For the second consecutive year, the Bastrop Education Foundation has recognized the “Rising Stars’” of Bastrop High School—students selected by their high school teachers as exemplary, in terms  of academics as well as participation in extracurricular activities and community service.

On May 22, these 23 students were honored with a banquet at the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa—and they in turn paid tribute to the teachers who they felt had made a significant difference in the students’ lives.

In addressing the students and teachers, Foundation president Sara Clayton stated,

“This event is certainly about outstanding students and teachers, but it also celebrates the connection students and their teachers make. Everyone of us, I suspect, has a teacher whose guiding hand did much to make us who we are today. This connection has a profound impact on student achievement and lies at the heart of teaching excellence.”

The 2008 “Rising Stars” and the teachers they saluted are:

Sophomore Wyatt Aguirre and Bluebonnet Elementary teacher Heather Wheeler

Junior Leisha Barnes and retired BHS World History teacher Jean Levering

Senior Maxwell Brown and BHS Spanish teacher and tennis coach Rick Longoria

Senior Sarah Buchholz and BHS Art teacher Missy Schuelke

Senior Ben Crysup and BHS Biological Sciences teacher Donald Wardell

Junior Allison Evan and BHS French teacher and tennis coach Anne Pastor

Senior Ethan Fholer and BHS English teacher and football coach Joe Timms

Junior Logan Herzog and BHS English and Journalism teacher Rebecca Bennett

Sophomore Mariya Kolyesnikov and BHS English teacher John McMillan

Senior Dustin Matocha and BHS Math teacher Patsy Trigg

Senior Lenora Maus and BHS Biological Sciences teacher Donald Wardell

Sophomore Jennifer Miller and BHS Dance teacher Jacque Smith

Junior Peter Otoupal and BHS English and Journalism teacher Rebecca Bennett

Senior Praveena Paladugu and BHS Biological Sciences teacher Donald Wardell

Senior Christian Penland and BHS Biology and Chemistry teacher Kathryn Smith

Sophomore Andrew Peterson and BHS Math teacher Cynthia Thomas

Junior Danielle Peterson and BHS English teacher Barbara Wolanski

Freshman Hillari Raemsch and Mina Elementary teacher Lori Berdoll

Senior Christa Reid and BHS German teacher Angela Crouse

Senior Nicole Ritchie and BHS Math teacher Philip Scott

Junior Robert Solis and BHS World History teacher Robert Faires

Junior Josh Weir and BHS English teacher Deborah Wallace

Junior Christiana Wright and BHS Math teacher Patsy Trigg