Erick Juarez of Bainbridge High School and Elisabeth Soden of Grace Christian Academy were recognized as STAR students at the Chamber of Commerce monthly breakfast Thursday.

The STAR students are the top academic senior with the highest score in one sitting on the new three-part SAT and be in the top 10 percent or top 10 students of his or her graduation class.

Each student then selects a teacher he or she feels has been most instrumental in their academic development.

Juarez, a senior at BHS, was also named the system-wide winner. He chose his middle school English teacher, Delrose Betts, who called Juarez a teacher’s dream.

A member of the BHS Marching Band, Junior ROTC and cross country team, Juarez said he plans to attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in June with the goal of becoming an Army doctor.

He is the son of Loreto and Maricela Juarez.

Soden, senior at Grace Christian Academy, chose her literature and math teacher, Kathy Bennett.

The daughter of Randy and Elisa Soden, the STAR student is the captain of the Lady Cougars basketball team and editor of the school yearbook. She plans to attend the University of Georgia where she will pursue a degree in fabric design.

Chamber program

The breakfast was sponsored by Flint River Media, First Port City Bank, State Farm Insurance by Billy Inlow and Dairy Queen. After a representative from each business spoke briefly, the program was turned over to Ami Mejia, the executive director of the Family Connection.

Mejia, who had submitted her resignation to the Family Connection’s board earlier in the week, outlined several programs the organization does. Among them are a hunger prevention, especially among school-aged children, and curtailing teen pregnancy.