Three high school students from Sampson County are looking forward to attending an elite summer program to expand their talents in science, music and art.
Destiny Horne, Kaleb McLaurin and Samantha Sessoms were selected to attend Governor’s School of North Carolina. The five and one-half week program for intellectually gifted students includes integrated academic disciplines, arts and unique courses on two campuses. During the program for rising seniors, students and instructors focus on the exploration of recent ideas, concepts. Students do not have to take tests at Governor’s School.
Sessoms, a junior at Lakewood High School, has been selected to attend Governor’s School East at Meredith College in the area of natural science. She’s added that she’s excited about meeting a lot of new people.
“I get to meet people who are going to see things differently,” Sessoms said. “I’m really open in my own mind to see different things and different point of views.”
In the future, the Lakewood student would like to become a doctor and travel abroad while practicing medicine. She picked this career path after she spent time job shadowing doctors.
“I thought that I would really like this,” Sessoms said about becoming a general practitioner and performing minor surgeries. “And on the side, they do research and I really enjoy research.”
Each location is expecting up to 325 students from across North Carolina. It’s scheduled to begin in June and continue until July 27. Acceptance into Governor’s School required a challenging process which required essay writing and interviews in addition to excelling in academics.
Horne and McLaurin of Hobbton High School will also attend Governor’s School East next month. Stephanie Goethie, a school counselor at Hobbton High School, said it’ll give the students an opportunity to interact with different areas of the state, who went through the same rigorous process.
“The application process was quite rigorous,” she said about scoring in a high percentages on tests.
During Governor’s School, McLaurin will study visual arts and Horne, a trumpet player will focus on instrumental music.
“It’s going to fun to see people who are interested in the same thing I am and collaborate with them,” McLaurin said about art, which is something he began at a young age.
Like her peers, Horne is excited about the upcoming Governor’s School too. Horne discussed the audition process which took place in front of Governor’s School officials.
“The auditions will shake your nerves a little bit because you’re by yourself with judges,” Horne said.
“I think it will be pretty cool too,” Horne said about going to the school to meet other musicians. “A lot of people in my family are DJs, sing or something that’s musically inclined. I think it’s in my blood.”
After graduating from Hobbton next year, both students plan to expand their education to have careers in art and music. Horne plans to attend North Carolina State University to study music or veterinary medicine.
