The Coweta County School System has nominated 46 students to state-level interviews for the Georgia Governor’s Honors Program. Nearly 700 finalists from across Georgia will be selected for next summer’s activities at Valdosta State University.
School system spokesman Dean Jackson said the 46 Coweta students receiving nomination will join more than 2,800 students from across the state who will be interviewed and auditioned over three weekends in January and February. From those nominees, 690 finalists will be chosen to participate in the 2012 program, Jackson said. Since the program is fully funded by the Georgia General Assembly, there is no charge for students to attend, Jackson added.
“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, the program takes place each summer on the campus of Valdosta State University. The 2012 program will be the 49th summer, making it the longest continually running program of its kind in the nation,” Jackson said.
During the four weeks of the program, students spend the mornings 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.
“GHP is such a competitive program that even being nominated is an accomplishment,’ said Georgia Governor’s Honors Program Director Dale Lyles. “I congratulate the students of Coweta County School System 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.
Coweta County students are no stranger to the Governor’s Honors competition. Jackson said there were 43 nominees last year, of which seven were selected as finalists and four were selected as alternates.
Coweta County’s nominees for the 2012 Georgia Governor’s Honors Program (including their field of nomination) are:
Northgate High School-
John Bauer, Chemistry; Nicholas Emory, Music/Voice (Tenor); Sarah Hannah, Mathematics; Nathan Hoffman, Social Studies; Rees Horton, Communicative Arts; Christina Kelly, Dance; Kelsie McDuffie, Music/Voice (Alto); Carleigh Myatt, Music/Voice (Soprano); Madeline Robinson, Music/Woodwinds (Flute); Carly Weikle, Music/Woodwinds (Clarinet); and Melissa Wright, Communicative Arts
East Coweta High School-
Dakota Becker, Visual Arts; Alexa Carleo, Communicative Arts; Jordan Collis, Spanish; Brianna Croft, Music/Voice (Alto); Aerin Dalman, Visual Arts; Alison Dees, Theatre Performance; Laura Haag, Dance; Scarlett Holt, Visual Arts; Devin Johnson, Music/Voice (Tenor); Saeyun Lee, Biology; Valerie Mannebach, Communicative Arts; Michael Maske, Theatre Performance; Rachael Scott, Social Studies; Katelyn Sullivan, Theatre Performance; Christopher White, Physics; and Lexy Zelczak, Spanish
Newnan High School-
-Ashley Cain, Visual Arts; Elizabeth Clark, Visual Arts; Christella Dhammaputri, French; Carly Duke, Mathematics; Anais Felix, Chemistry; Cody Ford, Social Studies; Anthony Galvan, Visual Arts; Christopher Green, Music/Voice (Baritone); Melinda Griffith, Music/Woodwinds (Flute); Lauren Hovey, Visual Arts; Lance Mapp, Music/Jazz (Guitar); Kimberly Obermeyer, French; Louis Owen, Chemistry; Sarah Robinson, Music/Woodwinds (Bassoon); Melinda Smith, Music/Woodwinds (Oboe); Rachel Starnes, Music/Voice (Soprano); and William Vineyard, Social Studies
Central Educational Center-
William Upchurch, Technology and Joshua Vorderlandwehr, Design
