Eight South DeKalb students are among 40 rising juniors and seniors from DeKalb headed to Valdosta State University on June 24 for the four-week Georgia Governor’s Honors Program.

Brandon McLean, Dallas Turner and Karri Thomas from Arabia Mountain High; Mikaila Ware, Richard Peay, Virginia Spinks and Constance Tolbert from DeKalb School of the Arts; and Southwest DeKalb High’s DuMarkus Davis will be among 690 students from across Georgia picked for the 2012 program. More than 2,900 were nominated and interviewed in January and February.

Last year, 14 students from South DeKalb participated in the summer residential instructional program that provides intellectually gifted and artistically talented high school students with challenging and enriching educational opportunities not usually available during the regular school year.  

Students spend 4.5 hours in their major area classes every morning and Monday through Saturday on activities that help them to acquire the skills, knowledge and attitudes to become independent, lifelong learners. 

The Georgia Governor’s Honors Program is fully funded by the Georgia General Assembly and operates at no cost to the participant. 

For more information, visit www.gadoe.org/School-Improvement/GHP.