Academy to Offer In-Depth Math, Science Experience

Preparations are underway to open the Tennessee Governor’s Academy, a two-year residential program for some of the state’s top math and science high school students.

This fall, 12 girls and 12 boys will move into cottages on the campus of the state’s school for the deaf in Knoxville. At the academy, they’ll meet all of the requirements for a standard high school diploma. But Executive Director Vena Long says the experience will be very different from a traditional school. She says the program has access to the University of Tennessee professors and facilities, including its extensive science labs, as well as a working relationship with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

NC-LONG q:”…our future.” :15

“This is an experience that should jump start some of our finest students straight into highly creative occupations in technology, math, science, engineering—those kinds of roles that will build our future.”

Long emphasizes that the academy is a two-year academic experience, not the students’ primary school. So when they apply for college, the students’ transcripts will be issued from their high school at home, with grades from the academy plugged in. Their test scores will be attributed to their home district. And they’ll graduate in ceremonies at the schools where they attended before going to the academy.

The deadline to apply to the Tennessee Governor’s Academy is May 1st.