Seniors Max van Wagtendonk, Sekou Sesay, Isabelle Duncan, Anna Shaikun and junior Will Simpson (from left to right), 2023 Governor’s Honors Program finalists and alternates, pose for a picture. GHP began its interview process at Clarke Central High School for the 2024 program on Nov. 2. “The Governor’s Honors Program is a highly selective program sponsored by the governor’s office, that occurs for one month every summer and it brings together really talented passionate sophomores and juniors together (at) Georgia Southern University to explore their passion and collaborate and study really intensively the subject that they’re interested in,” Jodi Bolgla, ESOL department teacher and GHP interviewing and application coach, said. Photo by Scott Thompson
The Governor’s Honor Program, a selective summer program offered to sophomores and juniors, began the interviewing process for 2024 on Nov. 2.
The Georgia Governor’s Honor Program (GHP) is a four-week-long residential summer program for talented and passionate sophomores and juniors in schools across Georgia. School-level GHP interviews at Clarke Central High School will take place on Nov. 7 and Nov. 9.
On Oct. 4, CCHS teachers nominated students in various areas of interest to begin the interview process for the program. Nominated students finished interviewing on the department level on Nov. 2, and three students from each department were selected to move forward.
“Clarke County (has) department interviews, so (CCHS) departments can choose a number of students to interview at the school level. The first level is departments,” ESOL department teacher and GHP interviewing and application coach Jodi Bolgla said. “The second level is the school and then students from the school get to apply at the state.”
For senior and GHP 2023 alumnus Max van Wagtendonk, the experience forced him outside of his comfort zone and into a community filled with passionate and eager students, something he feels is beneficial for all participants.
“I am not a very socially forward person, yet even before I had unpacked all of my stuff and knew anyone’s names, I had already met one of my best friends, a fellow engineer,” Wagtendonk said. “We all had one thing in common: we were very curious people. Everyone had something they were deeply interested in, and were willing to share and learn all day long.”
“We all had one thing in common: we were very curious people. Everyone had something they were deeply interested in, and were willing to share and learn all day long.”
— Max van Wagtendonk,
Senior
According to Bolgla, the collaborative and passionate nature of GHP makes the program unique and beneficial.
“It’s all free, it’s a college experience and it offers them the opportunity to meet students from diverse populations from all parts of Georgia,” Bolgla said. “(Students) not (only) explore their content but work with other students who are as passionate about the subject as (much as) they are. I find that to be the best part is these connections with other people.”
