NATCHEZ — Sarah Clancy’s time at Adams County Christian School flew by, but the senior managed to accomplish a great deal in just two years at the school — including earning the highest ACT score.

Clancy moved to Natchez from Jackson Hole, Wyo., last year after having been home schooled for the majority of her life.

The Arkansas native said she found Natchez and ACCS to be a welcoming environment full of opportunity for her to succeed academically and athletically.

The skills she learned while being home schooled coupled with her classes at ACCS helped push Clancy to earn a 30 on her ACT last year.

The score on the college preparatory test led Clancy to be named the STAR student at ACCS.

The Student Teacher Achievement Recognition program honors one student per high school based on ACT score and academic achievement in the classroom. Clancy joins more than 280 students from around the state who have earned the title this year.

The Mississippi Economic Council sponsors the award.“I knew the STAR student was an award of academic prestige and that it had to do with ACT scores, so I knew it would be a great honor to get that,” Clancy said. “I was very happy and honored when I found out I was selected.”

Clancy said standardized tests have always come easy to her and that the ACT didn’t require any additional preparation than how she normally prepares for a test.

“I just put my best effort forward at the start of the test and try to get through each question in a timely manner,” Clancy said. “If you don’t get it the first time around, just make you’re best guess because it’s too time consuming to sit there for a long time on one question.”

On the test, reading proved to be the easiest portion for Clancy while the senior floats between English and history as her favorite subject in school.

In her first year at ACCS, Clancy took classes with Gill Morris, who teaches U.S. history, American government and antebellum Natchez history.

Clancy said Morris’ teaching style and commitment to the material was something that stuck with her even after her junior year.

As STAR student, Clancy chose one teacher who had the greatest impact on her educational career as STAR teacher.

Clancy chose Morris, who has been teaching at ACCS for 13 years and has been named STAR teacher three times before.

Morris said he was pleasantly surprised to be nominated as Clancy’s STAR teacher.

“I don’t teach Sarah this year, so I didn’t know what to think when she told me because I know Sarah has some other excellent teachers this year,” Morris said. “But I was honored to be selected.”

Morris said Clancy is a student who is always interested in learning more and brought much to the table during class group discussions.

“Sarah is definitely an exceptional student who I know will do very well in the future,” Morris said. “She’s just a model student.”

Clancy was accepted to the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College at the University of Mississippi and will study biology and English in the fall.

She is secretary of the Key Club, vice president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, president of her senior class, a member of the National Honor Society and Beta Club and is a member of the school’s track, cross country and soccer teams.

She is the daughter of Andria and Buddy Clancy.