Every year, over 3,000 of Georgia’s best and brightest students are invited to spend four weeks at Berry College to participate in the state’s Governor’s Honors Program, an immersive summer program aimed towards students who show strong interest and passion towards an academic or artistic area of study. With an acceptance of a mere 22%, GHP is among one of the most selective and intensive summer programs available to Georgia students.  This year, North Atlanta is proud to have six acceptees for the 2019 session.

North Atlanta’s 2019 accepted students are: Shania Barker (Agricultural Research, Biotechnology, and Science), Quinton Cables (Physics), Alison Christmann-Vener (Communicative Arts), Lenox Johnson (Theater), Mia Johnson (Dance), and Leah Overstreet (Communicative Arts).

The application process for GHP is extensive, to say the least. This year’s finalists describe their application experience as rigorous, yet collegiate. Hopeful students are first nominated by a teacher, then after completing an initial application, complete a district-level interview. Students will then complete an additional application including an essay, several short answer questions, and subject specific requirements such as a monologue or sample writing. Semi-finalists then travel to Berry College for the final state-level interview, of which only a fraction of students are invited. “The interview went really well but I was so surprised that I got in” said sophomore Mia Johnson, “I’m really excited to go to GHP this summer.”

GHP allows students to become immersed in a variety of subject areas from dance to agricultural science. Despite its top tier status, it is completely free of charge to accepted students, unlike countless other prestigious summer programs. The program allows students to enjoy the luxuries and qualities of a typical summer program, as well as affordability.

After a long and extensive application process, the ultimate reward for the hard work of the finalists is finally being able to set foot at Berry College on June 16th.