Smile Report: Rome High’s Sonora Martinez named Star Student

Media release: Rome High senior Sonora Martinez has been named the STAR student for 2015. As STAR student, Martinez earned the highest single-test score on the SAT. She is also in the top ten percent of her graduating class.

“I knew I had a good test score, but it was a surprise when I was called into Dr. (Tygar) Evans’s (RHS Principal) office for the official announcement,” said Martinez. “From there I had a week to decide who my STAR teacher would be. Everything was a secret. I couldn’t let anyone know anything, especially about who the teacher would be.”

As the STAR student, she is allowed to declare a STAR teacher who “made the most significant contribution” to her academic success, according to the guidelines posted on www.pagefoundation.org. Martinez chose Advanced Placement US History teacher Jamie Wisner.

“Mr. Wisner is the one teacher who prepared me the most for the AP exam. He did such a good job in class that I didn’t even really need to study at home. He also helped me see that social studies can be applied to everyday life.”

Martinez, 18, is the daughter of Ashley Summers and Zeke Martinez of Rome and carries a 4.0 grade point average. She is a member of the Heath Occupational Services of America, the Audio-Video Technology and Film program, National Honor Society, National Spanish Honor Society, the Math team, the B.E.A.R (Bettering the Environment Around Rome) Club and serves as a student council officer.

Outside of school, Martinez coaches soccer at the YMCA, works with the Angel Tree program at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, and volunteers with the “Grands that Care” program for Mercy Senior Care. She hopes to attend Emory University and major in neuroscience.