22 Students from Oconee County Schools Nominated for Governor's Honors Program

A news release from the Oconee County Schools Teaching and Learning Department:

Oconee County Schools has nominated 22 students to the state level interviews for the Georgia Governor’s Honors Program.

The Governor’s Honors Program, known as GHP, is a residential summer program for gifted and talented high school juniors and seniors. A function of the Georgia Department of Education, it takes place on the campus of Valdosta State University.

The 2013 program will be the 50th summer, making it the longest continually running program of its kind in the nation. More than 2900 students from across the state will be interviewed and auditioned over three weekends in January and February, and from those nominees up to 690 finalists will be chosen to participate in the 2013 program. Since the program is fully funded by the Georgia General Assembly, there is no charge for students to attend.

During the four weeks of the program, students spend the morning in their major area of nomination exploring topics not usually found in the regular high school classroom. During the afternoons, students choose one of the other areas in which to study. The curriculum in all the areas is challenging and engaging. Evenings are filled with seminars, activities, concerts, and performances.

Mr. Dale Lyles, director, said, “GHP is such a competitive program that even being nominated is an accomplishment. I congratulate the students of Oconee County Schools and look forward to meeting them and their parents at the interviews.”

He added that many, if not most, of GHP’s past participants regard it as one of the most life-changing events in their lives.

OCS’s nominees for the 2013 Georgia Governor’s Honors Program are Agriscience/Biotechnology: Annabelle Kelly and Sidney Moreland; Agriscience/Environmental Science: Marissa Palmer; Chemistry: Hailey Clark; Communicative Arts: Ben Ainsworth and Annabelle McSpadden; Dance: Anya Cieszewski, Emily Lumpkin, Ivey Tanner and Lena Wayson; Math: Susan Ye; Music/Brass: Nick Williams; Music/Voice: Emily Cassucio and Jordan Richey; Music/Woodwinds: Greg Hamilton; Spanish: Rachel Bowden, Rameela Rizvi and Meera Saj; Theater Performance: Thomas Peck; Visual Arts: Molly Carney.