Five Pender County high school students were selected to attend the Governor’s School of North Carolina. Students will attend the summer session from June 14th-July 25th  while experiencing campus life at Governor’s School West, located on the campus of Salem College in Winston-Salem or Governor’s School East on the campus of Meredith College in Raleigh.

The Governor’s School of North Carolina is the oldest statewide summer residential program for academically or intellectually gifted students in the nation.  The program is open to rising seniors only, with rising juniors being selected in the areas of performing and visual arts.

Nominees are chosen based on academic achievement, aptitude, scholastic performance and personal criteria that include two essays and a list of school and community activities, awards, and honors. Additionally, the county’s nominees interviewed with a panel of judges from the school district.  The following students were selected to participate in the 2009 session of Governor’s School:

Diego Camposeco, Pender Early College High School - Governor’s School West in the area of Social Science

Kayla Smith, Topsail High School - Governor’s School East in the area of Dance

Emily Woodrich, Topsail High School - Governor’s School East in the area of Instrumental Music  

Christopher Cornette, Topsail High School - Governor’s School East in the area of Math  

Paul Zavattieri, Topsail High School – Governor’s School East in the area of Math