By Caleb Youngblood, Public Relations Coordinator
April 10, 2026
Students from the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science were recognized at the Mississippi Business Alliance Foundation’s 61st Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) Student and Teacher Celebration, held at the Clyde Muse Center in Pearl.
Leading the group was Jasmaan Banipal (Class of 2026, Madison, MS), who was named Mississippi’s TOP ALL-STAR Scholar for 2026. Banipal earned a perfect 36 composite score on the ACT and received a $24,000 scholarship. He plans to pursue a career in bioinformatics.
As part of the STAR program, Banipal selected Lauren Zarandona as his STAR Teacher, recognizing her significant impact on his academic success.
MSMS also had nine additional students named STAR Scholars:
Liliane Burgoyne
Jacob Heisler
Grant Zhang
Andrew Meng
Sam Cole
Colin Chung
Mirae Nishikawa
Jesse Shelton
Ashton Spence
Among them, Liliane Burgoyne, Mirae Nishikawa, and Grant Zhang were further recognized as ALL-STAR Scholars, placing them among the top students in the state.
In addition, Shae Koenigsberger was inducted into the STAR Teacher Hall of Fame, an honor awarded to educators who have been selected by students as STAR Teachers for at least 10 years. MSMS is also proud to note that Lauren Zarandona was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2025.
The STAR program recognizes outstanding students across Mississippi based on academic achievement, ACT scores, and leadership, while also honoring the teachers who have made a lasting impact on their success.
MSMS congratulates all students and faculty recognized for their exceptional achievements.
To learn more, please visit Mississippi Business Alliance
