VALDOSTA, GA – Lowndes High School proudly announces Aarin Dave as the 2026 STAR Student, with Dave selecting Gina Tindall as STAR Teacher.
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VALDOSTA – Lowndes High School announces Aarin Dave as the 2026 STAR Student, an honor recognizing the school’s highest-achieving senior based on SAT performance and academic excellence.
The Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) program, sponsored by the Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE), honors Georgia’s top high school seniors and the teachers who have been most instrumental in their academic development. To earn STAR nomination, graduating seniors must have the highest score on a single SAT test date and rank in the top 10 percent or top 10 students of their class.
Aarin earned an outstanding score of 1510 — just 90 points shy of a perfect 1600.
“I was honestly just trying to do my best,” Aarin said. “When you take the SAT, you’re focused on getting a good score for colleges. STAR Student wasn’t something I was necessarily aiming for, so when I found out right before Christmas break, I was really excited. It was just one of those moments where you think, ‘Wow, that’s so cool.’”
Aarin began taking the SAT as a freshman and sat for the exam approximately eight times over the course of high school. His approach was methodical and disciplined.
“I prepared using the materials available to me, taking practice tests and reviewing what I got wrong so I wouldn’t repeat those mistakes,” he explained. “When the test switched from paper to digital, it was a whole different ball game. There weren’t as many resources at first, so I had to learn to be resourceful, especially with tools like the Desmos calculator on the math section.”
As STAR Student, Aarin selected Gina Tindall, Business and Computer Science Instructor and FBLA Advisor, as his STAR Teacher.
“Mrs. Tindall has been a huge part of my journey throughout high school,” Aarin said. “I met her my first semester of ninth grade in Introduction to Software Technology, and that class really opened my eyes to what was possible. She introduced me to AP Computer Science, and that created a snowball effect. I realized I could challenge myself more, and I started taking additional AP classes because of that.”
Although he only had Mrs. Tindall in the classroom for one course, their partnership continued through the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter, where Aarin now serves as president. Together, they have collaborated on multiple mobile app development projects and competitions.
One standout project was Redove, a virtual reality application created for the Congressional App Challenge. The app explored ways to support patients experiencing isolation and depression during medical recovery. Aarin and Mrs. Tindall even consulted with a Harvard-affiliated medical professional to better understand patient needs.
“The research process for Redove was eye-opening,” Aarin said. “We looked at how immersive environments could impact mood and reduce depressive risk. It really sparked my interest in blending technology with medicine.”
Mrs. Tindall has seen that passion firsthand.
“As a student, Aarin is incredibly structured and focused,” she said. “He approaches every task step-by-step, but what truly sets him apart is how he sees others. In my classes, he was always willing to help peers debug their code or explain a concept. He has this natural inclination to serve.”
She describes him as a blend of investigator, enterprising thinker, and servant leader.
“He’s always looking for ways to improve the community, especially in the medical field. He builds apps that solve real problems. He doesn’t just complete assignments; he looks for purpose behind them,” she said. “Having a student like Aarin choose me as his STAR Teacher was incredibly humbling. I was not expecting it, and I definitely teared up. It’s an honor I will always cherish.”
While still deciding which college he will choose, Aarin has already chosen a major. He plans to major in computer science before attending medical school with the goal of becoming a neurosurgeon.
“My plan is to go to the best schools I can, become really skilled in my craft, and then come back to South Georgia and give back to the community that gave so much to me,” Aarin said. “I’m grateful to all of the teachers and faculty at Lowndes High School who supported me along the way.”
Lowndes High School congratulates Aarin Dave and Gina Tindall on this outstanding achievement.
