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Newton students named semifinalists for Governor's Honors Program
2022 Governor's Honors semifinalists
Front row, from left, are semifinalists Mason Sorrow, Dhakiya Knights, Tre’von Davis, Kendall Hawley, and Lilly Litts; back row from left, Natalie Henderson, Gracie Bates, Jessica Wilson, Kailey Hawk, Breanna Epps, Colin McGowan, and NCSS Superintendent Samantha Fuhrey. Not shown are semifinalists Savannah Deeter, Emma Lumpkin, and Serenity Ingram Clarke. - photo by Courtesy of Newton County School System

A total of 15 Newton County School System (NCSS) high school students have been named semifinalists for the 2022 Governor’s Honors Program (GHP). 

NCSS students named semifinalists include:

• Mason Sorrow, Eastside High and NCCA, 10th grade, Subject Area: Agricultural Research, Biotechnology, and Science

• Dhakiya Knights, Newton High and NCCA STEM Institute, 11th grade, Subject Area: Communicative Arts

• Tre'von Davis, Newton High and NCCA STEM Institute, 10th grade, Subject Area: Communicative Arts

• Kendall Hawley, Newton High,10th grade, Subject Area: Communicative Arts

• Savannah Deeter, Alcovy High and NCCA,10th grade, Subject Area: Communicative Arts

• Lilly Litts, Eastside High, 11th grade, Subject Area: Dance

• Emma Lumpkin, Eastside High and NCCA STEM Institute, 10th grade, Subject Area: Mathematics

• Natalie Henderson, Alcovy High and NCCA STEM Institute, 11th grade, Subject Area: Mathematics

• Gracie Bates, Eastside High, 11th grade, Subject Area: Music: Voice

• Jessica Wilson, Eastside High,10th grade, Subject Area: Visual Arts

• Kailey Hawk, Newton High, 11th grade, Subject Area: Visual Arts

• Breanna Epps, Eastside High,10th grade, Subject Area: World Languages: Latin

• Colin McGowan, Eastside High,10th grade, Subject Area: World Languages: Latin

• Serenity Ingram Clarke, Alcovy High, 11th grade, Subject Area: World Languages: Latin

• Trevor Hay, Eastside High, 10th Grade, Subject Area: Music-Percussion

Shundreia Neely, NCSS Director of Secondary Schools, said, “Congratulations to our students who have been named semifinalists in the 2022 Governor’s Honors Program. “These students worked tirelessly to complete many rounds of revisions to get their applications and essays prepared for the semifinalist round. 

"They did not allow anything to stop them from reaching their goals. It is nice to see students so passionate about a subject area, that they wish to participate in a program to learn more in-depth information about the topic. 

“I commend each student and wish each of them well in the next phase of the Governor’s Honors Program.” 

The Georgia Governor’s Honors Program is a residential summer program for gifted and talented high school students who will be rising juniors and seniors during the program. 

The program offers instruction that is significantly different from the typical high school classroom. It is designed to provide students with academic, cultural, and social enrichment necessary to become the next generation of global critical thinkers, innovators, and leaders.

GHP is held mid-June to mid-July as a residential educational experience on a college or university campus. 

This year’s program will be hosted by Berry College in Rome from June 19 through July 16. Students will attend classes in the mornings and afternoons in specific areas of study, and then participate in a wide variety of social and instructional opportunities every evening. Meals and rooms are provided by the program.

Students interested in attending must participate in a series of interviews and should be able to speak eloquently and in great detail about the subject they choose. They are students who desire to work with their subject outside of school and go above and beyond. 

Students may be nominated in Communicative Arts (ELA), all the Foreign Languages, Math, Science, Social Studies, Dance, Music, Theater, Visual Arts, Engineering, and Agriscience. 

Neely said each school has a school-level GHP coordinator. 

“The coordinator informs teachers about the program and asks teachers to nominate students who are highly talented and qualified to meet the criteria of the program,” Neely said. “After the teachers provide the coordinators with student names, the coordinator meets with students to provide them with an overview of GHP and how the nomination process works. 

"Additionally, the school-level GHP coordinator checks to ensure students meet the criteria. If the student meets the criteria, the coordinator informs the teacher and has the teacher complete the GHP nomination form. The teacher completes his or her portion as well as assists the student with filling in his/her nomination information (essays). 

“If selected as district winners, the students’ names are submitted to the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement (GOSA). The students are next contacted by GOSA to complete a state application in efforts to be selected for state interviews. If selected, students become semifinalists and then compete in state interviews. 

"Students selected as finalists from state interviews will have the opportunity to participate in the GHP summer program,” Neely said.

NCSS students who successfully passed the school and district-level interviews and had their applications approved by GOSA were named semifinalists.