Three weeks after their county-level interview for the Governor’s Honors Program, 12 students received  the good news from Assistant Principal Charlotte Robinson.  They made it to the next round of GHP. Sort of.

Normally, students are guaranteed a state interview once they get past the county interviews, but this year is different. Students who make it out of their county interviews had to submit online applications to the state judges by Dec. 7. Each application differed slightly for each subject, but all nominees had to write an essay explaining what they would contribute to GHP and why they wanted to go.  They also had to get a recommendation from their nominating teachers and to fill in their academic information on their online application.

These applications will be reviewed, and the students will be notified on Jan. 5 if they qualify for a state interview. The interview times are scheduled to be released on Jan. 12, and the next round of interviews will take place at various high schools around Georgia at the beginning of February. Students selected for the GHP summer program will be notified Friday, March 13,  and the acceptance deadline is Wednesday, April 1.

The students were very excited when they found out that they made it to the next round, but the celebrations were short-lived.

“We met as a group, and I had the students open their letters together,” Robinson said. “We celebrated for a minute or two but then focused on the state interview [requirements].”

GHP is a four-week residential summer program at Valdosta State University from June 21 to July 18 for current high school sophomores and juniors who excel in a particular subject. The areas for which a student can be nominated are Agricultural Science, Communicative Arts, Foreign Language, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Dance, Music, Theater, Visual Arts, Engineering and Design, and Technology.  Students are initially nominated by teachers from their high schools who find the students’ abilities  exemplary in their chosen areas.

“If students are selected to participate in this program, they will be exposed to a new style of learning that differs from any high school classroom situation,” Robinson said. “It would be a great opportunity to immerse themselves in the content of their subject [area] while meeting students from across the state with similar interests. It gives them a different perspective.”

Potential state interviewees are  juniors Maria Curry, Miguel Gonzalez, Anna Hall, Hannah Lachmayr, Shannon Mudrinich, Helena Resler, Regan Romuno, Will Sanders, and Erin Schilling. The sophomores are Connor Donahue, Caroline Poole, and Joshua Tysor.

Seven of the 12 GHP nominees were selected for music or dance. Poole, who was nominated by Chorus Director Dr. John Odom,  is the youngest.  “It is an honor making it past the county level,” Poole said.  “There are so many talented students and the stakes are high. The hard work for the audition paid off.”

Mudrinich, Resler and Romuno also advanced to the state level for chorus. The nominees had to send judges a video of them singing a song of their choice. “I had to submit a 90 second video, and then I had to sight read after my [county] interview,” Resler said. “I was completely shocked when I found out I made it to the next round.”

Mudrinich said she wad also surprised that she continued to the state rounds. She was hoping she would because it would give her an opportunity “to gain great interviewing experience and performing skills.”

Romuno felt prepared for her interview and the video because of her passion for singing and previous choir experience. “I have loved singing for as long as I can remember,” Romuno said. “My favorite part is the challenge of it. I love when there’s a demanding part in a song and I have to work repeatedly to get it right.”

Another Fine Arts enthusiast, Hall, was nominated by Drama Director David Spearman for dance. However, she is not new to the GHP program. “I was accepted into GHP last year, but the Joffrey Ballet School in New York  offered me a scholarship before I knew I got in, so I’d already accepted that when I learned that I was eligible for GHP,” Hall said.

Band Director Scott King nominated Sanders. He plays the trombone for the Wind Ensemble, the most advanced band at the school.  Sanders said he felt confident about his county interview.  “In the  audition, I went into a room where the judge asked me questions about what I like about music and what I hope to gain from GHP,” Sanders said. “The judge and I watched the taped solo that I sent in. I also played a sight reading excerpt for him.”

Lachmayr’s cello playing earned her a nomination for GHP from Orchestra Director Cynthia Wilson. “My favorite part of playing the cello is the satisfaction that comes after grueling practice when I feel I have played something to the best of my ability,” Lachmayr said. “Playing the cello has given me the opportunity to meet and work with some incredible people.”

The orchestra county interview was similar to the county interview process for wind and brass instruments. “I had to submit a video of me playing an excerpt from a composition of my choice. I had to sight read and answer various questions at the interview as well,” Lachmayr said.

Five students will represent Starr’s Mill at the state level in the academic disciplines. Curry  was nominated by AP Government and World History teacher Diane Ruane for Social Studies. “I am so honored to represent Starr’s Mill in such a great way,” Curry said. “I am so glad I have an opportunity to further my interests.”

Two students, Gonzalez and Donahue, were nominated in Foreign Language.  Spanish teacher Madeline Rodriguez selected both students for Spanish. “I selected these two students because of their interest [in GHP] and their outstanding abilities in the language,” Rodriguez said. “ They have a true passion for the language and want to continue learning.”

Rodriguez praised both students in their Spanish abilities. “Gonzalez is president of the Spanish Honor’s Society. He goes to Peeples Elementary to mentor third graders in Spanish and is involved in his community,” Rodriguez said.

Donahue is only a sophomore but Rodriguez hopes he will be invited to the summer program. “His skills in language are incredible,” Rodriguez said.

Tysor, another sophomore,  was selected for Mathematics by Accelerated Pre-Calculus and AP Calculus BC teacher J.B. Campbell. Tysor demonstrates his passion for math through his involvement in Math Team and participation in advanced math classes. “I love math because it helps solve problems from the real world, and it makes me think,” Tysor said.

AP Language and Composition teacher Lela Crowder nominated Schilling for Communicative Arts. She said she loves all aspects of her area of nomination. “I’m in journalism, on the Debate Team, and in the book club, so I basically do everything from discussing to writing to reading,” Schilling said. “If I had to choose my favorite aspect of my area, I’d probably say reading because my nose is in a book 24/7.”

Robinson said she has great confidence in the GHP nominees’ hard-work and determination. “We selected the cream of the crop for the GHP program,” Robinson said. “All of the students are very talented and hardworking. I believe they will do well in the state interview process of GHP.”