Darlington senior Ha Dang was recently recognized as STAR Student for Rome City Schools and Darlington at a special luncheon at the Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce on March 13.
The STAR District Banquet honoring local students, including Dang, will be held at Coosa Country Club on Tuesday, March 17, at 6 p.m.
In February, Dang named science teacher Julia Dodd as her STAR Teacher during an assembly in Darlington's Morris Chapel.
"[Ha] overcame her initial new-student apprehensions and soon became a class leader. Sharing her approaches to the study of chemistry, she made the entire class better," said Dodd. "Ha is our STAR Student, but in other ways she has indeed been our teacher."
Dang came to Darlington as a junior in 2013, and was recognized the following year as a top chemistry student statewide and nationwide in the National Chemistry Olympiad competition.
At Darlington, Dang has participated in rowing, cross country and swimming, and holds membership in the National Art Honor Society, Science Club (as vice president) and Book Club. She also plays guitar in the Darlington Instrumental Music Conservatory.
The senior has won numerous scholastic achievement awards including the A.J. Huffman ('67) Memorial Award, Dartmouth College Book Award, E.L. Wright Scholastic Honor awards for AP Chemistry and AP Calculus, and the Georgia Certificate of Merit, and has been recognized on the Headmaster's List.
Dang also serves as an Advancement Ambassador, Admission Tiger Expert and academic prefect in Thornwood House. She has volunteered for the Boys & Girls Club, Habitat for Humanity, Light the Lake, and the Murphy-Harpst Children's Home.
In her native Vietnam, Dang tutored elementary school students. She is also cofounder of the Giang Võ Lake Refresh, an environmental organization that exists as a part of the WaterWise program and is sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Vietnam. She is the daughter of Huong Ta and Quy Dang of Hanoi.
Each school's STAR Student is a senior who scores highest on the SAT during a single-day attempt and is also in the top 10 percent of their class based on grade point average. The PAGE Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) program is sponsored by the Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE) Foundation, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the Georgia Department of Education.
