While most high schoolers are patting themselves on the back for having found a summer job before July, 100 Mississippi juniors and seniors were delving into college-level academics, in-person social networking and learning to be leaders.
Governor”s School, held annually at Mississippi University for Women, invites the top students from around the state to Columbus for three weeks to challenge themselves and their peers in ways they don”t generally experience at their regular schools. Monday, for instance, the beginning of the third week, those students gathered for a formal meal in Hogarth Hall to refine their dining etiquette and socialize with school officials.
The purpose, says Kate Brown, director of the Mississippi Governor”s School, is to create well-rounded students while, at the same time, sharpening their leadership skills.
“They study together, build a sense of community and build leadership,” she says.
The term “leadership” would come up over and over Monday. It was the topic of Roger Wicker Center for Creative Learning community liaison Dr. Chris Gilmer”s keynote address. It was spoken by instructors. It was on the minds of students as they recalled their experiences thus far at Governor”s School.
“I”ve learned a lot about who I am and that everyone is a leader,” said Hal Sullivan, 17, of Starkville. “But they have their own style of leadership. I”ve learned more about the way I lead than I ever would have if I hadn”t come to Governor”s School.”
“They have a creative way of showing us how to use our leadership skills,” said Jasmine Smith, 17, of Greenville.
Leadership, as Gilmer pointed out in his address, begins with leading one”s self. To put the students in control, the Governor”s School allowed the students to choose their preferences from a list of unique courses.
“There are some (courses) that would be considered controversial in most school settings,” said Jason Brown, an MUW graduate who now teaches high school biology, chemistry and physics in Texas. “They allow us to approach topics we normally wouldn”t approach in class.”
For instance, there”s a psychology course called “Down the Rabbit Hole,” which distinguishes which human behaviors are merely different and which are defective. Another psychology class examines the psychology of Adolf Hitler”s Third Reich.
Derek Migues, 16, of Brookhaven, was taking a philosophy course entitled “What Is the Good Life?,” a personal finance course aimed at financial wealth before retirement, and a knitting course.
Brown teaches a morning lab based on “The Science of ”CSI”” before switching to personal finance in the evenings.
“They”re not pushover classes. Most are very rigorous,” he says.
Of course, there are the fun courses: Guitar, drama, etc. And many of the courses aren”t driven by tests. They”re aimed at making kids think.
“We have to debate a lot and it”s hard because so many people are so strong willed,” said Lindsay Parker, 17, of Pass Christian. “We”re all leaders and I”m not used to debating with people who will stick to their guns and say what they think and not conform to what I or someone else thinks.”
It can also be said that Governor”s School as a whole is aimed at pushing kids outside their comfort zone. There are outgoing kids and shy kids. City kids and country kids. But Governor”s School has a challenge for everyone to bring out the leader within.
“One of my parents friends recommended it to me. They said it was a lot of fun and you get to learn stuff that really interests you and you get college credit for it,” recalled Erica Regl, 17, of Columbus. “I was a little nervous going through the whole process, but now I”m pretty comfortable with this whole situation.”
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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