Since the beginning of school in August, students have slowly begun to integrate back into school life. Joining clubs, tutoring sessions, or programs to better nurture their passions. Among these is a prestigious program known as the Georgia Governor’s Honors Program, an uber selective summer program for high-achieving students.. Ranging from subjects such as mathematics to dance, GHP is a gateway to various pathways that serves as an aid to students to help broaden their horizons, become stronger leaders, and strengthen their love for academics. 

The ongoing Coronavirus pandemic has posed issues for several groups, but the continuation of GHP has made many potential candidates ecstatic. Junior Sydney Heaton, a nominee for Communicative Arts, is nervous for what’s to come, but nonetheless thrilled to have been presented with this special opportunity to explore the interdisciplinary nature of her subject. “There’s such a wide range of topics involved in communicative arts,” says Heaton. “Even things like my photography can be incorporated into the ‘arts’ part of this area, and that really excites me.”

Another first-time nominee is junior Alex Lilly, who has been selected to participate in Social Studies. So far, Lilly is feeling very confident in his position and for the upcoming deadlines. “Learning at home has definitely made it a bit harder for me to be more actively engaged in this area of learning,” he said. “But I still want people to understand the importance of Social Studies and how the world impacts us.”

Teachers understand that participating in a program this rigorous may not be for the faint of heart, but nevertheless nominating staff are very supportive of their nominees and push them to continue with GHP during this time. Consistently sending reminders and words of encouragement is something GHP Coordinator Deanna Hasty has been doing for the past few weeks, and it helps students get their work submitted in time as well as keeping them motivated to do this program.

Even if a significant number of windows were lost because of the school’s remote learning environment, GHP is among the few academic-related programs that remains intact. Students and teachers alike are thrilled to keep this phenomenal program alive. One thing’s for certain: this year of GHP will be unlike any before.