This summer, 670 of the most distinguished North Carolina rising high school juniors and seniors will explore cutting-edge ideas and concepts in academics and the arts as part of the 2016 Session of the North Carolina Governor’s School. The 2016 session runs from June 19 – July 27.
Vance County has one student attending, congratulations to Connor S. Pendergrass!
State Superintendent June Atkinson congratulated the students on their selection. “These students will truly benefit from the Governor’s School unique learning environment that encourages inquiry and creativity,” she said. “The program’s curriculum challenges students to discover and explore links between ideas and actions, theory and practice. The experiences students’ gain will serve them well in life.”
Students selected for Governor’s School are first nominated by their local school superintendents, charter school directors or private school headmasters. The program is open to rising seniors only with exceptions made to include rising juniors in selected performing arts areas. Each school system, charter school and private school is allotted a certain number of nominations based on its 10th- and 11th-grade populations. There are 10 specialization areas for nomination: English, Foreign Language (French or Spanish), Mathematics, Natural Science, Social Science, Art, Choral Music, Instrumental Music, Theater and Dance.
Faculty and staff of the Governor’s School include distinguished teachers and professionals from public and private schools, colleges, and universities across the country. Others are independent artists and scholars. To further enrich the student community, many faculty members are in residence on campus as well.
To help offset program costs, the General Assembly enacted a tuition fee of $500 per student in 2010. It is the responsibility of the public school system, charter school or private school that nominates a student to pay his or her tuition if selected, and each school or school system determines individually how it will collect these funds. Some require families to pay the tuition fee. In those instances, the North Carolina Governor’s School Foundation partners with other charitable organizations to provide scholarships for students who are required to pay tuition but are in financial need.
Gov. Terry Sanford founded the Governor’s School of North Carolina in 1963. The program, which does not involve credit, tests or grades, is the oldest statewide summer residential program for intellectually gifted high school students in the U.S.
Governor’s School is located on two campuses: Governor’s School West and East. Governor’s School West is located at Salem College in Winston-Salem and Governor’s School East is located at Meredith College in Raleigh.
Additional information on the North Carolina Governor’s School Program, including the complete lists of Governor’s School East and West participants, is available online. Questions also may be directed to NCDPI Communications at 919.807.3450.