The 2018 Georgia Governor’s Honors Program social studies majors pose for a photo on July 14. Clarke Central High School junior and ODYSSEY Media Group Managing Editor Elena Gilbertson Hall attended the program and enjoyed the open-minded environment.
ODYSSEY Media Group Managing Editor Elena Gilbertson Hall reflects on her time at the Georgia Governor’s Honors Program where students were willing to listen to those of different political affiliations.
This summer I attended the Governor’s Honors Program, a four-week-long academic program for high school juniors and seniors. I was accepted into the program as a social studies major, where I took classes covering topics including identity politics, the health of democracies around the world, gender as a social construct, the American prison system and immigration, just to name a few.
In our current, polarized political climate it may sound daunting to put a group of the most politically engaged high school students from across Georgia in the same room to discuss these controversial topics. But discussions in these classes, though passionate and opinionated, were extremely respectful.
We had honest conversations about why we believe the things we do — I took classes with a formerly undocumented immigrant, a student with an opioid addiction, people who had experienced sexual harassment and assault and students who were born and raised in the most rural areas of Georgia. These experiences, understandably, had effects on their political beliefs and the candidates they would support. The surprising part was all 75 social studies majors were willing to hear each other out and, if not change their mind, at least try to understand other points of view.
Having to put aside my ideas about America’s prison system and listen to those who had close family members living it first-hand was humbling. Listening to boys talk about how gender expectations and toxic masculinity has such negative effects on their lives was eye-opening.
This environment where we were willing to listen and hear where people were coming from allowed us to understand each other’s political beliefs. No longer were we just defined by our political party. Instead, we were defined by our experiences and identities, and how that influenced our ideology.
Attending GHP revealed to me the importance of having these conversations in order to understand each other and begin to bridge the divides in our country.
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