Lee named STAR student at DEA

David Emanuel Academy senior Peyton Lee has been named STAR Student and has selected Donna Campbell as his STAR Teacher.

During his time at DEA, Peyton has received numerous accolades. He was named Class Vice President in 21-22 and has been Class President from 22-25. He had the Highest Academic Average in 10th and 11th Grade, was on Honor Roll in 9th and 11th Grade, Headmaster’s List in 10th and 12th Grade, and received the President’s Award for Educational Excellence in 10th and 11th Grade.

Peyton played on the Varsity Football, Varsity Basketball and Varsity Tennis team for all 4 years of high school. He was named most improved in basketball and most outstanding player in tennis in 9th Grade. He was named most improved player in football and most out-standing player in tennis in 10th Grade, he also was 3rd in State Individual Doubles and won the GIAA Region 6AA Doubles Championship both his 10th and 11th Grade years.

In his senior football season, Peyton was named team captain and won Defensive Player of the game 3 times, Most Valuable Player of the game twice, and Player of the game once.

Peyton is also an active participant in 4-H, being a member of the Modified Trap, Skeet, Trap, and Sporting Clays teams. He won Top Shooter in Emanuel County for Modified Trap Teams in his 9th, 10th and 11th Grade years.

After graduation, Peyton plans to attend either Georgia Southern University or Georgia Tech to major in Civil Engineering.

“My goal is to combine my passion for problem-solving and my desire to contribute to build-ing better communities,” said Peyton when asked about his future plans. “I also hope to continue volunteering and giving back, just as I’ve learned to do here at DEA.”

Peyton selected Donna Campbell as her STAR Teacher for multiple reasons.

“When it came time to select my STAR Teacher, the decision was easy,” said Peyton. “I chose Mrs. Donna Campbell, my math teacher for the past five years, as she has taught me much more than just math.”

“Her willingness to help me before school, her ability to challenge me academically, and her constant encouragement have sparked a genuine love for math in me. Her dedication, pa-tience, and ability to make even the most challenging material engaging have been truly in-spiring.”

“She pushes her students to excel while providing unwavering support. She has shown me the value of perseverance and the importance of pushing myself to reach my full potential. I am deeply grateful for her guidance and the impact she has had on my academic journey.”

A math teacher at DEA for six years, Campbell has been in education since 1986, teaching in Tattnall County one year and Emanuel County for 29 years. She also taught part-time at East Georgia State College for 10 years. She teaches 8th-grade pre-algebra, Honors Algebra I, Honors Geometry, geometry and pre-calculus. This is her third year being selected as STAR Teacher.

She has lived in Georgia for the past 50 years. She and her husband have two married sons and four grandchildren. She attends Hebron Primitive Baptist Church and is a member and past president of the Beta Beta Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Honor Society for Women Educators and a member of the Georgia Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family, quilting, cross stitching, baking, reading, crocheting and traveling.

“My love for helping others has been my driving force to teach,” she said. “I love to see when students grasp the mathematical concepts that he/she has been studying to learn. That slow but brightening smile when he/she realizes he/she knows and can apply the concept.”

“My time at DEA has been blessed with several fabulous students. They are proving those smiles were worth the time that he/she spent studying by finishing college and entering the work force of his/her choosing. I am so proud of my students’ accomplishments!”

“I want to thank Mrs. Haylee Free and the board of education at DEA for allowing me to spend the last 6 years at DEA. Their support of my career has been phenomenal.”

Campbell said her favorite part of teaching is, “Watching my students understand the con-cepts that I have taught them and then returning to tell me where they finally used some concept in their life because, as students, they could not understand why they needed to learn so many ‘things’ — all those bright-eyed smiling faces when the concept finally clicked!”

Of her selection as STAR Teacher, Campbell said it is “the most honoring award a teacher can receive! It means the student who has been in my classroom day after day feels that I made a large enough impact on his/her life that I deserve recognition.” When asked if she had any advice to give to the graduating class of 2025 and upcoming seniors, Campbell said “One, allow your light to shine: whether in your service to the Lord or career make sure your light shines. Two, be true to yourself: don’t allow others to force you into a situation that is not one you want to be associated with. And three, choose wisely: Eagles fly so no toads (or toadettes). “