Georgia Governor's Honors Program
Encyclopedia
The Georgia Governor's Honors Program is a summer educational program in the state of Georgia
, in the United States
. It is a four-week (though formerly six-week before 2011) summer instructional program designed to provide the intellectually gifted and artistically talented high school students of Georgia challenging and enriching educational opportunities not usually available during the regular school year. Activities are designed to provide each participant with opportunities to acquire the skills, knowledge and attitudes to become independent, lifelong learners. Many GHP alumni have commented on the experience as unforgettable and one of the most amazing things they have ever participated in. There are several notable alumni.
Rising juniors and seniors in Georgia's public and private high schools may be nominated for the free program by their teachers. The program's entire cost is covered by the state of Georgia. It takes place at Valdosta State University
.
Transcripts of grades and records, nomination forms, endorsements and other pertinent information are submitted to substantiate the nominations. Local nominees are then sent to statewide screening interviews/auditions.
The written evidence and data gathered in the student interview/audition are used to rank nominees and select finalists. The number of students selected in each instructional area is determined by the ratio of applicants in that area to the total number of applications received.
It is widely regarded that the peak of the program occurred in 1985 when 600 students gathered for six weeks on the campus of Valdosta State College, now Valdosta State University.
Students may choose a minor from any of the majors or support areas except for Library/Media in the first week of the program. Some minors, called pre-selected minors, require auditions or interviews, and others have a lottery system for entry. Most minors however are chosen through a preference sheet after a series of information sessions.
Each student receives 4 hours of major subject time on Mondays to Saturdays and 2.5 hours of minor subject time on Mondays to Fridays. Other time is free for meals, performances, practice, or seminars (see below).
GHP instructors are among the most qualified high school and college teachers. They are chosen according to their experience and recommendations. The teacher to student ratio is mandated to be at or very close to 1:15.
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is a four-week (though formerly six-week before 2011) summer instructional program designed to provide the intellectually gifted and artistically talented high school students of Georgia challenging and enriching educational opportunities not usually available during the regular school year. Activities are designed to provide each participant with opportunities to acquire the skills, knowledge and attitudes to become independent, lifelong learners. Many GHP alumni have commented on the experience as unforgettable and one of the most amazing things they have ever participated in. There are several notable alumni.
Rising juniors and seniors in Georgia's public and private high schools may be nominated for the free program by their teachers. The program's entire cost is covered by the state of Georgia. It takes place at Valdosta State University
Valdosta State University
Valdosta State University, also referred to as VSU, or Valdosta State, is an American public university and is one of the two regional universities in the University System of Georgia. Valdosta State is located on a campus at the heart of the city of Valdosta...
.
Nomination
Students are nominated in a specific instructional area in which their abilities, aptitudes, and interest lie. Each school system or private school is assigned a nomination quota based on the average daily attendance of its 10th and 11th grades. However, some nomination categories do not count against the quota to encourage additional nominations. Nominees may go through a non-standardized local selection process in order to avoid exceeding their school systems' quotas.Transcripts of grades and records, nomination forms, endorsements and other pertinent information are submitted to substantiate the nominations. Local nominees are then sent to statewide screening interviews/auditions.
The written evidence and data gathered in the student interview/audition are used to rank nominees and select finalists. The number of students selected in each instructional area is determined by the ratio of applicants in that area to the total number of applications received.
It is widely regarded that the peak of the program occurred in 1985 when 600 students gathered for six weeks on the campus of Valdosta State College, now Valdosta State University.
Instruction
Major instructional areas are communicative arts (English), Spanish, French, Latin, German, mathematics, biology, physics, chemistry, agricultural science and biotechnology, agricultural and environmental science, social studies, visual arts, theatre, music, dance, design, technology, and executive management. Staff in four support areas (Counseling, Fitness, Computers, and Library/Media) also work to assist the student body.Students may choose a minor from any of the majors or support areas except for Library/Media in the first week of the program. Some minors, called pre-selected minors, require auditions or interviews, and others have a lottery system for entry. Most minors however are chosen through a preference sheet after a series of information sessions.
Each student receives 4 hours of major subject time on Mondays to Saturdays and 2.5 hours of minor subject time on Mondays to Fridays. Other time is free for meals, performances, practice, or seminars (see below).
GHP instructors are among the most qualified high school and college teachers. They are chosen according to their experience and recommendations. The teacher to student ratio is mandated to be at or very close to 1:15.
Alumni
The following are notable alumni of the Georgia Governor's Honors Program, listed with their GHP major, year of attendance, and notable accomplishments:- Eve Carson (Social Studies 2003): Student Body President at UNC-Chapel Hill, murder victim
- Wycliffe GordonWycliffe GordonWycliffe Gordon is a jazz trombonist. He also plays didgeridoo, trumpet, tuba, piano and sings.In 1995, he re-orchestrated the theme song for NPR's All Things Considered...
(Music 1983): prolific jazz trombonistTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate... - Wayne KnightWayne KnightWayne Eliot Knight is an American actor, comedian, and voice actor perhaps best known for his role as Newman in the TV sitcom Seinfeld...
(Theater 1971): stage, film, and TV actor - Linda GriffithLinda GriffithLinda G. Griffith is an American biological engineer, and Professor of Biological Engineering and Mechanical Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she also directs the ....
(English 1977): biological engineer - Jack McBrayerJack McBrayerJack McBrayer is an American actor and comedian. He gained national exposure for his characters on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien"...
(Theatre 1990): film and TV actor - Hunter BellHunter BellHunter Houston Bell is an American book author and one of the stars of the musical [title of show].-Early life:Bell was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and was raised in Wilson, North Carolina until the seventh grade, when he moved to Atlanta, Georgia. He moved to New York City in 1993, and currently...
(Theatre): Author and star of broadway musical [Title of ShowTitle of show[title of show] is a one-act musical, with music and lyrics by Jeff Bowen and a book by Hunter Bell. The show chronicles its own creation as an entry in the New York Musical Theatre Festival, and follows the struggles of the author and composer/lyricist and their two actress friends during the...
] - Jeff GreensteinJeff GreensteinJeff Greenstein is an American television writer and producer. His credits include Desperate Housewives, Jake in Progress, Will & Grace, Partners, Friends, and Dream On....
(Science 1979): television writer and producer - Robert Duncan McNeillRobert Duncan McNeillRobert Duncan McNeill is an American actor, producer, movie director, and television director who is best known for his role as Lieutenant Tom Paris on the television show Star Trek: Voyager.-Acting:...
(1980): Actor "All My Children" and "Star Trek Voyager" - Randy EvansRandy EvansJames Randolph "Randy" Evans is an American lawyer and Republican from Georgia who specializes in government ethics. He worked as a longtime advisor to the Republican Party of Georgia. He has worked closely with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich at various times throughout his career. Evans is a...
(Physics): Advisor to Newt GingrichNewt GingrichNewton Leroy "Newt" Gingrich is a U.S. Republican Party politician who served as the House Minority Whip from 1989 to 1995 and as the 58th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999....