Teachers - If your local Governor's Honors Program (GHP) coordinator
for your school or system has not contacted you or given you an
application by now - then please contact them and find out when your
local applications are due and ask for a copy of the nomination form.
Local systems set their on local deadlines.

Remember that you can nominate four of your students (two in
Agriscience and two in Environmental Science) per high school.  The
students nominated must be current 10th or 11th grade students.  Below
is more detailed information on the nomination process.

Your student should submit the following to have a complete
application (all of this is turned in to your local GHP coordinator
and sent with the nomination form to the State GHP Office in Atlanta):

1. Nomination form including class ranking for your student - such as
35th out of 125
2. Teacher recommendation form
3. Picture of student attached to the front of nomination form
4. Portfolio - up to 10 pages documenting student activities and
achievements in both FFA and other organizations.  This can include
pictures, newspaper clippings, copy of certificates and pictures of
awards.
5. Abstract - this is used to show that the student exhibits skill in
scientific writing and communication. Attach a 300 to 500 word
abstract of a current or proposed Agriscience research project.  This
abstract should describe research of genuine interest to the student
and represent research which could feasibly be completed by the
student.  (An abstract is a summary of the important points of the
current or proposed research.  It should include a title and contain
(1) a statement of purpose; (2) why the problem is significant; and,
(3) how the problem will be investigated.)
6. Resume - Attach a resume describing activities. List activities in
these areas (use these headings): (1) Participation in agricultural
education classes; (2)Participation in Agriscience; (3) Participation
in FFA and other Agriculture organizations; (4) Participation in other
student organizations and community groups; (5) Leadership positions;
(6) Academic achievements;(7) Agriculture Supervised Experience
Projects.

The 2011 Governors Honors Program student nomination forms are now
available through your local GHP coordinator.  Every high school with
an Ag. Ed. program can nominate 4 students.   We have a separate quota
for Ag. Ed.  Four of your students can be nominated per high school.
Two in the area of Agriscience and two in the area of Environmental
(forestry, wildlife, natural resources).   The ones you nominate can
go straight to the Ag. Ed. interviews in Athens on Feb. 5.   Some
schools might have practice interviews, but your students should not
be eliminated (unless you have more than 4 for ag ed at your local
school) at the local level since you can send 4 to the state ag. ed.
interviews.    They need to be currently in the 10 or 11 grade and
should be one of your top students.  If  you do not consider them one
of your top students in your program, please do not nominate them.
They should be mature, well rounded and have an A average in your ag.
class.  They should also have an A or high B average in science.

Each local system has different deadlines on when the applications are
due.  If you have not heard from your local GHP coordinator, please
ask them for the nomination forms, the criteria for Ag. Ed. and the
date of the local deadline.  Below is a summary of the criteria and
other general information.  All students nominated in Ag. Ed. will be
interviewed on Saturday, February 5 in Athens.  It is the
responsibility of the student and parents to get them to the
interviews.

Criteria:

Students must be currently in the 10th or 11th grade.  Seniors can not apply.

Have taken or be currently enrolled in an agricultural education
course such as forestry, horticulture, agriculture, mechanics, animal
science, plant science or agriscience is highly recommended with an
awareness and appreciation of biotechnology or forestry science.

Demonstrate knowledge, interest, and aptitude in an agricultural
career and the ability to communicate in a variety of formats about
the results of experiments, data collection, research, or opinions of
agricultural issues.

Attach a current photograph to their application.

Exhibit evidence of high academic proficiency.  An overall GPA of 3.0
is recommended with an A in science courses (or B in honors or AP
classes) and an A in agricultural education courses.

Indicate a desire to participate in GHP in Agriscience and Biotechnology.

Exhibit skill in scientific writing and communication. Attach a 300 to
500 word abstract of a current or proposed Agriscience research
project.  This abstract should describe research of genuine interest
to the student and represent research which could feasibly be
completed by the student.  (An abstract is a summary of the important
points of the current or proposed research.  It should include a title
and contain (1) a statement of purpose; (2) why the problem is
significant; and, (3) how the problem will be investigated.)

More general information:

The deadlines for systems to return nominations to the State GHP
Office are late November (systems with enrollment of 999 or less in
grades 10 and 11), and early December (systems with enrollment of 1000
or more in grades 10 and 11).

Students nominated should meet the subject area criteria outlined in
the online document entitled Governor's Honors Program Instructional
Descriptions and Criteria for Selection in All Areas and the general
criteria provided in this document. Students should be advised of both
the instructional descriptions and the criteria for selection in the
specific subject area for which he/she applies. When making
nominations, the following points should be kept in mind:

1. Students should select the subject area in which they wish to be
nominated. In the event a student is nominated by more than one
teacher and for more than one area, the student's first choice should
be the deciding factor in determining the area of nomination.

2. Students may be nominated in only one subject area.

3. Students nominated last year but who did not participate in the
program this past summer may be re-nominated.

4. Students who participated in the 2010 summer program are not
eligible for participation in the 2011 program in any area.

5. The school principal, counselor, local coordinator, and system
superintendent must endorse all nominations.

6. Applications and information on alternates named by the local
system are not forwarded to the Governor's Honors Program office
except when a nominee is withdrawing prior to the interview date. Do
not send alternate applications along with the original nominees.

7. A transcript of high school grades must accompany each nomination form.

8. A SCORE ON THE PRELIMINARY SCHOLASTIC ASSESSMENT TEST (PSAT) OR
SCHOLASTIC ASSESSMENT TEST (SAT) IS A REQUIREMENT FOR SELECTION FOR
EVERY STUDENT. Handwritten or typed scores will NOT be accepted.
Printouts (or photocopies) from the testing service must be attached
to the student nomination form. PSAT/SAT scores arriving too late to
be included in the official nomination form will be accepted if
brought to the statewide screening interview by the student.

Students designated by the local school system as nominees and alternates must:

1. be in grades 10 or 11 at the time of nomination.

2. have his/her nomination originate with the subject area teacher
with approval of student and parent.

3. have demonstrated high aptitude and high interest in the area of nomination.

4. be in good physical health.

5. commit to participation in the statewide interviews as scheduled by
the Department of Education.

6. commit to participation in the program for the entire residential
period. This includes opening and closing days. .

7. commit to remaining on campus for the entire program with the
exception of one long weekend. The long weekend begins after the major
area on Friday (approximately 12:30 p.m.) and ends at 10 p.m. Sunday.

Please let me or Sidney Bell know if you have any questions.
Blane

--
Blane Marable
201 Four Towers - UGA
Athens, GA 30602
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706-552-4465