Lawrence County High School has announced its STAR Student for the 2024-2025 academic year. Senior Damian Wilson has been named by the Mississippi Economic Council Student Teacher Achievement Recognition program as the school’s STAR student. 

STAR students are chosen based on academic excellence, taking into account American College Test (ACT) scores and scholastic averages in core subjects during the students’ high school years. This is the 60th year of the STAR program, founded in 1965.

“The STAR program encourages and promotes academic achievement among Mississippi’s high school seniors,” said Vickie Powell, Senior Vice President of MEC Foundations. 

Each STAR Student is asked to designate a STAR Teacher, the instructor who made the greatest impact on the student’s scholastic achievement. Wilson chose math teacher Lydia McKennon. 

More than 600 STAR Students and Teaches will be recognized at the 2025 Education Celebration. The top 20 STAR Students — the All-STAR Scholars — will receive scholarships, and their STAR Teachers will receive awards provided by the Kelly Gene Cook Sr. Charitable Foundation. One student will be named the Mississippi ALL-STAR Scholar for 2024-2025, and receive a $24,000 Cook Foundation Scholarship.