The Dawsonville Lions Club recognized the 2012 STAR Student and STAR Teacher at the civic groups February meeting.

Local sponsor, the Dawsonville Lions Club, and its president, Marty Horne, presented recognition certificates to STAR Student, Grant Mitchell Shope and his selected STAR Teacher, Michael Williams.

STAR Student Grant Shope is the son of Stanley and Greta Shope of Dawsonville. Shope has always maintained an A average and remains one of the top three in his class. He plays varsity basketball and tennis for Dawson County High School. He is an active member of the academic bowl team, Chamber Choir, United Community Banks Junior Bank Board, FBLA and Y Club.

Shope is also involved in his church, and is a Georgia Merit Scholar, Governors Honors Program participant, and Homecoming King.

Shopes future plans include applying to University of Georgia and North Georgia College State University to major in

psychology or social studies education and pursue employment in one of the fields. He also intends to enter the political arena at some point. STAR Teacher, Michael Williams has been educating students for more 15 years. A graduate of Salisbury University, Williams started his career at Riverside Military Academy in Gainesville, Ga., where he taught for seven years. Williams has taught English at Dawson County High School for eight years. This was Williams first STAR Teacher designation. Shope will compete for regional STAR honors on March 29 in Jasper. The Lions Club will award Shope a $50 U.S. Savings Bond and will pay his expenses in the regional STAR competition.