Summer is often considered to be a time of relaxation away from school. However, for the few high schoolers chosen for the Governor’s Honors Program (GHP), this season will be filled with learning, meeting new people, and becoming acclimated to college life.  

GHP is an immersive, month-long program held by the Georgia Office of Student Achievement (GOSA) for talented rising upperclassmen. The program offers instruction that is different from the typical high school experience, and it provides students with resources necessary to become the next generation of global critical thinkers, innovators, and leaders.  

“Several members of my staff participated in past programs, so I know firsthand about the intelligent and talented individuals who are chosen to participate. These finalists are our future leaders, and we celebrate and encourage their continued educational growth,” Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said. 

Students selected for GHP are nominated in different areas: Communicative Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, World Language, Theatre, Engineering, Music, Visual Arts, and Dance. This year’s finalists from Etowah are juniors Ryan Lofland as a Music Brass Major, and Bryanna Cali as a Voice Major.  

“What I am looking forward to the most this summer is meeting all of the new people that have the same goals and interests as me. Being surrounded by people who have the same passion as I do for a month is something that is hard to come across in high school, so I absolutely cannot wait for that,” Lofland said. 

The process for selecting finalists was prolonged this year due to the ongoing pandemic. Students had to go through several virtual and in-person interviews and complete assignments that pertained to their area of nomination.  

“I was nominated for treble voice in music. I am very excited to go to GHP because it will allow me to meet others that share the same passion. I want to use the knowledge to help me continue a career in music. I think it will be a great stepping stone to help me advance my musical wisdom,” Cali said.  

This year’s program is currently scheduled to be held at Berry College in Rome, Georgia. Students can find changes/ updates pertaining to GHP on the website.