OKEMOS - 200 student athletes from the 20 schools that make up the Capital Area Activities Conference were honored in the 2016 CAAC Senior Scholar Athlete Awards Ceremony Wednesday night at Okemos High School.

WILX's Tim Staudt presided as the master of ceremonies with Michigan State Volleyball coach Cathy George serving the crowd as the keynote speaker.

"I think it says a tremendous amount of the positive things about high school education in this area, both public and private," Staudt said after the ceremony. "I just love being around these kids every single year."

Staudt and George have done this event before, but for them, it never gets old.

"These are so many talented young people that are going on to the next phase of their life," George said following her keynote speech. "That's what I love about coaching athletics. I love seeing people grow and that's what these young people are going to do."

Sparrow Hospital sponsored the event that drew the best and brightest from the Lansing area schools.