Media Advisory

1701 Mountain Industrial Boulevard Stone Mountain, GA 30083-1027 678-676-1200

MEDIA ADVISORY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: DCSD Communications Office 404-486-3710

DCSD Students Qualify for Governor’s Honor Program Juniors and seniors will spend four weeks at Valdosta State University

April 2, 2013 – The DeKalb County School District (DCSD) has received notification that 36 students have been selected as finalists for the Georgia Governor’s Honors Program.

The Governor’s Honors Program, known as GHP, is a residential summer program for gifted and talented high school juniors and seniors. A function of the Georgia Department of Education, it takes place on the campus of Valdosta State University (VSU). The 2013 program will be the 50 th summer, making it the longest continually running program of its kind in the nation.

Nearly 3,000 students from across the state were interviewed and auditioned over three weekends in January and February, and from those nominees 690 finalists were chosen to participate in the 2013 program. Since the program is fully funded by the Georgia General Assembly, there is no charge for students to attend.

Students will arrive on the campus of VSU on Sunday, June 23. For four weeks, students will spend the morning in their major area of nomination, exploring topics not usually found in the regular high school classroom. During the afternoons, students choose one of the other areas in which to study. The curriculum in all the areas is challenging and engaging. Evenings are filled with seminars, activities, concerts and performances.

Director Dale Lyles said: “GHP is such a competitive program that even being nominated is an accomplishment. I congratulate the students of DeKalb County School District and look forward to meeting them and their parents in June.” He added that many if not most of GHP’s past participants regard it as one of the most life-changing events in their lives.

DCSD finalists for the 2013 Georgia Governor’s Honors Program are as follows:

Student’s Name High School GHP Major

Amera Dixon Arabia Mountain High School Chemistry

Swapnil Agrawal Chamblee Charter High School Mathematics Sounak Das Chamblee Charter High School German Kunal Goel Chamblee Charter High School German Solina Jean-Louis Chamblee Charter High School German Lizaremi Luna-Sousa Chamblee Charter High School Biology Kavi Pandian Chamblee Charter High School Social Studies

Cristian Padilla Cross Keys High School Social Studies

Rachelle Clark DeKalb School of the Arts Dance Michelle Dennis DeKalb School of the Arts Dance Lorne Feeser DeKalb School of the Arts Communicative Arts Darya Mack DeKalb School of the Arts Communicative Arts Emma Rary DeKalb School of the Arts Social Studies Colbie Zeno DeKalb School of the Arts Dance

Arthur Foley Druid Hills High School Mathematics Ian Hinze Druid Hills High School Communicative Arts Adriano Iqbal Druid Hills High School Communicative Arts Linh Phan Druid Hills High School Mathematics Jacob Pierce Druid Hills High School Social Studies Connor Spruell Druid Hills High School Communicative Arts Meera White Druid Hills High School Communicative Arts

Zachary Bloomberg Dunwoody High School Mathematics Elizabeth Cleary Dunwoody High School German Jeanne Davis Dunwoody High School Communicative Arts Thomas Dellaert Dunwoody High School Mathematics Josh Galerstein Dunwoody High School Music/Brass (Tuba) Mallory Harris Dunwoody High School Mathematics Joshua Klein Dunwoody High School Music/Brass (Trumpet) Mary Elizabeth Lee Dunwoody High School Mathematics Robin Spratling Dunwoody High School Spanish Jacky Zhu Dunwoody High School Mathematics

Emma Heneine Lakeside High School French Grace McKenna Lakeside High School Biology Zack Shepherd Lakeside High School Social Studies Alisha Stupp Lakeside High School Mathematics Allyn Waller Lakeside High School Latin

More information about GHP can be found on the Department of Education website (gadoe.org) under the Division of School Improvement.

###