Laura Beal may be on the shy side, but when it comes to excelling in academic, she certainly is not timid.
Beal is this year’s Screven County High School STAR Student for her high score she registered on the SAT. By the way, Beal also is the Class of 2010’s valedictorian.
SCHS German teacher Jim Sheppard, who Beal selected as her STAR Teacher, said Beal is not going to be the first one to shoot her hand into the air with a “I know the answer” attitude, but Sheppard knows she knows.
“I have always appreciated Laura for her intellect, her work ethic, and her character,” Sheppard said.
Beal, Sheppard said, has been a strong part of the winning tradition in the state German skit competition and quiz bowl.
“These are things that Laura and her peers accomplished on their own,” Sheppard said. “To help Laura realize these successes, all that I had to do was add a bit of encouragement and direction.”
Sheppard, who has received the STAR Teacher honor now five times in his career at SCHS, said he was impressed with how Beal handled the responsibilities of the German American Partnership Program, which allows international students to visit Sylvania and for SCHS students to go abroad.
“She is one of the most mature students I have,” Sheppard said. “With GAPP, I get to watch the students as hosts and as guests. She was excellent as both. That is what I like to see in my students, but that doesn’t always happen. Laura was an exemplary as a host and exemplary as a guest.
“With the program, you’ve got to adapt. You are thousands of miles from home,” Sheppard said. “It is a test of one’s maturity.”
Beal said going to Germany is a new experience – one that should not be dismissed.
“I feel there is no point in going and not eating the food or going places,” Beal said. “You will never get a chance to do this again.
“You get to learn to survive without your parents. You learn you can do it,” Beal said.
Intelligence seems to be rather common in the Beal household. Beal’s older sister, Mary Dee, also was named the STAR Student in 2007. Mary Dee Beal chose the educator across the hallway from Sheppard, social studies instructor Burton Kemp Jr.
“I tend to compare myself to my sister,” Beal admitted. “I am my own person, but I am really shy.”
Beal, who scored a 2090 on the SAT, plans to either attend Clemson or Mercer after high school graduation. She wants to major in engineering.
“I just think it is fascinating that you can make things with technology,” Beal said.
The senior has earned three academic letters. She is a 2009 Georgia Certificate of Merit reciepent, a Presbyterian College Junior Fellow, and Augusta State University Certificate of Achievement honoree.
Beal also is a member of the SCHS cross country team.
“I started running in seventh grade,” Beal said. “I just loved running. It is a time to be by yourself.”
The STAR Student-STAR Teacher program is sponsored locally by the Sylvania Junior Woman’s Club.