2025 ghp finalists

After a rigorous interview and testing process, five Rome High School students have been selected as Governor’s Honors Finalists and will attend the Governor’s Honor Program this summer.

Andrew Neal, Isha Garg, Lucy Johnson, Emillie Maloney, and Yash Garg were all selected in their respective nomination areas.

Neal was selected for Music with a Brass: Trombone concentration. Isha Garg was selected in Science with a Biology/Environmental Science concentration. Yash Garg was selected in Social Studies. Johnson and Maloney were both selected in dance.

“We are extremely proud and excited that all of these students are going to be part of the Governor's Honor Program this summer,” Rome High School Principal Parke Wilkinson said. “I know that all of them have worked very hard to get into the program and will represent Rome High School well.”

The Georgia Governor’s Honors Program, more commonly known as GHP, is a residential summer program for skilled, knowledgeable, and talented high school sophomores and juniors. GHP offers instruction that is significantly different from the typical high school classroom and is designed to provide students with the academic, cultural, and social enrichment necessary to become the next generation of global critical thinkers, innovators, and leaders.

Public and private high schools across the state nominated more than 4,000 students who represent the best in areas of study including, Agricultural Science, Communicative Arts, Dance, Engineering, Mathematics, Music, Science, Social Studies, Theatre, Visual Arts, and World Languages. Of these, approximately 1,500 were selected as GHP semifinalists. Approximately 650 finalists were chosen to participate in the program. Since the program is fully funded by the Georgia General Assembly, there is no charge for students to attend.

The Georgia Governor’s Honors Program is the longest continually running program of its kind in the nation.

During the four weeks of the summer program at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, students spend the morning in their major area of nomination, exploring enrichment topics not usually found in the high school classroom. In the afternoons, students choose one of the other areas in which to study. The curriculum in all the areas is challenging and engaging. Evenings are filled with seminars, activities, concerts, and performances.