Governor’s Honors Program Science major Semifinalist Samuel Lorenzini, a Clarke Central High School junior, stands in front of the CCHS Ceremonial Entrance on Feb. 19 holding the semifinalist announcement. This year, 22 CCHS and Cedar Shoals High School sophomores and juniors were announced as semifinalists for GHP, a summer program where students study specific majors alongside peers, with on-site interviews occurring at Georgia Southern University on Feb. 28. “At this level, I will help students if they want to practice interviewing, and they will interview with me and another teacher so that they get some feedback on how to feel comfortable and how to approach interview questions,” CCHS GHP Site Coordinator Jodi Bolgla said. “I always tell the candidates, ‘Let the (interview) committee know you because they see all smart and motivated students.’” Photo by Peter Atchley
Twenty-two sophomores and juniors from CCSD will attend semifinalist on-site interviews for the annual Georgia Governor’s Honors Program on Feb. 28 at Georgia Southern University and March 14 at Kennesaw State University.
Of the 30 Cedar Shoals High School and Clarke Central High School sophomores and juniors initially nominated for the Governor’s Honors Program (GHP), 22 from will advance to the final round of the GHP selection process on Feb. 28.
GHP is an annual, month-long residential summer program at Georgia Southern University for high schoolers, where students explore specific areas of study and engage in a variety of social opportunities. Semifinalists will participate in on-site interviews at GSU in Statesboro, Ga. and Kennesaw State University on March 14, with the students being judged on their individual interviews and content area specific demonstrations
“When (evaluators) think about GHP candidates, (they want) candidates who are passionate about their content area, take criticism (and) have something to offer a team,” CCHS GHP Site Coordinator Jodi Bolgla said. “They have to get along well with others and (be) confident, so that they feel comfortable working with lots of different people from all over Georgia.”
Science major Semifinalist Samuel Lorenzini, a CCHS junior, applied for GHP during the 2024-25 school year as a Music major with a speciality in Violin, but only made it to the quarter-finals. This year, he was nominated by science department teachers, Scott Swain, and Dr. Michael Gatlin in science with a focus on Biology and Environmental Sciences.
Clarke Central High School and Cedar Shoals High School sophomores and juniors is shown. Science major semifinalist Samuel Lorenzini, a CCHS junior, found out he qualified for the next round of the GHP selection when he was on a bus to a National Future Farmers of America Organization Veterinary Science Career Development Event on Feb. 6, when all semi-finalists were announced. “I worked hard, (the application) was fun, it was engaging, and I learned stuff from it. It forced me to research (more),” Lorenzini said. “(Finding out) was great. I was really happy (and) super relieved, because it was a stressful experience. I did the best I could (on the application), but still, it’s that moment (where you think), ‘Is the best I could do?’” Instagram post from CCSD
“For science, I feel a lot more confident than violin playing, just in relation to (other competitors),” Lorenzini said. “When I (applied for) violin, I had to take (focus) more on ‘Oh, I’m super passionate about this.’ Whereas in science, you do get a lot of chances to be creative and connect with people, but it’s a different world.”
On-site interviews will feature different activities for each major. Science majors must analyze several different data sets and plan a study around them. Social Studies major Semifinalist Kenia Gonzalez-Chavez, a CSHS sophomore, will participate in a group discussion on global issues as well as individual interviews. To prepare, Gonzalez-Chavez spoke with CSHS junior Elijah Stone for advice, who attended GHP in 2025 as a Social Studies major.
“(GHP) gives students from all walks of life an opportunity to enjoy four weeks of focusing on two topics and connecting with other people from all over Georgia. It’s really vital as a doorway for a lot of students,”
— Jodi Bolgla,
CCHS GHP Site Coordinator
“I talked to another ghp finalist from last year, he gave me some advice (on what I’ll be doing), but you can’t really prepare for the Social Studies interview, you just have to go and discuss a few international and domestic (world) issues,” Gonzalez-Chavez said. “For the statewide interview, (I don’t) really know what to expect, but I am still trying to prepare myself.”
Gonzalez-Chavez and Lorenzini join approximately 1,500 sophomores and junior semifinalists across Georgia attending on-site interviews. For Bolgla, the true purpose of GHP is that any student, no matter the resources available, has the opportunity to learn.
“(GHP) gives students from all walks of life an opportunity to enjoy four weeks of focusing on two topics and connecting with other people from all over Georgia. It’s really vital as a doorway for a lot of students,” Bolgla said.
