CLIFTON FORGE — The Jackson River Governor’s School for Science, Mathematics and Technology (JRGS) recently celebrated the accomplishments of its students with an annual awards ceremony.
Located at Mountain Gateway Community College in Clifton Forge, the school-year Governor’s School offers programs for highly capable high school students. The school is open to qualifying high school juniors and seniors in the Alleghany Highlands, Bath County, Botetourt County, and Buena Vista.
The awards ceremony was held in the Mountain Gateway Community College Convocation Center, with Dr. Ben Worth, the college’s vice president of academic affairs, as the featured speaker. The community college has hosted the Governor’s School since the Governor’s School opened in 2000.
Students who attend the Jackson River Governor’s School can become a graduate of the Governor’s School, earn a career studies certificate from Mountain Gateway with up to 40 college credits, and have an opportunity to earn an associate degree from the community college.
“I don’t know of a Governor’s School student who hasn’t done incredibly well in college after they graduate from high school. The Governor’s School is a really good transition for them as they prepare to go from high school to college,” said Eddie Graham, a former Covington City Public Schools superintendent who has served as director of the Governor’s School since 2009.
The Governor’s School’s curriculum includes advanced chemistry, biology, college-level physics, statistics, introduction to scientific research, pre-calculus and calculus, differential equations, information literacy, and computer applications and concepts.
“The students receive college-level instruction at the Governor’s School, and they are exposed to some of the most rigorous classes that Mountain Gateway offers,” Graham said.
Thirteen governor’s school students received a science and career studies certificate from Mountain Gateway Community College in May. Earning career studies certificates were: Victoria Critzer (Covington High School), Isaac Gwinn (Bath County High School), Travis Hicks II (CHS), Emily Lanahan (Alleghany High School), Halen Lowman (AHS), Sydney Mahaffey (Parry McCluer High School), Megan McHenry (AHS), Silas Miller (James River High School), Baylee Slagle (PMHS), Riley Spangler (CHS), Orchid Tucker (AHS), Aiden VanBuren (AHS), and Zachary Vernon (JRHS).
Three Jackson River Governor’s School students were awarded associate degrees from Mountain Gateway this year: Sidney Donnan (AHS), Halen Lowman (AHS), and Maddox Potter (JRHS). In addition, two former Governor’s School students received associate degrees: Wynter Hannah-Howard and Mowa Tucker, both of AHS.
At the awards ceremony, Graham participated in the recognition of students from the participating high schools in the Jackson River Governor’s School’s service region.
Frank Fu, a member of the Alleghany High School Class of 2023, was recognized as the Governor School’s master scholar. The master scholar award is given to a student who earns all A’s in their junior and senior years at the Governor’s School.
Fu will enroll at the University of Virginia in the fall and study computer science. Graham describes Fu as a self-motivated student who spends a great deal of time learning outside of the classroom setting.
“To watch Frank in class at the Governor’s School, he was a very quiet student and you would think he was not paying attention. But he was paying attention, and he did so much work on his own, in and out of class. He was quite amazing in that regard,” Graham said.
Fu was among nine JRGC graduates who were recognized during the ceremony. In addition to Fu, the graduating class included: Sidney Donnan, Alleghany High School, who plans to attend Davidson College and major in English; Isaac Gwinn, Bath County High School (Virginia Military Institute-electrical and computer engineering); Halen Lowman, Alleghany High School (Averett University-history); Kellen Lowman, Alleghany High School (Mountain Gateway Community College-general studies); Megan McHenry, Alleghany High School (Virginia Tech-English); Maddox Potter, James River High School (Virginia Tech-engineering); Aiden Williams, Alleghany High School (James Madison University-music education); and Nathan Williams, Parry McCluer High School (Virginia Tech-computer engineering).
Recognition was also given to outstanding scholars for 2022-2023. The outstanding scholar recipients were: Sydney Mahaffey, Parry McCluer High School (chemistry); Frank Fu, Alleghany High School (physics and calculus), Travis Hicks, Covington High School (pre-calculus), Victoria Critzer, Covington High School (statistics), Riley Spangler, Covington High School (information technology-junior), and Megan McHenry, Alleghany High School (information technology-senior).
First-year governor’s school completers were: Victoria Critzer (CHS), Travis Hicks II (CHS), Emily Lanahan (AHS), Sydney Mahaffey (PMHS), Silas Miller (JRHS), Riley Spangler (CHS), Orchid Tucker (AHS), Aiden VanBuren (AHS), Zachary Vernon (JRHS), and Baylee Slagle (PMHS).
Sixteen students also completed an introductory course to cybersecurity through the Cisco Networking Academy. The networking academy is a skills-to-job program, which prepares students for in-demand information technology jobs.
Cisco introductory course completers were: Victoria Critzer (CHS), Sidney Donnan (AHS), Frank Fu (AHS), Isaac Gwinn (BCHS), Tavis Hicks II (CHS), Emily Lanahan (AHS), Halen Lowman (AHS), Kellen Lowman (AHS), Sydney Mahaffey (PMHS), Silas Miller (JRHS), Maddox Potter (JRHS), Riley Spangler (CHS), Aiden VanBuren (AHS), Zachary Vernon (JRHS), Aiden Williams (AHS), and Nathan Williams (PMHS).
The Jackson River Governor’s School is one of 19 Governor’s Schools in Virginia. Students interested in the Jackson River Governor’s School in the Alleghany Highlands, Bath County, Buena Vista, and Botetourt County, including those who attend Lord Botetourt High School, should contact their guidance counselor.
In the fall, AHPS students in grades 9-12 will attend Alleghany High School. AHPS was created through the July 1, 2022, merger of Alleghany Highlands Public Schools, Covington City Public Schools, and Jackson River Technical Center.
“We are so excited by the progress of these students and wish to emphasize that Jackson River Governor’s School can be a great option for many highly capable students, including those who are not specifically interested in a science-related career,” said Tony Francis, superintendent of Buena Vista Public Schools.
Superintendents in the region rotate supervision of the Governor’s School. Francis oversaw the school in 2022-2023; Kim Halterman of Alleghany Highlands Public Schools will supervise the school in 2023-2024. The school is governed by a joint board of school board representatives from each participating school division.
AHPS is the fiscal agent of the Jackson River Governor’s School. AHPS news and events are regularly updated on Facebook at AHPublicSchools, and the division website www.ahps.k12.va.us.
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