VSU Welcomes 676 High School Students for Governor’s Honors Program

VALDOSTA — Sponsored by the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, the 2015 Governor’s Honors Program kicked off Sunday, June 21, with 676 rising juniors and seniors from public and private high schools across the state moving onto the Valdosta State University campus. The summer residential enrichment program will run through July 18.

“For over 30 years, Valdosta State has been proud to host the Governor's Honors Program,” said Dr. William J. McKinney, president of VSU. “The presence of these gifted young scholars and their teachers brings an energy and intellectual vitality to our campus.  I am delighted that they will call VSU their home for the next month.”

“The Governor’s Office of Student Achievement is proud of this partnership with Valdosta State University and is excited to continue the tradition of providing such an excellent, historic program to our Georgia students this summer,” said Ricky Palmer, Governor’s Honors Program director. 

Georgia’s best and brightest will spend four weeks living and learning at VSU, acquiring the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to become independent, life-long learners from some of the state’s most talented educators and professionals. They will attend classes in the mornings and afternoons and participate in a wide variety of social and instructional opportunities in the evenings, all designed to help mold them into the next generation of global critical thinkers, innovators, and leaders.

The Governor’s Office of Student Achievement received thousands of applicants for the 2015 Governor’s Honors Program. Each student began the process with a nomination from his or her teacher in a specific instructional area in which their abilities, aptitudes and interests lie — agricultural science, communicative arts, languages, mathematics, science, social studies, dance, music, theater, visual arts, engineering and design, and technology. Transcripts and records, nomination forms, endorsements, essays, and other pertinent information were submitted to substantiate the nominations. Semi-finalists were sent to statewide screening interviews or auditions. Finalists were selected and notified in mid-March.

Less than one-half of one percent of eligible high school students across Georgia are accepted into the Governor’s Honors Program.

The Governor's Honors Program is designed to provide intellectually gifted and artistically talented high school students challenging and enriching educational opportunities not usually available during the regular school year.

On the Web:

http://gosa.georgia.gov/governors-honors-program