To Every Taxpayer in Georgia:

Thank you for the best summer ever. For those of you who don’t know what I’m talking about, let me tell you where (some of) your money went.

This summer, I attended the Georgia Governor’s Honors Program. About 600 fellow high schoolers and I spent four weeks living and learning at Georgia Southern University. We took classes, ate meals, did homework, played games, created projects, and went on late-night walks together. Most importantly, we supported each other. Everyone came for a specific major, but we got to experience each other’s work: concerts, art shows, presentations, readings, projects, plays, and performances.

These exhibits blew me away- but the most valuable aspects of the whole program were the people I met and the conversations we had. The kids I met were smart- even brilliant- but above all, they were enthusiastic and kind. They were the type who would discuss legal theory in one breath and “KPop Demon Slayers” in the next. They were a work-hard, play-hard group.

In my Social Studies major, we would literally talk for hours, yet the conversation never ran dry because everyone always had something to contribute. We covered complicated topics with maturity, civility, and grace. I never have been, and may never be again, part of such candid discussions. I learned as much, if not more, from my peers as I did from my classes.

That didn’t stop our teachers from trying- I read hundreds of pages of books and papers every week (and sometimes every night), filled a five-subject notebook with wild scrawling, and collaborated with others to identify and address the world’s major issues- you’re welcome. I also spoke in front of 600-something people, made some dear friends, and went to dances on Saturday nights. I’ll admit, I was surprised by how lively the dances were- what with the population consisting of some of Georgia’s most studious and nerdy- but then I realized these people are going to dance like they do anything else- with passion.

It’s fair to say that it remains to be seen whether my nerding out for four weeks benefits the state as a whole. I’ll be frank: I’m not attempting to quantify the return on investment; I’m not trying to prove GHP’s worth. You can be the judge of that, as the taxpayer always is. But you have to understand, and you have to let me tell you, that I am so immeasurably grateful to you, and I know that all of GHP 62 is as well. From now on, everywhere I go and everything I do, I will strive to honor my experience at GHP. Thank you for making it possible.

Sincerely,

Gwyneth Ferguson