Each year, Chamblee students are selected for the Governor’s Honors Program (GHP), a summer program that helps cultivate interests and skills among many Georgia sophomores and juniors. This year, 42 Chamblee students were chosen as semi-finalists to continue pursuing admission into GHP. After the initial steps, many students are feeling confident.
“I feel like I worked hard, and I feel like this is what I deserve, so I’m glad I managed to [move on],” said Shrikar Iyengar (‘28), a computer science nominee.
Others are excited to continue their pursuit of admission to this program.
“I know it’s the easy part, but I’m relieved to have that first part out of the way, and now I can procrastinate on the rest of my application,” said Andrew Watkins (‘28), a math nominee.
For some, motivation stemmed from the convenience of the program.
“It just seemed like a really exciting opportunity. It was free; it’s completely paid for by the state, so there’s really no reason not to apply,” said Maven Bolick (‘27), one of last year’s theater finalists.
Another reason to apply to GHP is for academics and learning opportunities.
“It’ll be good for college applications,” said Nikhil Muktinutalapati (‘28), a biology nominee, “but it’s also a topic I’m interested in.”
The educational benefits are also plentiful.
“I wanted to get a better understanding of how civil engineering interacts with architecture, which is what I’m interested in pursuing in college,” said Daniel Berry, one of last year’s civil engineering finalists
For others, it’s all about the community.
“I know a lot of people who’ve experienced it, and I thought it looked fun. They always had a good experience with the community,” said Sela Sokol (‘27), a theatre nominee.
Past participants also laud the community aspect.
“The peers that I was in the classes with are some of the nicest people, and I had so much fun just living on a college campus,” said Bolick.
Many nominees are anticipating belonging and friendships in the program.
“I expect just to have a fun summer alongside people who I don’t know but share my passions,” said Sokol.
Other nominees are also excited about the social aspect of the program.
“I think I’ll meet lots of people who have similar passions to me and hopefully make lifelong friends and gain lots of experience,” said Watkins.
While some may think GHP is only eyecandy for colleges, many nominees disagree.
“To me, it’s important for building experience and honing your passions, as opposed to just a resume builder,” said Sokol.
Some past finalists could not recommend the program highly enough.
“It was 100% the best month of my life,” said Bolick, “so I highly encourage everybody who has a subject they’re passionate about to give it a try.”
