Governor's Schools of West Virginia | Governor's Honors Academy

About the GHA Program

The three best weeks you NEVER imagined! After all, who'd think that a "school" could be so memorable? Read on.

“Spend three weeks on a college campus the summer before my senior year? Meet some of the greatest kids in West Virginia? Work with master teachers in my fields of greatest interest? And it’s free? Come on - you have to be kidding.”

Actually, the Governor’s Honors Academy (GHA) offers all of those things to 200 of the top-achieving students in West Virginia, and this year, GHA is being held on the exciting campus of West Virginia University. Students and faculty will be housed in Honors Hall.

The resources of WVU are at the disposal of the Academy faculty, staff, and students. Facilities to be used include, but are not limited to, classrooms, laboratories, recreational facilities, studios, and auditoriums

2011 GHA students are happy to be in Washington, DC.

Mission Statement

Designed to stimulate and support excellence in education through a multi-week summer program, the West Virginia Governor’s Honors Academy was started in 1984 by Governor John D. Rockefeller IV. The mission of the academy is to operate an academically rich environment designed to honor high ability/high achieving students in an institution of higher education, challenging students to grow intellectually, creatively, and socially in a culturally diverse atmosphere.

Who can apply?

GHA is open to all eleventh grade students who are residents of West Virginia and attend high school in West Virginia, including public, private, and home schools. Students who plan to graduate after their junior year are NOT eligible. See Student Qualifications for more information.

Will I be notified when Part I of the application is accepted?

If your application is successfully transmitted, a message thanking you for applying will pop up. If the screen does not change, you have not entered some required date correctly. Review the form and resubmit. You will not receive an email saying your application has arrived.

Will I get a scholarship if I attend GHA?

Attending the Governor's Honors Academy is a scholarship in itself. You'll be on a college for three weeks at no cost. Some colleges and universities, however, do offer scholarships to GHA alums. Check with the financial aid officer at the schools you are considering to see fi a scholarship is available. Whether they can be used with other scholarships also differs. from school to school. They can be stacked with the PROMISE Scholarship.

How much does it cost?

There is no cost to students or their families for tuition, room, meals, activities, books or instructional materials. Only health and accident insurance, travel to and from the academy site, (WVU), and personal expenses are the responsibility of the students and

their families.

How soon can I submit my application?

Students must work through the school guidance counselor to apply to GHA. The counselor will check your test scores and GPA to see if you qualify. It's your responsibility to check with your counselor and to complete t the application and get the required references. The application is in two parts. Part I is to be submitted online by February 20. Part II is the paper application and it must be submitted to the school. YOU turn your application in to the designated person at the school before the school deadline.The SCHOOL turns it in to the county office, and the COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT sends in the names of the two Superintendent's Choices and the applications of students included in the state-wide pool. See the Application for more information.

What if I didn't get a Distinguished score on the WESTEST?

The WESTEST score is only one of several scores used to determine eligibility for GHA. Others include a score in at least the 90th percentile on a nationally normed test such as the ACT, the ACT PLAN,, the SAT or the PSAT. In addition, a score of 3 or higher on an Advanced Placement examination meets the testing criteria. You only need to meet one of the criteria to be eligible.

What if I am to represent my Career/Technical Center in a State or National Competition?

Through a special arrangement with the West Virginia Department of Education, C/T students will be given special consideration to attend state or national C/T competitions.

How soon can I expect to know whether I have been accepted?

Students chosen to attend GHA will receive a letter from the Governor approximately one month from the final deadline. The names of selected students will be published on the website approximately one week after the letters from the Governor have been mailed so that all students will know who was chosen.