Sequoyah High School senior Scott Hickman is Cherokee County's 2011 Student Achievement Teacher Recognition award winner.

The 18-year-old son of Mark and Gina Hickman of BridgeMill was announced as the county's top honoree at the 53rd Annual STAR Student Reception on Tuesday night. The Woodstock and Canton Lions Clubs hosted the event at the Holly Springs Community Center.

Scott will go on to compete with winners from across all Georgia counties to be considered for the state prize.

A member of his school's concert band and track team, Scott came to Sequoyah High two years ago when his family moved from Virginia.

"Every teacher has been excellent. Between the activities and the people, coming to Sequoyah has been a great experience," he said.

Scott scored a 2,320 on the SAT to earn him the rank of STAR Student, which recognizes each school's top scorer on the college-entrance exam. The soon-to-be pre-med student chose his Advanced Placement biology teacher, Maureen Miller as his STAR teacher.

"Scott was an unconventional student. He didn't have a year of biology, which was a prerequisite, but Scott was not an ordinary student," she said. "It's his great quality of character. He can excel without having a competitive nature, and he can lead without monopolizing."

For college, Scott said he is leaning toward Ohio State University, where he will study biology and Spanish in hopes of attending medical school.

James Lester III was chosen as Cherokee Christian High School's first-ever STAR Student.

"I'm here because of the school," said the 18-year-old son of Ted and Judy Lester of Woodstock. "It pushed me to succeed."

James, who has attended the private Christian school in Woodstock for 12 years, chose physics teacher Hal Scripka as his STAR Teacher.

"James is a student who makes teaching easy," said Scripka, adding that James is building an airplane in class.

Emily Ward, 18, daughter of Anice and Michael Ward of Woodstock, took the STAR Student designation for Woodstock High School.

The aspiring educator, who plans on majoring in history and English, said her STAR teacher Rhonda Cowart was exactly the person she wanted to be.

"Emily is one of the smartest people I've met," said Ms. Cowart, an AP history and government teacher. "To think I had a tiny part in enhancing that beautiful mind is amazing."

Etowah High School STAR Student Will Pollard said his STAR Teacher, Mary Shell, helped prepare him for what to expect in college-level classes.

"He's one of the few students who actually got my jokes," Ms. Shell, who teaches AP world history, said of Will, 18, son of Judi and Bob Pollard of Towne Lake. "And I admire him for the choices he's made."

Cross-country athlete Alex Ryan earned the title of STAR Student for Creekview High School.

His STAR Teacher, AP statistics and cross-country coach Tom Armstrong, said Alex is self-motivated and friendly.

"He's always willing to help others," Armstrong said of the 18-year-old son of Tommy and Linda Ryan of southeast Cherokee.

David Barr, 17, son of Jay and Marcy Barr of Canton, started high school in Chicago and ended up at Cherokee High School for his senior year.

"I was a little unsure when I moved here to Cherokee, but it's a fantastic school, and I'm proud to be a part of its history," the STAR student said.

The Georgia Tech-bound senior chose honors literature teacher Justin Jones as his STAR Teacher.

"Dave traveled with a group of mine to tour the British Isles," Jones said. "When you travel with someone, you get a real insight into the person they really are, and Dave is a solid, good man."