Six CCHS students selected to attend Governor's School

Six Culpeper County High School students will have a busy summer.

The students were accepted into either the Virginia Summer Residential Governor’s Schools or Governor’s Foreign Language Academy.

Hayley Angel, Conner Berkey, Andrew Hebert, John Nusbaum, Thomas Steimel and Coy Ferrell will live on a college or university campus for three to five weeks where they’ll focus on one subject.

Ladona Gorham, gifted program coordinator and social studies curriculum specialist for Culpeper County Public Schools, said applying to a Summer Residential Governor’s School or Foreign Language Academy is a big decision for high school students to make.

“It they are accepted, they need to sacrifice about a month of their summer vacations in order to attend these programs,” Gorham said. “The application process itself is rigorous. I believe that every student that applied this year was very qualified and was thrilled to see that Culpeper County had so many students accepted. I’d love to see even more students apply in the future.”

The six alternate students are: Katie Hunton, (CCHS); David Lezcano, (CCHS); Hannah Morris (CCHS); Brittany Ruley (CCHS); John Flemming (Eastern View); Bonnie Hansen (Eastern View); Grace Knight (Eastern View).

Gorham added that students applying to a visual or performing arts program must endure a regional adjudication where they audition or present their artwork to a panel of judges.

Students applying to a language academy must take two types of tests, possibly even taking the test in the foreign language.

Students taking the other academic program must take an abilities test. All applicants must write an essay and obtain teacher recommendations.

She said students who have participated in these programs in the past tell her that it has been one of the best experiences in their lives.

“The time away from home seems to be worth it and most students say they would do it all over again,” Gorham said.

Going to Governor’s School
CCHS students
Hayley Angel, humanities
Conner Berkey, visual art
Andrew Hebert, theater
John Nusbaum, math/science/technology
Thomas Steimel, math/science/technology
Coy Ferrell, Latin

Alternates for the Virginia Summer Residential Governor’s Schools or Foreign Language Academy
Katie Hunton,(CCHS)
David Lezcano, (CCHS)
Hannah Morris (CCHS)
Brittany Ruley (CCHS)
John Flemming (EVHS)
Bonnie Hansen (EVHS)
Grace Knight (EVHS)