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The Jackson River Governor’s School for Science, Mathematics and Technology (JRGS) this past summer 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. Among those earning certificates were Parry McCluer High School students Sydney Mahaffey and Baylee Slagle. Mahaffey was also recognized as an outstanding scholar in chemistry. Both Slagle and Mahaffey were first year governor’s school completers. Nathan Williams of Parry McCluer High School was among the graduates. He is attending Virginia Tech to study computer engineering.
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. Mahaffey and Williams also completed this.
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.
“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.
