Two Georgia Seniors Tie for Top SAT Score at Their School

When two students at the same high school earn the exact same top SAT score, it's not just impressive. It's a sign that something special is happening in that community.

Landon Christopher Powell and Logan Tucker Shirley, both seniors at Stephens County High School in Georgia, have been named 2026 PAGE STAR Students after achieving this remarkable feat. The honor recognizes students who earn their school's highest SAT score while ranking in the top 10 percent of their class.

Having two students share the distinction is incredibly rare. The achievement reflects not just their individual brilliance but the quality of education in Stephens County.

Powell chose his 11th grade AP Calculus teacher, Lynne Fisher, as his STAR Teacher. He remembers showing up 30 minutes late to her class on test day, convinced he'd never finish in time. Fisher refused to let him give up, pushing him to complete the exam. He finished with an A.

"She pushed me above and beyond what I did not even think was possible for me to achieve," Powell said. He's now headed to Georgia Tech to study biomedical engineering, with dreams of working at the Georgia Tech Research Institute.

Shirley selected Kasey Ivey, his 8th grade gifted science teacher, who had known him since he was a toddler in Sunday School. Years after leaving her classroom, Shirley discovered Ivey had posted a video on Facebook celebrating a creative roller coaster project his group had built. The moment taught him that hard work leaves lasting impressions.

"From that point forward I have set out with the goal in mind to work relentlessly in everything I do," Shirley shared. He's weighing offers from UGA, Clemson, Vanderbilt, and Kennesaw State to pursue engineering.

The Ripple Effect

The STAR Program has recognized nearly 30,500 Georgia students over 68 years, but it honors teachers just as much as students. Powell and Shirley could have picked anyone who influenced their academic journey. They chose educators who believed in them when it mattered most.

Fisher showed Powell that his goals weren't ambitious enough. Ivey taught Shirley that creativity and dedication create impacts that last for years. Those lessons will serve both young men far beyond any test score.

The Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce, which sponsors the local program, is celebrating both students and both teachers as proof that their school system is doing something right.

Two identical perfect scores don't happen by accident—they happen when a whole community invests in excellence.