Named 2025 Star Student and Teacher
For the last 60 years, the Mississippi Economic Council has been recognizing STAR Students and STAR Teachers across the state for their academic achievements. The Student-Teacher Achievement Recognition Program, which is not affiliated with the Accelerated Star Program that Cleveland School District had in the past, recognizes one student from each school in the state with the highest ACT scores and scholastic averages.
This year, Rachel Tibbs was recognized as the STAR Student and she chose her math teacher, Jonathan Marsden, as her STAR Teacher.
Rachel Tibbs, the daughter of Dr. Bob Tibbs and Shelley Scarborough Tibbs, was born and raised in Cleveland and most recently served as the valedictorian of her class.
While attending Cleveland Central, Tibbs was a member of Mu Alpha Theta, which is the competitive math team, as well as the National Honor Society and the Beta Club, where she served on the leadership committee.
According to Tibbs, her cousin, Katie Waldbieser, was also in the running for the STAR Student spot because they both had a 35 (super score) on the ACT. Both Tibbs and Waldbieser were called to the office before Christmas so they could calculate their overall scholastic averages and determine who won.
“Katie and I were tied,” said Tibbs. “The only reason I got it is because I was half a point higher than her in my GPA. I was really thankful for that. I was so excited to get valedictorian too, because I’ve wanted this since ninth grade.”
Although no one outwardly pressured Tibbs to do so well academically, her older cousins have also been named valedictorian or STAR Students in the past. Their successes motivated her to excel in her academics throughout high school, so she could one day “add another smart Tibbs to the mix.”
“I just wanted to do it for myself,” said Tibbs. “When I realized I got it, I was so excited.”
In addition to her excitement, Tibbs began to wonder how she will replicate this level of academic involvement once she gets to college. Although it’s not a competition, Tibbs feels strongly about being the best at everything she sets her mind to.
“I’m very much a perfectionist,” said Tibbs. “Now it’s like I have even more pressure to still be this good in college. It’s very fulfilling, but I feel like it’s going to make me want to do more in the future.”
Tibbs’s advice to other students who wish to succeed academically is to start early, make a plan, set goals, do your work with intention, and take advantage of extra credit opportunities.
Tibbs is passionate about problem solving, teaching, and helping others. This fall, she plans to attend The University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) and will be majoring in business with a pre-dental concentration. She has received a few scholarships including one for being the STAR Student as well as an academic scholarship.
Tibbs had previously considered becoming a math teacher, or following in her father’s footsteps and becoming a doctor.
“My dad’s my biggest role model, because he’s such a genius,” said Tibbs. “But you would never even know it. He’s so humble about it.”
After shadowing her father, who is a local pediatrician, Tibbs decided she wanted to work in the medical field, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to have the same long hours or emergency calls that would come along with being a full-time doctor.
One day while watching The Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, Tibbs saw a Pediatric Orthodontist at work and she became interested in dentistry. After more research, she decided the field would be a good fit for her. She also plans on rushing a sorority and joining the Catholic Student Organization once she starts school.
Currently Tibbs works at La Michoacana, the local Mexican ice cream shop.
“I love working,” said Tibbs. “I love my job so much. I’ve worked there for two years, and it’s so much fun.”
When she’s not focused on school or working, Tibbs can be found hanging out with friends and family or traveling.
According to Marsden, Tibbs set the goal of becoming the STAR Student early in her academic career and told him years ago he would be her STAR Teacher, if and when she won.
“She was confident about it and she did it, so that’s even more impressive,” said Marsden. “I’m extremely grateful and thankful to her for doing that. It was much more her than me. I just was able to notice a young student who was eager for help and I had the resources to help.”
After learning she was named the STAR Student, Tibbs went straight to Marsden and dropped off the paperwork he needed to fill out for being chosen as the STAR Teacher.
“It was kind of underwhelming how I actually told him,” Tibbs laughed. “I just went in there, and I handed him his STAR Teacher form.”
Marsden met Tibbs toward the end of her freshman year, when she was asked to join Mu Alpha Theta because of her above average math scores. He and Toney Kinney, another math teacher in the high school, co-sponsor/coach the math team together each year. Marsden has also been Tibbs’s math teacher for the last three years.
In addition to having a family of extremely intelligent individuals who have helped her along the way, Marsden said Tibbs has worked extremely hard the last four years to get to this point.
