East Coweta High School STAR Student Emma Helfers on Feb. 17 was named as Coweta County’s 2017 STAR Student.
Helfers appeared with her chosen STAR Teacher Chris Sewell at the Newnan Rotary Club’s annual STAR program, held at the Newnan Country Club. STAR Students from East Coweta High School, the Heritage School, Newnan High School, Northgate High School, and Trinity Christian School were all honored at the event, along with their chosen STAR Teachers, parents and school representatives, said school system spokesman Dean Jackson.
Jackson said the Newnan Rotary Club serves as the local sponsor for the statewide STAR program, which recognizes top-achieving high school students each year. The students’ STAR Teachers introduced their students at the Friday program, and were joined by their parents, principals or school heads and other school representatives.
This year’s STAR Students and Teachers from Coweta County’s five participating schools were:
• East Coweta High School STAR Student Emma Marie Helfers and STAR Teacher Chris Sewell (AP Biology teacher, East Coweta High School).
• The Heritage School STAR Student Harper Thomas Minor and STAR Teacher Brooke Martin (AP English Language teacher, the Heritage School).
• Newnan High School STAR Student Stephanie Elizabeth Cannon and STAR Teacher Dr. Clay Hildebrand (Math teacher, Smokey Road Middle School).
• Northgate High School STAR Student Bo Patrick Heatherman and STAR Teacher Elizabeth Lotter (Spanish teacher, Northgate High).
• Trinity Christian School STAR Student Joshua Hess and STAR Teacher Jennifer Rinkenberger (AP Calculus teacher, Trinity Christian School).
STAR Teacher Chris Sewell described Helfers as an engaged and sincere student who is a member of the National Honors Society and Beta Club and other honors reflecting her academic excellence.
“She challenges everyone around her to be their best,” Sewell said. Helfers, in turn, said that her STAR teacher had inspired her to pursue an education and career in medicine after graduation, and that she is considering pediatrics or endocrinology.
Jackson said Helfers will serve as Coweta’s representative for region 3B STAR Student honors in Griffin on March 12.
The Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) Program recognizes top academic students in Georgia high schools each year at the school, county, regional and state levels. To be named STAR, senior class students must have the highest score in their school in one sitting on the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) taken through the November test date of their senior year. They must also be in the top 10 percent or top 10 students of their class based on grade point average.
STAR students are asked to honor the educator who most influenced their academic achievement by naming them as their STAR Teacher. All five STAR teachers introduced the Rotary members to their students at Friday’s program, citing their scholarship, high character, and their extracurricular and civic accomplishments.
