Twenty-six students from Effingham County will be interviewing soon for acceptance to the Governor’s Honors Program. GHP is a six-week summer instructional program housed at Valdosta State University and funded by the state.

The following students have been nominated for the program based on outstanding performance in their selected subject area:  

Effingham County High School: Josie Beebe (Music/Voice-Alto), Jodi Braselton (Visual Arts), Emily Daniels (Dance), Marisa Griffiths (Biology), Taylor May (Biology), Nathan McDonald ( Social Studies), Pratha Sheth (Biology), Jacob Springer (Mathematics), Stephen Tyson (Music/Brass-French Horn), Hillary Usher (Music/Voice-Soprano), Aaron Williams (Executive Management), Jacqueline Zantow (Music/Woodwinds-Clarinet);

South Effingham High School: Clifford Brown (Technology), Austin Freeman (Communicative Arts), Brandon Hancock (Music/Brass-Trumpet), Charlee Hogan (Music/Woodwinds-Clarinet), Josey Jiminez (Music/Woodwinds-Saxophone), Tamra Lamb (Theatre), Maci Lorenz (Technology), Robert McLaughlin (Social Studies), Casey Moran (Communicative Arts), Ashley Sapp (Agriscience/Environmental Science), Hanna Schoen (Agriscience/Biotechnology), Amanda Starling (Theatre), Emilia Truluck (Communicative Arts), Brandon Vinke (Technology).

Participation in the all-expense paid summer instructional program is designed to provide intellectually gifted and artistically talented high school students challenging and enriching educational opportunities not usually available during the regular school year.

Nominees from each high school were chosen based on teacher recommendations, standardized test scores, grades, and interest in a particular academic, artistic or technical area. State finalists are announced in late March after completion of the interviews and auditions.