Two students whose interests define STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — were honored Tuesday as systemwide winners of the Student Teacher Achievement Recognition.

Corey Matyas has a “huge, huge interest” in gaming, robotics and avionics. He’s already turned his computer skills into a summer job, and he plans to major in electrical engineering at Louisiana State University.

Andrew Hathcock had to think for a few seconds — “that’s hard” — about what subject he likes best in school. “Probably math,” he said, but added he really liked all of his classes. Hathcock plans to attend Georgia Tech and major in materials science and engineering.

Matyas, Gainesville system winner and a student at Lakeview Academy, selected Hyuk Kim as his STAR teacher. Hathcock, Hall County system winner and a student at Chestatee High School, chose Gary Martin of the Da Vinci Academy.

Students are nominated for STAR based on their SAT score, and they must be in the top 10 percent of their class.

Both systemwide winners and schoolwide winners from other local schools were honored at a luncheon Tuesday, sponsored by the Gainesville Kiwanis Club. Students competing in the Gainesville system included one each from the public high school and private schools Lakeview and Riverside Military Academy. The Hall County system included one student each from the six public high schools and North Georgia Christian School.

The systemwide winners move on to District 2 competition. District 2 includes Hall, Dawson, Pickens, Gilmer, Fannin, Union, Towns, Rabun, Lumpkin, Habersham, Stephens and White counties.

The winner of that will be announced March 15 at a banquet at the University of North Georgia in Dahlonega.

The award program is put on annually by the Professional Association of Georgia Educators Foundation.

Explore the map below to see winners for each local school.