results naturally follow. This willingness to hold himself to really high standards will serve him well in all that he does after high school."
Parsa said Shorey has furthered his understanding of mathematical concepts more than any other teacher. "He constantly pushes his students out of our comfort zones and keeps us on our toes with tricky problems," said Parsa. "He also cares about us understanding the material and how it is derived more so than just giving us a formula to mindless plug numbers in for the grade alone.
"My admiration for Mr Shorey goes beyond the bounds of the classroom," he continued. "He uses his military background to inspire us to perform to a high expectation. He often shows us motivational videos in class that have resonated with me so deeply that I’ve used a similar mindset to approach running, leadership, and service. Saturday morning 12-mile runs can get lonely, but when I want to quit, I think back to his speeches about becoming who you want to be by doing things you don’t want to do. He keeps me accountable and knows me well enough to make sure I’m bringing my 100% to class every day. I’ll carry his lessons with me long 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 67th 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 2026 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.
