GSP applicants

Eight Marion County High School juniors have been selected to advance to the next round of the Governor’s Scholars Porgram’s application process: They are: Brooklynne Bland, Jasmine Farmer, William Knight IV, Kayla Lancaster, Michael Masterson, Lyda Nicole Montgomery, Jenna Schooling, and Kaylee Spalding.

Those students advance to the state level where they will have their applications reviewed to determine who receives an invite to attend the prestigious summer program. 

For Marion County High School guidance counselor Rachael Trent, simply moving through the application process is an achievement.

“Even just being able to say they applied to GSP or were invited to apply to GSP is a huge honor,” Trent said. “And the amount of time and effort these kids put in just shows their level of commitment to growth and investing in their future.”

If selected to attend, students would have a unique experience with additional benefits.

“It’s a big deal -- there’s a lot that rides on this,” Trent said. “We have a lot of students who this gives them the opportunity to go to a college they could not afford before because of the scholarships that get attached. But in addition, the kids I’ve talked to after they’ve gone, their experience has been life-altering.” 

Schools are allowed to submit a limited number of applications based on the total number of 11th grade students enrolled at the end of the second month of school. 

Last year, MCHS had four students accepted into the program.