February 23, 2017
Deatrick Named Star Student and National Merit Finalist
Prince Avenue Christian School senior Chase Deatrick has been named the 2016-17 STAR Student for PACS, scoring the highest on one sitting of the SAT test this year. Chase selected English teacher Jimmy Phillips as his STAR Teacher. Both Chase and Mr. Phillips were honored at the Oconee County Chamber of Commerce STAR Student Breakfast.
Chase is the son of John and Grace Deatrick and has attended PACS for six years. He has received the Wolverine Academic Gold Award for highest yearly average in 9th and 10th grades and is a leader on the PACS Academic Team. Chase attends Bethlehem First United Methodist Church and volunteers weekly at South Athens Animal Clinic. Chase plans to go into pre-med studies but has not yet decided on what college he will attend.
When asked about his choice of STAR Teacher, Chase explains, “Mr. Phillips is one of my favorite teachers at Prince. Though I like many teachers, I chose him because his class was very beneficial and enriching, and he is an excellent educator and friend to all he teaches.”
Jimmy Phillips is in his 46th year as a teacher with the last nine being at PACS. Mr. Phillips describes Chase as a tremendous asset to and representative of PACS. “Chase is what I term as a 3-D student: dependable, dedicated, and determined in all aspects of academics. He is also one of the most talented student writers I have been blessed to teach.”
In addition to STAR Student, Chase has also received the high distinction of National Merit Finalist.
About 1.6 million juniors in more than 22,000 high schools entered the 2017 National Merit Scholarship program by taking the 2015 PSAT, the qualifying test for the program. The top 1 percent, about 16,000 students nationwide, are chosen as semi-finalists and notified in the fall of their senior year.
To become a finalist, semi-finalists and their high school must submit a detailed scholarship application with information about the semi-finalist’s academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received. Semi-finalists are required to have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying PSAT test. Chase’s college of choice will determine the amount of scholarship awarded based on his distinguished status as a National Merit Finalist.
Chase expresses that his time at PACS has significantly influenced his academic accomplishments. “I have greatly enjoyed Prince Avenue Christian School. Prince has, overall, a wonderful staff and faculty who are very excited to teach and are always open to helping their pupils. The student body is rich in personality and strong in character, creating a positive atmosphere for all school activities.”