At the Kiwanis Club of Covington’s Thursday luncheon meeting, members congratulated the 2009 STAR (Student Teacher Achievement Recognition) program honorees. The program, sponsored the Professional Association of Georgia Educators, recognizes high school seniors with the highest one-sitting SAT score, who are also in the top 10 of their class. Students then select their STAR teacher. Newton County’s STAR teachers and students are Anita Anderson (AP Macroeconomics and world history), left, and Michelle Rary from Alcovy High, Leaha Wynn and Eric Adams (Latin/Greek)  from Eastside High and Sarah Lanners (also the system STAR student) and Janie Sheldon (Language Arts). All Newton students will receive scholarships from Kiwanis Club of Covington. System STAR students compete for region honors within one of the 12 STAR regions. Region winners and their STAR teachers compete in Atlanta for state scholarships and awards. State STAR winners are selected by judges in the education and business community. Judges conduct and interview and consider scholarship, leadership, initiative, academic ability, extracurricular activities, personal philosophy and objectives, citizenship, opinions and attitudes. The state STAR student and teacher are announced in April at a banquet in Atlanta.