SEE GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL IN ACTION
Visual Artdrive success
Choral Musicdrive success
WhAT IS GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL?
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The North Carolina Governor's School is a 4-week summer residential program for gifted and talented high school students, integrating academic disciplines, the arts, and unique courses on each of two campuses. The curriculum focuses on the exploration of the most recent ideas and concepts in each discipline, and does not involve credit, tests, or grades.
The North Carolina Governor's School is the nation’s oldest statewide summer residential program for gifted high school students. The program, which is open to rising seniors only, with exceptions made for rising juniors in selected performing/visual arts areas, is located on two campuses of up to 400 students each. The program is administered by the Public Schools of North Carolina, the State Board of Education, and the Department of Public Instruction through the Division of Advanced Learning and Gifted Education. A Board of Governors, appointed by the State Board of Education, acts as an advisory body.
Governor’s School offers amazing educational opportunities to selected students in ten different academics and arts disciplines. Each student’s chosen discipline becomes their Area I class. Select Area I from the menu on the right to find descriptions of each focus area. All Governor's School students also take interdisciplinary classes, Area II and Area II. The descriptions of Areas I, II, and III provide an idea of what students can expect in their classes at Governor's School. Campus life, guest speakers, elective seminars, and campus-wide activities also contribute to the fullness of this robust and unique program, profoundly impacting the lives and education of hundreds of North Carolina’s bright high school students every summer.
Some actual quotes from our attendees:
- "It’s a fantastic opportunity to expand your knowledge and focus on learning in an area you care about, living in an environment in which learning is not required, but encouraged and enjoyed. While school’s strict expectations and rigid nature can be suffocating, the Governor’s School atmosphere is light and elicits natural growth.”
- "I wish I could do this every summer, but maybe that's what makes it so special. We can't stay here forever, but the experience will certainly stay within all of us long after we leave. The world is a much happier place at GS."
- "Governor’s School is the best venture I have ever taken part in. You’re surrounded by wonderful and intelligent people and staff who make you strive to be a better and more complete person. The curriculum is challenging and will give you even more of a thirst for knowledge.”
- "A lot of places will say they offer 'the best summer ever,' but Governor's School is the one place that lives up to that statement! From exciting and thought-provoking electives, to entertaining and enlightening presentations and performances, the lovely Fellows, staff, and instructors shape our experience. Without experiencing the pressure of grades and rankings, no one person is better than the other. We all continue to grow at Governor's School, and if there's one thing this program has taught us, it's that we will never stop learning! I came in wondering I was good enough, and now I leave with a new-found sense of who I am and what I stand for. Governor's School has made an impact on my life, and it will continue to make an impact on others for years to come."
- “Too good to be true, but somehow it’s real!”
- "I have been thinking back on my experience at Governor's School West in the summer of 1986. That was such a wonderful time in life. It was the summer between my sophomore and junior year of high school in Greensboro NC. Though GSW was held "just down the road" so to speak at Salem College in Winston-Salem, it was my first time staying away from home (not with family) for an extended period of time. I was selected to be a part of the choral music program which meant we prepared for and performed 6 concerts in the 6 weeks we were there - it was the first time in my life I was surrounded by an entire body of exceptional students and faculty from such a variety of fields. The arts programs to me were the most intriguing. Dr Robert Ward had just received his doctorate in choral conducting and was astounded at what our choir could accomplish in such a short time. For our final performance we performed John Rutter's The Falcon, the piece which Dr Ward had just written about in his dissertation. He pushed us to learn different styles of music, improve our technical skills with theory training and sight reading. I left there a better singer, performer, and all-around musician.
One of my favorite memories was the talent show - I wrote a song for piano and 2 voices and asked one of the tenors in the choir to sing it with me. The joy was not the applause or congratulations I received for performing that night, but what thrill it was to walk around campus for the following weeks where people were singing my song..."They Liked me! They really LIKED me!!!" LOL
Those few weeks set me on a path to a lifelong love of singing - starting with choral music that led me to singing with choirs that toured the US/Europe/Russia throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, then after college at UNC-CH (where I got a minor in vocal performance) I went on to sing with community theater, professional theaters, church music (traditional and contemporary) and even a rock band since 2012.
I fully credit my time at GSW as being the springboard for my success in not only the music field, but in life.
Attending Governor's School was an honor. I felt like I was treated as an adult at 16 years old. I loved living on a college campus and being responsible for getting to meals and classes on time. I loved the freedom to explore different areas and meet people from all over NC. I loved the deep dive into our area 1 classes but really loved the extra classes in philosophy and psychology we took each week (It was actually kind of hard to go back to regular high school after that). It did make me want to prepare myself for college as soon as possible so I took as many AP classes as my schedule allowed for the following two years and then the transition to living on a college campus at 18 years old was not a shock. I was able to graduate in 3.5 years with a degree in communication and a minor in music.
I wish Governor's School was open to every student who wishes to attend and that more students were encouraged to apply. It is a great stepping stone for success in being an open-minded and well-rounded world citizen. I met some of the dearest people in the world and we are friends to this day."
AREA I DISCIPLINES:
The academic disciplines include:
- English
- Mathematics
- Natural Science
- Social Science
- Spanish
The arts disciplines include:
- Choral Music
- Dance
- Instrumental Music
- Theater
- Visual Art
HOST CAMPUSES
The Governor’s School occurs on two college campuses during our four week session.
