This summer, 20 APS students will attend the Governor’s School for Academics, Mentorship, Visual and Performing Arts or the Foreign Language Academy.

Both programs allow students to focus on a specific area of intellectual or artistic strengths and interests and to study in a way that best suits the gifted learner’s needs. Each program stresses non-traditional teaching and learning techniques. For example, major elements in the instructional design may include realistic or artistic productions, small group instruction, hands-on experiences, research, or field studies.

To gain admittance to the program, students had to apply and go through a highly competitive process. Students applying for the visual and performing arts program were also required to complete an arts audition at the district level. Then candidates moved on to compete at the state level.

Governor’s Schools for Academics, Mentorship and Visual and Performing Arts

H-B Woodlawn
Caroline Kassir, Humanities; James Reed, Marine Science/VIMS

Wakefield
Saleha Hoffman, Mathematics, Science & Technology; Retta Laumann, Theatre

Washington-Lee
Wejdan Aboalkhoyour, Visual Arts; Julia Flynn, Humanities; Vincent LaGrassa, Mathematics, Science & Technology; Valerie Volodin, Agriculture

Yorktown
Elizabeth Kraisinger, Humanities; Dina Liacopoulos, NASA; Kathleen Love, Agriculture; Nathan Snyder, Mathematics, Science & Technology; Drew Sullivan, Mathematics, Science & Technology

Governors’ Foreign Language Academy

Wakefield
Megumi Thurston, Japanese

Washington-Lee
Julia Churbuck, Spanish; Draken Garfinkel, Latin; Evangelia Riris, Japanese; Claire Spirtas-Hurst, French

Yorktown
Colleen Dugan, Spanish; Casey Fishman, French