Every minute is an opportunity

For 36 years, the West Virginia Governor's Honors Academy has provided rising high school seniors the opportunity to spend three weeks on a college campus where they meet some of the greatest kids in West Virginia and work with master teachers in their fields of greatest interest. Each county selects one male and one female student to attend, and 60-70 more students are selected from a statewide pool of applicants. Fifteen of these spots are reserved for career/technology secondary students via a grant from the department of career and technology.

Students at GHA will take one intensive course in their academic field of interest and one broad-based courses outside their experience area. They may also take virtual college tours and become involved and take part in community service efforts.

GHA 2020 Streaming from Marshall

Many of us grew up hearing, "The Hills Are Alive With the Sound of Music," and we were able to adapt it to our own beautiful West Virginia hills. This summer, the hills will be alive with the excitement of the West Virginia Governor's Schools humming through the air. GHA, like the other schools will take advantage of the virtual opportunities. Courses offered in arts and humanities, social sciences, and STEM are taught by high-school and college faculty. Each faculty member is responsible for one intensive course and one broad-based course. Faculty members are chosen based on their creativity, expertise, rapport with students, the quality of their course proposals, and their ability to relate course materials to other fields.

Oversight of GHA comes from Mrs. Sherry Keffer, coordinator of Governor’s Schools, who is responsible to the West Virginia Department of Education. The on-site supervisors, the deans of the academy, are Cara Bailey and Mallory Carpenter.

GHA is provided at no cost to students and their families is that they provide internet service where available. If there is not service in your home, check with local public buildings where your child might have a quiet workplace. If your student needs to borrow a laptop to participate, we will provide one. If there is an in-person gathering in the fall, families will be responsible for transportation to the event.

The link below includes descriptions of the exhilarating classes planned for 2020, so it is a great idea to look over them. Classes for 2021 will be similar in nature. The number of courses and faculty will depend upon the number of applicants chosen.

2020 Class Descriptions