• Governor’s School East
• Governor’s School West
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The North Carolina Governor's School is a 4-week summer residential program for gifted and talented high school students, integrating academic disciplines, the arts, and unique courses on each of two campuses. The curriculum focuses on the exploration of the most recent ideas and concepts in each discipline, and does not involve credit, tests, or grades.
The North Carolina Governor's School is the nation’s oldest statewide summer residential program for gifted high school students. The program, which is open to rising seniors only, with exceptions made for rising juniors in selected performing/visual arts areas, is located on two campuses of up to 400 students each. The program is administered by the Public Schools of North Carolina, the State Board of Education, and the Department of Public Instruction through the Division of Advanced Learning and Gifted Education. A Board of Governors, appointed by the State Board of Education, acts as an advisory body.
Governor’s School offers amazing educational opportunities to selected students in ten different academics and arts disciplines. Each student’s chosen discipline becomes their Area I class. Select Area I from the menu on the right to find descriptions of each focus area. All Governor's School students also take interdisciplinary classes, Area II and Area II. The descriptions of Areas I, II, and III provide an idea of what students can expect in their classes at Governor's School. Campus life, guest speakers, elective seminars, and campus-wide activities also contribute to the fullness of this robust and unique program, profoundly impacting the lives and education of hundreds of North Carolina’s bright high school students every summer.
Some actual quotes from our attendees:
- "It’s a fantastic opportunity to expand your knowledge and focus on learning in an area you care about, living in an environment in which learning is not required, but encouraged and enjoyed. While school’s strict expectations and rigid nature can be suffocating, the Governor’s School atmosphere is light and elicits natural growth.”
- "I wish I could do this every summer, but maybe that's what makes it so special. We can't stay here forever, but the experience will certainly stay within all of us long after we leave. The world is a much happier place at GS."
- "Governor’s School is the best venture I have ever taken part in. You’re surrounded by wonderful and intelligent people and staff who make you strive to be a better and more complete person. The curriculum is challenging and will give you even more of a thirst for knowledge.”
- “Too good to be true, but somehow it’s real!”
- "I have been thinking back on my experience at Governor's School West in the summer of 1986. That was such a wonderful time in life. It was the summer between my sophomore and junior year of high school in Greensboro NC. Though GSW was held "just down the road" so to speak at Salem College in Winston-Salem, it was my first time staying away from home (not with family) for an extended period of time. I was selected to be a part of the choral music program which meant we prepared for and performed 6 concerts in the 6 weeks we were there - it was the first time in my life I was surrounded by an entire body of exceptional students and faculty from such a variety of fields. The arts programs to me were the most intriguing. Dr Robert Ward had just received his doctorate in choral conducting and was astounded at what our choir could accomplish in such a short time. For our final performance we performed John Rutter's The Falcon, the piece which Dr Ward had just written about in his dissertation. He pushed us to learn different styles of music, improve our technical skills with theory training and sight reading. I left there a better singer, performer, and all-around musician.
One of my favorite memories was the talent show - I wrote a song for piano and 2 voices and asked one of the tenors in the choir to sing it with me. The joy was not the applause or congratulations I received for performing that night, but what thrill it was to walk around campus for the following weeks where people were singing my song..."They Liked me! They really LIKED me!!!" LOL
Those few weeks set me on a path to a lifelong love of singing - starting with choral music that led me to singing with choirs that toured the US/Europe/Russia throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, then after college at UNC-CH (where I got a minor in vocal performance) I went on to sing with community theater, professional theaters, church music (traditional and contemporary) and even a rock band since 2012.
I fully credit my time at GSW as being the springboard for my success in not only the music field, but in life.
Attending Governor's School was an honor. I felt like I was treated as an adult at 16 years old. I loved living on a college campus and being responsible for getting to meals and classes on time. I loved the freedom to explore different areas and meet people from all over NC. I loved the deep dive into our area 1 classes but really loved the extra classes in philosophy and psychology we took each week (It was actually kind of hard to go back to regular high school after that). It did make me want to prepare myself for college as soon as possible so I took as many AP classes as my schedule allowed for the following two years and then the transition to living on a college campus at 18 years old was not a shock. I was able to graduate in 3.5 years with a degree in communication and a minor in music.
I wish Governor's School was open to every student who wishes to attend and that more students were encouraged to apply. It is a great stepping stone for success in being an open-minded and well-rounded world citizen. I met some of the dearest people in the world and we are friends to this day." - "A lot of places will say they offer 'the best summer ever,' but Governor's School is the one place that lives up to that statement! From exciting and thought-provoking electives, to entertaining and enlightening presentations and performances, the lovely Fellows, staff, and instructors shape our experience. Without experiencing the pressure of grades and rankings, no one person is better than the other. We all continue to grow at Governor's School, and if there's one thing this program has taught us, it's that we will never stop learning! I came in wondering I was good enough, and now I leave with a new-found sense of who I am and what I stand for. Governor's School has made an impact on my life, and it will continue to make an impact on others for years to come."
AREA I DISCIPLINES:
The academic disciplines include:
- English
- Mathematics
- Natural Science
- Social Science
- Spanish
The arts disciplines include:
- Choral Music
- Dance
- Instrumental Music
- Theater
- Visual Art
HOST CAMPUSES
The Governor’s School occurs on two college campuses during our four week session.
• Governor’s School East
• Governor’s School West
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