7/14/98
ATHENS, Ohio -- Tenth- and 11th-grade students from 15 Southeastern Ohio schools are getting the taste and feel of a university campus during the Governor's Scholars Summer Institute at Ohio University.
The three-week program, which is funded by a state grant and conducted by several universities and colleges across Ohio introduces academically gifted high school students to university life. Ohio University is participating for the 13th year, hosting 110 students from July 6 through 24. Classes are taught from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily by local high school teachers and three Ohio University student teaching assistants.
This year's slogan is "The Challenge to Excel." Students may choose one of eight subjects to study: architecture, robotics, computers, creative writing, education, photography, psychology or sculpture. The students are nominated by the coordinators of gifted and talented programs at their high schools, sent applications by the university and then selected by the university based upon criteria that includes grades and extracurricular involvement.
Unique to Ohio University's program are the contributions of former participants. Each year, "Outstanding Scholars" are chosen in each of the eight areas, and are invited to return the following year as student leaders to assist instructors and provide leadership.
"This is a great way for students from a rural area who may not necessarily be surrounded by a lot of other students of their ability to interact with a peer group of other gifted students," said Linda Jones, director of the university's Governor's Summer Institute.