A total of 18 students from Fayette’s public high schools were selected to attend the 2020 Governor’s Honors Program (GHP) this summer on the campus of Berry College. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program will not be held this year; however, the Fayette County Public School System is proud of the students who passed the rigorous selection process for the 2020 GHP class and we congratulate them on this great accomplishment. 

The following students are among the 2020 state finalists: (Fayette County High) Shefali Tyagi, communicative arts; (McIntosh High) Mark Adams, social studies; Shaan Haider, mathematics, Jessica Hart, visual arts; Elise Johnson, world languages; Priyam Kadakia, science; Thomas Keohane, social studies; Elizabeth Larsen, social studies; Eva Call, visual arts; Yejin Nam, music; Dalton Toner, engineering; (Starr’s Mill High) Natalie Robichaux, communicative arts; Teja Sai Sree Pulagam, mathematics, Henry Ravita, science; Amanda Robinson, science; (Whitewater High) Kayla Jordan, music; Pritica Patel, music; Cayden Shaffer, engineering.

GHP is a four-week intensive study program with coursework and activities structured to stretch and challenge students beyond the normal classroom experience. Acceptance into the program is very competitive. The state receives over 3,000 applications from sophomores and juniors each year and approximately 20 percent or less are invited to attend. Those chosen have demonstrated creativity and giftedness in academic or creative fields, superior ability in their area of study, and the social and emotional maturity required to thrive in an intensive, residential setting for the duration of the program. The Governor’s Honors Program is fully funded by the Georgia General Assembly, so there is no charge for students to attend.

Nomination to the program is a multi-part process beginning at the school system level to determine the nominees who are invited to complete a state application. The Governor’s Office of Student Achievement selects a limited number of students to interview at the state level. Finalists are selected from this final group.