Senior is Christian school's first STAR

It was a double honor for Evans Christian Academy recently when the school participated in its first STAR program, which honors the student with the highest SAT score and his or her STAR teacher.

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"I was happy," said Laura Smolley, the daughter of Andy and Pat Smolley, of Harlem, on learning that she had received the honor at her school. "I was happy, especially because it was the first time the school had a STAR student."

The school had never registered to participate in the STAR program until this year.

A student at Evans Christian Academy since her freshman year, Smolley is a senior in a class of about 25 students. Before attending Evans Christian Academy, Smolley was a student at Waverly Hall Christian Academy in Columbus, Ga.

She is a member of the school's national honor society and chose Kathy Nave as her STAR teacher.

Nave has taught Smolley U.S. history, math and advanced placement government and politics. She also tutored Smolley in geometry as she prepared to take the SAT.

"I had her for U.S. history last year," said Smolley of Nave. "And she just made it so interesting."

Smolley plans to pursue a career in either international studies or communications at Berry College in Mount Berry, Ga.

She will attend Berry on an academic scholarship and said the decision to go to the school was based on a visit she made there last fall.

"I really liked the classes and the campus," she said.

Smolley said she wants to become a journalist and work somewhere like CNN, where she can travel frequently.