Karmen A. Bernard has been recognized as Yazoo City High School’s 2024 STAR Student. The Mississippi Economic Council’s Student-Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) Program has saluted the academic achievements of the state’s outstanding high school students and teachers for more than 56 years.
This year’s class joins more than 20,000 top scholars and leading teachers who have qualified for recognition in the STAR program, the most prestigious educational recognition program in the state. STAR Students are seniors with the highest ACT scores (minimum of 25) and scholastic averages (minimum of 93) in their high schools. They are chosen from more than 300 public, private, and parochial schools.
Each STAR Student chooses a STAR teacher who has impacted their educational journey. This teacher is also recognized. Karmen chose Ms. Ciesha Genous, her 8th-grade Science teacher.
Recognition as a STAR Student adds to Karmen’s list of accomplishments during her time at Yazoo City High School. As a dual enrollment scholar, she will complete all of the required hours to receive an Associate of Arts degree from Holmes Community College before graduating from high school, also maintaining the collegiate grade point average required for her induction into Phi Theta Kappa. She has proven to be well-rounded through her involvement in several school organizations, including Health Occupations Students of America, National Honor Society, and Beta Club. As a scholar-athlete, she has been selected as regional Offensive Player of the Year for softball, regional Defensive Player of the Year for softball, All-American Cheerleader, and captain of the school's softball and cheer teams. Karmen was also selected by her peers to represent the school as Miss Yazoo City High School.
Karmen feels that infusing her Health Science vocational courses and work-based learning experiences at Dr. William Nelson’s dentistry practice with her core academic courses has positioned her on a path to achieving her future career goals as an orthodontist. She has received a scholarship to continue her education at Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, TX.