The Governor’s School of South Carolina at the College of Charleston is a four-week residential summer program designed for academically and intellectually gifted high school students. Established in 1976, the Governor’s School provides special academic opportunities for a limited number of rising high school seniors who have demonstrated exceptional academic achievement, intellectual potential, and creativity.
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The Governor’s School is conducted on the historic College of Charleston campus and typically takes place during a four-week period from mid-June to the first week of July.
Due to State budget cuts the South Carolina Governor's Scholar Program was cancelled. The last class to graduate with the distinction of South Carolina Governor's Scholar was the summer program of 2008.
Courses
Each student enrolls in a Subject Concentration and a Global Issues course to be taught for the duration of the program.
Subject Concentration courses include classes, laboratories, workshops and supervised individual study in a variety of areas which include (a) the physical and natural sciences, (b) the humanities, and (c) the social sciences. In the Subject Concentration, students engage in intensive work which includes both exposure to current theory and extensive “hands-on” experience or fieldwork.
Global Issues courses are the second component of the program and include classes, debates and guest speakers. The Global Issues courses are designed to give students the opportunity to think critically about the major global issues facing our increasingly interdependent world. Each course will approach many common global issues from different perspectives – political science, anthropology, geography, history, psychology, etc.
Enrichment
As a supplement to their Subject Concentration and Global Issues classes, Governor’s Scholars have the opportunity to participate in many types of enrichment activities.
There are optional activities, including but not limited to: films, dances, beach trips, open-mic nights, game shows, and sports activities. There is an Annual Talent Show in which students, counselors, and faculty participate. In addition to these optional activities, there are “ANWaTGOOI’s,” or “Ain’t No WAy To Get Out Of It” activities. These may include lectures and panel discussions which address current, and often controversial, political and social issues. Presenters have included national and international writers, government officials, business representatives, journalists, and filmmakers.
Scholars are strongly encouraged to avail themselves of these enrichment opportunities, especially since they are very different from the types usually available in a high school setting. It is also through these activities, nearly all of which take place outside the classroom, that students participate and interact with other gifted and talented scholars from throughout the state.
How is this different from high school?
Governor’s Scholars are united by their common desire to engage in intellectual and creative pursuits. Drawn from all areas of the state of South Carolina, students enroll in classes taught by professors from some of the nation’s top universities. Since Governor’s Scholars include many of South Carolina’s most gifted students, and since they take only two courses, Governor’s School courses can be taught at an advanced level, depth, and pace that is usually not possible in high schools. A conscious effort is made to ensure that Governor’s School courses do not duplicate the usual offerings of either high school or college curricula.
Governor's School also offers students a level of independence and individual challenge not available in a typical high school. Four weeks in a college-like dorm environment; interacting with peers all of whom possess a high degree of intelligence and creativity; and courses taught by college professors who are used to treating students like adults: these factors allow students to flourish and mature at a rapid pace while still operating in a safe and controlled atmosphere. Governor's School can be viewed as an intermediate step between high school and college, preparing students for the rigorous academic environment and social demands of college life.
The Guvie
To be eligible to become a "Guvie" (student participant in the Governor's School program), students must be rising high school seniors who are legal residents of South Carolina. They must also have been identified by their schools as academically and intellectually gifted. Acceptance into the program is limited to approximately 200 students per year.