Newton County School System has received notification that Eastside High School senior Mary Lathem has been honored as a 2013 Georgia Scholar by the Georgia Department of Education. She plans on attending Mercer University with a double major in English and Music. 

In addition to her seven advanced placement classes, Lathem kept very busy during her four years at Eastside participating in such clubs and organizations as Newton County 4-H, Show Choir, Literary Team, Creative Writing Club, and the National Honor Society. 

The Georgia Scholar Program is an effort by the Georgia Department of Education to identify and recognize high school seniors who have achieved excellence in school and community life. The program is coordinated by the Office of School Improvement of the Georgia Department of Education through local coordinators in each public school system and private schools in the state. 

To be selected as a Georgia Scholar, a student must be a graduating high school senior who exhibits excellence in all phases of school life, in community activities, and in the home.  The student must present evidence of having carried an exemplary course load in the four years of high school; performed excellently in all courses; successfully participated in interscholastic events of the school or community; and assumed an active role in extracurricular activities sponsored by the school. 

The criteria are extremely strict, such that only 115 seniors in the entire state have qualified for this honor. Each Georgia Scholar receives a seal for his or her diploma. 

“We are extremely proud, but not surprised, that Mary has been named a Georgia Scholar,” said Jeff Cher, principal of Eastside High School. “She has utilized her unique combination of talent, intelligence, and desire to make a positive impact upon her peers and to create many opportunities for her future.”