February 21, 2020
Deatrick Named 2019-2020 STAR Student
Prince Avenue senior Jared Deatrick has been named the 2019-2020 STAR Student for Prince Avenue Christian School, scoring the highest on one sitting of the SAT test this year. He selected science teacher Dale Autry as his STAR Teacher. Both Jared and Mr. Autry were honored at the Oconee County Chamber of Commerce STAR Student Beakfast.
Jared is the son of John and Grace Deatrick and has attended PACS for seven years. Jared has a 4.4 grade point average, has been on the PACS Headmaster’s Honor Roll all four years of high school, and has held the highest average in multiple advanced level classes. He is a member of the National Honors Society, Beta Club, and Interact Club and has been active in PACS athletics as a member of the Varsity Basketball and Varsity Tennis teams. Jared attends Bethlehem United Methodist Church where he serves in hospitality and grounds maintenance. Jared has also been a volunteer coach for several youth basketball teams and has earned a first degree black belt in Taekwondo.
When asked about his choice of STAR Teacher, Jared explains that Dale Autry has unique perspectives due to his wealth of life experiences in the military and as a scientist that makes every class interesting and applicable. “In the classroom, with so much practical experience, every class period has a new story relating to what we are learning. Mr. Autry can keep any class engaged and wanting to hear another story.” Jared further explains that Mr. Autry’s contributions to his education are not limited to the classroom. “Mr. Autry is caring, and he teaches students how to be better people. I am thankful for his selflessness, and I owe my success to teachers like Mr. Autry.”
Mr. Autry has 28 years of teaching experience with the last seven spent at PACS. He currently teaches Advanced Placement and College Prep Physics as well as Physical Science. When not in the classroom, Mr. Autry coaches PACS Cross Country, Swimming, and Track teams. Mr. Autry explains that Jared is a top student academically, but what really stands out about him is the relationships he has with others. “Jared works well with his teachers, his classmates, and our younger students. Students like him make teaching great fun.”
Jared explains that the encouraging and friendly atmosphere is one of the aspects of Prince that he appreciates most. “Students support each other and are friends no matter whether they participate in football, academic team, or musical productions. The cross-grade friendships and overall propinquity between each grade and within each grade create a special atmosphere that gives a comfortable and supportive feeling to students.”
Jared has not settled his post-secondary plans but says that Wake Forest is a front-runner at this time. He is interested in studying finance, business, and economics.