BY MELINDA J. OVERSTREET
GLASGOW NEWS 1
Several local students are among those selected for the 2023 Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program and separate, specialized governor’s programs in arts and entrepreneurship.
The Governor’s Scholars Program is a five-week summer residential program that began 40 years ago for outstanding high school students in Kentucky who are rising seniors. The Office of the Governor, the Kentucky General Assembly and private enterprise come together to provide financial support so that students who are selected attend the program without charge, according to the GSP website.
Aris Cedeno, executive director of GSP, proudly told Glasgow News 1 that Kentucky’s is the largest governor’s scholars program in the nation.
He said that nearly 1,700 applications were received this year for the 1,050 spots available, and now notifications have been sent to 1,050 students advising them of their acceptance into the program; however, those students must then respond by May 2 as to whether they plan to attend. For example, a student accepted into another program that overlaps would need to choose between this one and the other. After May 2, alternates will be chosen to fill any spots not claimed, Cedeno said. Last year, 70 slots ended up being offered to alternates, he said.
GSP itself does not publish a list of the students accepted, but rather announces the graduates after the program is completed, but individual schools are provided with the information for their respective students. Cedeno also noted that home-schooled students may be among those who were accepted.
With that in mind, nine BCHS students – Alan Edberg, John Edberg, Katelyn Huffaker, Alexia Kilgore, Kylie Lessenberry, Katie Beth London, Chesney McPherson, Elisabeth Payne and Carlie Sanders – are among that 1,050 who were notified they were accepted. Madelynn Dooley and Breanna Richardson are alternates.
From Glasgow High School, Samantha Mahung, Hudson Stahl, Nick Bower and Andrew West were sent acceptance notifications. Alternates from GHS are Haley Bunch and Katherind Simmons.
Two Caverna High School students — Sequoria Copass and Jamison Pippin — were among those accepted as well, with no alternates from CHS.
“The Program’s mission is to enhance Kentucky’s next generation of civic and economic leaders. The first class numbered 230 and was housed on one college campus. Since then, the Program has enjoyed excellent support and grown to over 1,000 students on three campuses,” the site states, with this year’s hosts designated as Centre College and Morehead and Murray state universities.
The core curriculum for these summer sessions is threefold: focus area, general studies and seminar.
“Faculty and staff also invite a variety of speakers and performers from a range of disciplines and pursuits to visit campus. Carefully organized field trips, special events, and a film series also contribute to the comprehensive educational atmosphere in which scholars are challenged not only to examine, but, more importantly, to nurture their sense of learning and leadership,” according to the website.
Arts
This year’s class of more than 200 at the Governor’s School for the Arts includes Abby Carter, Mackenzie Cummings and Emma Smith from Barren County High School; Sophia Burt from Barren Academy of Virtual and Expanded Learning (BAVEL); and Andrew West from Glasgow High School. Each student has chosen an artform on which to focus while receiving instruction in Lexington from Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts professionals for three weeks this summer. West’s artform is musical theatre. Burt’s and Carter’s are vocal music, Cumming’s is film + photography, and Smith’s is dance.
Jackson Smith from Barren County High School, whose artform is vocal music, was chosen as an alternate.
“GSA is an arts education program of The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts. GSA is offered at no cost to the student, and is made available through funding from the state, as well as private fundraising. The value of GSA is $3,800 per student,” according to the GSA portion of the Kentucky Performing Arts website.
Entrepreneurship
GHS junior Hannah Younkin joins BCHS sophomores Emily Adams, Madyson Coots and Grant Harper and freshman Lucy Zalla as part of the Governor’s School for Entrepreneurs class this year.
For three weeks, these students will be exposed to experienced entrepreneurs, business startup tools, funding, pitch competitions, emerging technologies and scholarships through a residential program at Northern Kentucky University designed “to unleash their entrepreneurial spirits for the betterment of Kentucky,” according to the GSE website. As with the others, there is no charge for the students.
NOTE: This report has been updated May 2 to include the Caverna High School students’ names that were not immediately available at the time of original publication.
We would still welcome adding any home-schooled students’ names to those who received notifications from GSP of either being accepted or being an alternate. For home-schooled students, please send a copy or photo of the notification letter to GN1yournews@gmail.com to be added to this report.
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