“She was very into math and learning, doing well, and succeeding academically,” said Marsden. “We started to work on ACT math during her 10th grade year. She was eager and she started really taking those practice tests, working through them, and ultimately her score kept increasing.”
Marsden has been living and teaching in Cleveland for the last 11 years. Originally from State College, Pennsylvania, Marsden attended Drexel University where he attained his bachelor’s degree in Information Systems and Technology along with a minor in business.
Straight out of college, Marsden went to work as an IT consultant and later worked in the pharmaceutical industry, before deciding he needed a change.
“It got a little monotonous for me, and I didn’t enjoy the corporate America lifestyle anymore,” said Marsden. “I was looking for a change. So I looked into Teach For America, applied, received admission, and then I was placed here.”
Marsden’s grandfather was an educator and served as a superintendent, so he always found the job appealing.
“The opportunity with Teach for America at the time was really ideal for me because it allowed me to relocate,” said Marsden. “The way Teach for America works is if you agree to a two-year commitment, they’ll sponsor your teaching license and at the end of those two years, you’ll get your teaching certification. It’s called an alternate route.”
After being stationed in Cleveland for his two years, Marsden decided to stay.
“I came down in April of 2014 and at that point there was still East Side and Cleveland High School,” Marsden. “I taught for three years at East Side before the consolidation happened. I’ve been at Cleveland Central High School since.
One of the biggest reasons he decided to stay was the support he was given by the administrators.
“I had really good support, good mentor teachers, and administration,” said Marsden. “I enjoyed it enough to stay around. I’ve been fortunate to have very good support from my administrators from day one. I realized I had a lot of other friends who are at different schools in different districts, and in their experience they did not have that same type of support.”
Although he is certified to teach both English and Math, Marsden prefers teaching upper level math classes, such as: Algebra Two, Pre-Calculus, Calculus, AP Calculus, and Trigonometry.
“Coming down originally I didn’t plan on staying,” Marsden. “Now I knew I was going to complete the two years and maybe a little more, but it’s grown on me and it’s really turned into a home for me for now.”
Because Marsden has obtained many previous versions of the ACT online, he integrates the questions, calculator work, and ACT study into his lessons to better help the students learn. He believes with repetition the students can excel at the math section and grow their scores.
“So what I do is I have a stack on hand in my classroom at all times of different past versions of the ACT math with the answer keys, and I have a process I tell them on how to train where we’re essentially trying to simulate the real setting,” said Marsden. “I have a timing strategy and I have a lot of tricks, shortcuts, tips, and helpful things that I go through in my tutoring sessions.”
When the ACT is coming up, Marsden will make himself available after school for review sessions. He said he enjoys helping the students and challenging himself on some of the harder questions.
This is the second time he has been named STAR Teacher in the last three years.
“I’m flattered that I was chosen for both of these,” said Marsden. “It encourages me to not lose sight of what I’m doing. It reminds me how it’s helping, even if it is just two kids. It’s helping and it’s been recognized.”
Marsden believes he has been named the STAR Teacher more than once because he makes such meaningful relationships with his students. He not only has the ability to do the upper-level math, but he also knows how to relate that math back to the students in a way they understand.
In addition to his work with Mu Alpha Theta, Marsden acts as the head soccer and eSports coach. He is also the Director of Referees for the Cleveland Youth Soccer Association (CYSA). When he’s not working, you might find him spending time with his dog, Winston (who is the current unofficial Wolves mascot), taking care of his chickens, or riding his bike through town.
This past year, Marsden said Tibbs served as the president of Mu Alpha Theta and a representative, or delegate, for their district at the state convention.
“She went down a few times to Jackson this year to help plan for the convention,” said Marsden.
Marsden is excited about Tibbs’s future and hopes she can “get the ultimate college experience” and continue to grow through this next step in her journey.
“I certainly hope that she can continue her success in college,” said Marsden. “I know she’ll do fine, but I hope she does it with purpose and gets something out of it.”
“Rachel is a model of academic excellence and character,” added Lisa Bramuchi, the superintendent of Cleveland School District. “Rachel consistently demonstrates dedication, leadership, and integrity. Her achievements reflect the high standards of CCHS, and we are confident she will continue to excel and make our school proud.”
