Below are detailed instructions you should read before beginning the application process to GHA.
The first step to applying to GHA is to be sure you meet the proper requirements.
School Decision
1. The principal establishes a school selection committee, composed of the principal or a designee, guidance counselor, two teachers (one who teaches high-level classes or gifted), and a senior-level student who has attend GHA, provided that there is one in your school.
2. The counselor notifies students who are eligible to apply for the program and announces the opportunity for all interested students. These announcements are crucial, because it is possible for the counselor to miss an eligible student.
3. Each student completes an application and requests recommendations from two teachers and a peer. The teachers should be from grades 9-11.
4. Teachers and peer type recommendations and submit them to the student..
5. The school committee then considers all complete applications and nominates qualified students to the county. The time line for submissions is determined by the county coordinator to dovetail with the county and state deadline.
County Decision
1. The superintendent or county GHA coordinator issues timelines to each school, including private and parochial schools. The county coordinator names a county selection committee composed of the superintendent or a designee, a teacher representative from each participating high school, senior GHA alumnus/ae, a teacher of honors classes or gifted students, a counselor, and a career/technical educator.
2. One female and one male student are selected to participate in the West Virginia Governor's Honors Academy. These are designated as the superintendent's choices.
3. Additional students are nominated by the county for consideration as at-large appointments for a state-wide pool.
4. The county submits its participants and at-large candidates to the superintendent for his/her signature and then submits them to the State Coordinator of Governor's Schools and Gifted Education. Counties are NOT to notify students of their selection status. Students who are selected will receive a letter from Governor Manchin.
State Decision
1. Two superintendent's appointees--one male and one female--are reviewed for eligibility and invited to attend the Academy.
2. The West Virginia Governor's Honors Academy Advisory Council evaluates candidates for at-large positions and selects a minimum of 70 additional students to attend. Among the 180 students, there shalll be at least 15 career-technical students
Listed below are the applications for potential GHA Students, Faculty, Resident Director, and Resident Assistants. Do not fill out the application before familiarizing yourself with the process.
The links below are available as Microsoft Word documents.
Right click the links and select "Save target as" or on a Mac select "Download linked file." Then open the file as a Word document. After opening the document in Word, highlight the line where the information you wish to enter should be and type the requested information.The final page of the application, which includes some short answers can be filled out in the same manner. Don't worry if it spills over onto another page. Please use 12-point type. After completing the application and writing the essay, print it and include it in your application packet. If you have problems, contact Sherry Keffer at skeffer@wvosea.org.
Faculty and RD/RA applicants: Mail applications to
Sherry Keffer
Building 5, Room 205
1900 Kanawha Blvd, East
Charleston, Wv 25305
Student Application (MS Word document)
Resident Director/Resident Assistant Application (MS Word document)
Faculty Application (MS Word document)
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Student applications must be sent to Charleston by February 11, 2008. Although they should be mailed to arrive by then, applications postmarked by that date will also be accepted.
RD and RA applications must be received between January 15 and February 15.
Faculty applications must be postmarked by November 21, 2007. Interviews will be on December 8.