Here’s Why Gaelabelle Was Shouted Out As A Decatur Star Student

DECATUR, GA — Star Students are found in classrooms, on concert and theater stages and at debate lecterns, and out in the community doing good things to make life better for all of us.

Here at Patch, we've launched an initiative to help recognize Star Students, and we’re working to tell the stories of these outstanding kids to their neighbors.

This submission comes from Judith K Ngoh, who nominated Gaelabelle of Decatur.

Star local student’s name

Gaelabelle

Star local student’s home state

Georgia

How do you know the star local student?

Family

Why do you believe the star local student should be recognized?

Gaelabelle is 10-years-old (and) struggled academically in her kindergarten and first and second grades due to an early language barrier between the different types of English and adjusting to a new environment. After immigrating from her country of origin, it caused her to stop schooling at a very tender age. (...) At second grade, she started understanding the American English, the accent and showed quite some improvements. Her results change from satisfactory and needs improvement to all satisfactory. It was a great relief. (...) After the pandemic, when school resumed and students were able to go back to classroom study, Gaelabelle's performance skyrocketed to an honor roll student. (...) Now a fourth grader, she has improved so much. Though still a work in progress, she reads more fluently compared to the previous academic years and has even gone as far as to winning the class spelling bee.

As of present, Gaelabelle barely has to study before taking an exam. She treats or talks about or reacts to an upcoming exam or school assessments like it's a very ordinary day sitting in class taking lessons. On the Jan. 31, she will be amongst the students that will be awarded for their academy performance.

What's one thing you want everyone to know about the star local student?

She will not accept assistance with her homework. She likes to figure it out on her own.
She listened to advice from family to read books and read subtitles in movies and has been able to significantly improve on her reading and spelling, leading her to winning her classroom spelling bee and will be amongst those to represent her class.

Congratulations on your achievements, and all of our best wishes to you in the future, Gaelabelle!

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