Rotary Club announces Greene Co. 2026 STAR Students
Published 4:34 pm Thursday, January 29, 2026
GREENSBORO, Ga. — August Haynes of Greene County High School and Sara Duncan Hong of Lake Oconee Academy have been named as the Greene County 2026 PAGE STAR school winners for Greene County this academic year. August chose John Arnold as his STAR teacher. Sara Dunca Hong chose Mandy Lipscomb as her STAR teacher. In addition, Sarah Duncan is the Greene County region winner for all of Greene County between the two schools/students. She will go on to compete with other region winners in the state of Georgia. Patricia Randolph, local sponsor representative for Greene County Schools PAGE District 4, announced the winners at a recent Rotary Club of Greene and Putnam Counties weekly Club meeting. These students earned the recognition for academic achievement and performance on the SAT.
August Haynes – GCHS PAGE STAR Student
August Haynes, a senior scholar, is destined to do great things. August is 2024 and 2025 Mr. UGA Leadership winner. He currently holds one of the highest Grade Point Averages (GPAs) in his class. August has completed dual enrollment courses at Athens Technical College. He has participated in basketball, football, gymnastics, church events and community events. As humble as they come, August tends to make a huge impact when recognized. He has been at the center of public presentations since his youth. In March 2016, he was the kid who landed a spot in the Herald Banner for reciting a speech at the Greene County BOE meeting. Hayes is looking to further his education after high school and has interests in engineering, construction, business, and music.
John Arnold – GCHS PAGE STAR Teacher
John Arnold brings a diverse background and a deep commitment to student success during his educational work. A United States Navy Veteran, he spent 20 years in upper management in the business sector before transitioning into education. He earned his bachelor’s degree in social studies education from the University of Georgia and later completed a master’s degree in educational leadership from Georgia Southern University. He is currently pursuing both an educational specialist (Ed.S.) in instruction and curriculum and his Tier II leadership certification. With nine years of experience teaching middle and high school social studies, Arnold has been recognized for his exceptional impact in the classroom. He was honored as the Greene County High School Teacher of the Year and the Greene County School System Teacher of the Year for the 2024-2025 school year.
Arnold now serves as the director of safety and security and assistant dean of Students at Lake Oconee Academy in Greensboro, where he continues to combine educational expertise with a strong focus on school culture and student well-being. His philosophy is rooted in doing whatever it takes to support students’ academic and personal success by building meaningful, positive relationships with every learner he serves.
Sara Duncan Hong – LOA PAGE STAR Student
Sara Duncan Hong is a senior at Lake Oconee Academy. Her parents are Tim and Kimberly Hong. She is a competitive dancer at the Vibe Dance Center and has been dancing since age 4. She is also president of the LOA Beta Club, social media chair of LOA Miracle, and a Lake Oconee Rural Health Initiative ambassador. She enjoys serving her community through Rivers Alive and the local Coat Drive. She has received the Executive Director’s Award for the past three years for having the highest grade point average in her class. She enjoys dancing, hanging out with friends, and attending her youth group at Lakeside Church. After high school, she plans to attend the University of Georgia and pursue a degree in Biology to enter the medical field.
Mandy Lipscomb – LOA PAGE STAR Teacher
Mandy Lipscomb is an experienced educator with 21 years of teaching experience, including the past 11 years at Lake Oconee Academy. She currently teaches AP human geography and AP U.S. history, where she is known for fostering critical thinking, academic rigor, and student engagement. In addition to her classroom role, she serves as the department head of the social studies department, providing leadership and support for curriculum development and instructional excellence. She and her husband, Reid, have two sons, Tate and Colt. She is committed to both education and family and takes pride in preparing students for success in advanced coursework and beyond.
The PAGE Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) program is sponsored, administered and promoted by the Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE) and the PAGE
Foundation. Since its creation 68 years ago, the STAR program has honored nearly 30,000 students and the teachers they have selected as the most influential to their academic achievement. High school seniors must have the highest score on a single test date on the SAT and be in the top 10% or top 10 students of their class based on grade point average to qualify for STAR nomination. STAR begins each year in participating Georgia high schools when the STAR Student is named and chooses a STAR Teacher to share in this recognition. The students and their teachers are honored by their schools and receive special recognition in their communities from one of the more than 170 statewide civic organizations and businesses that serve as local sponsors of the STAR program.
Students then compete for school system recognition as the top STAR Student, and those winners compete for region honors. Region winners contend for the honor of being named State PAGE STAR Student. STAR Teachers continue on with their STAR Students at every level of the program.
PAGE and the PAGE Foundation honor outstanding students and educators and, encourage academic excellence through competitive academic programs such as PAGE STAR, the PAGE Academic Bowl for Middle Grades, and the PAGE Georgia Academic Decathlon.
The Rotary Club of Greene and Putnam Counties is thrilled to celebrate Sara Duncan Hong and August Haynes for their outstanding achievement as the county’s PAGE STAR Students, as well as to honor Mandy Lipscomb and John Arnold for their exceptional guidance and mentorship as Sara Duncan and August’s STAR Teachers. Their dedication to excellence in education and their commitment to inspiring future leaders exemplify the values we hold dear. The Rotary Club extends heartfelt congratulations to these students and teachers look forward to witnessing their continued success in the years to come.
