Grade: 7th Grade
School: Sylvan Hills Middle School
Devontae Carter is our Spotlight Student from Sylvan Hills Middle School. Devontae is a 7th grade student returning for his second year as a Golden Bear. His team of teachers from last year and this year strongly recommended that we recognize him due to his outstanding citizenship and academic achievement. Devontae was selected early on as a Student of the Month at Sylvan last year as his teachers quickly recognized his admirable character. Devontae is always willing to help others, even serving as a peer tutor where he was able to assist his classmates in academics as needed. He earned the title “King of Social Studies” in the 6th grade last year due to his consistently high scores on exams. Devontae is a natural leader.
At Sylvan, all students are expected to be Sylvan Ready everyday. This means that they are respectful, punctual, prepared, presentable, and engaged. Devontae meets this expectation without reminder on a daily basis. He is very respectful and well-mannered and is a high achiever in all content areas. Devontae was a member of the Sylvan Hills baseball team last year and is part of the football team this year as well. All in all, Devontae is a model citizen and student and we at Sylvan Hills are proud to have him as a Golden Bear.
Grade: 5th Grade
School: M. Agnes Jones Elementary
Joelesha Nyzia Upshaw is the middle child in a family of three female siblings. She is currently in the fifth grade at M. Agnes Jones Elementary School where she has been a student since Kindergarten.
Joelesha is an excellent all-around student. She is an amazing writer and her stories are engaging and creative. She is also a member of the safety patrol and a talented dancer. She has served as a member of the M. Agnes Jones dance team since third grade.
Joelesha is extremely bright and exceeded in all categories for the 2012-2013 school year administration of the Georgia CRCT. Additionally, Joelesha has recently been accepted into the Gifted and Talented Education Program.
She spent the summer traveling, flying from Atlanta to California and then driving back via the infamous Route 66. From there she traveled north. In all, her travels covered 28 states. During her travels, she visited several historic landmarks including: the Grand Canyon, the White House, the Statue of Liberty, Niagara Falls, Lake Michigan, Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, the Twin Towers Memorial, and the Empire State Building. More than anything, she enjoyed seeing the Statue of Liberty.
“Oh she is so beautiful,” Joelesha exclaimed.
Joelesha took hundreds of photos with her digital camera. She aspires to become a travel and fashion photographer. What a great start to her career!
Grade: 2nd Grade
School: D.H. Stanton Elementary
Markia is a spirited second grade student at D.H. Stanton Elementary School. School administrators identify her as a star student, as she faithfully wears her school uniform and is a great role model for her peers. “I like to wear the uniform, and be a good example,” Markia says. She is a hard worker and often supports her teacher in class, and receives rewards and treats for good behavior.
Her favorite subject is math, because she loves to subtract and add. She especially enjoys PE where she can exercise and run with her classmates. Markia considers D.H. Stanton to be a great school; she loves the teachers, class activities, and especially the computers.
“Markia is blossoming into a great student and a future leader,” says Lorrae Walker, 2nd grade teacher. “She embodies the 7 habits of highly effective kids, by leading by example and ensuring that others are doing the right things.”
Grade: 6th Grade
School: Sutton Middle School
As a sixth-grader new to a middle school that houses almost 1,500 students, Jaron Sheffield says he really likes his new school; he says he is confident and has not experienced any trouble transitioning. However, Jaron admits that there are some things he misses about his former school, E. Rivers Elementary.
“It was nice going to the same school with my younger brothers, and seeing them everyday, ” says Jaron. “And I really miss my teachers — they were nice to me, and they made school a lot of fun.”
In fact, at Rivers, many teachers regarded Jaron as “exceptional.” His fifth-grade art teacher, Philip Alexander-Cox describes Jaron as “an exceptional and talented artist, and a young man of exceptional character as well.”
These traits ultimately led Jaron to enter the “Dream @ 50 Art Contest,” a national contest for students that commemorates the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous I Have a Dream Speech.
“The speech was about how one day the world would be a better place, because everyone would respect each other, and and judge people by what’s on the inside, instead of what’s on the outside; and in the end, everyone would get along,” states Jaron. “I drew a picture based on the peace I thought Martin Luther King imagined, the people that came before him that made it possible — like Abraham Lincoln — and the people that came after him — like President Obama — who show how his dream came true.”
Jaron’s talent, vision and character resulted in him winning Honorable Mention for his art in the Atlanta, metro-wide Dream @50 art contest, and it was even featured at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta.
“Jaron is a true gentleman,” says Rivers fifth-grade teacher Lindsay Treharne. He is a kind and warm-hearted student who is always willing to help his fellow classmates. Dr. King would be quite proud that a student of Jaron’s character was honored on the 50th anniversary of his “I Have a Dream” speech.