2007-2008 ACHIEVEMENTS

• The school was awarded Palmetto Gold by the South Carolina Education Oversight Committee - an honor that recognizes high levels of academic achievement and high rates of student academic improvement - for the seventh consecutive year.
• Creative writing senior Mary Murphy (Simpsonville, Mauldin High School) was named a Presidential Scholar in the Arts - one of only 20 students nation-wide.
• The Class of 2008 (109 students) has been awarded over $14.6 million in scholarship offers from organizations and institutions throughout the country. They've been accepted to and have plans to attend the following schools this fall, as well as many of the fine schools in our state and beyond: Yale, Harvard, Northwestern, The Cooper Union, Princeton, and Boston and Oberlin Conservatories.
• Seven Governor's School students were chosen as finalists by the National Merit Scholarship Program - they represent less than one percent of U.S high school seniors, and include the highest scoring entrant in the state:
  • Celeste Brewer-Creative Writing Student (Greenville, J.L. Mann Academy)
  • Allen Butt-Creative Writing Student (Beaufort, Beaufort Academy)
  • Matthew Casedonte-Creative Writing Student (Anderson, T.L. Hanna High School
  • Chloe Davis - Dance Student (Greenville, Governor's School)
  • Jamie Ferguson - Drama Student (Landrum, Polk County High School)
  • Lauren Koch - Drama Student (Anderson, T.L. Hanna High School)
  • Benjamin Watkins - Piano Student (Hodges, The McCallie School)
• Two Governor's School students were chosen as finalists by the National Achievement Scholarship Program - they are two of only 1600 Black American high school seniors designated in the 44th annual competition:
  • Trenton Barnes - Visual Arts Student (Seneca, West Oak High School)
  •  William Smith - Drama Student (Greenville, J.L. Mann Academy)
• Governor's School Advanced Placement scores compared to national averages:
  • AP Music Theory: The National Average of passing scores is 63% - Governor's School's is 96%
  • AP Art History: The National Average of passing scores is 61% - Governor's School's is 82%
  • AP English Language: The National Average of passing scores is 59% - Governor's School's is 86%
  • AP European History: The National Average of passing scores is 66% - Governor's School's is 100%
• Thanks to a grant from the Surdna Foundation of New York, the following guest artists worked with our students:
  • Oscar-nominee, Actor David Strathairn
  • Tony-nominee, Theatre Artist Andre DeShields
  • Cellist Zuill Bailey
  • Novelist and short story-writer Daniel Wallace
  • Soprano Myra Cordell
  • Violist Victoria Chiang
  • Pianist Donna Lee
  • Novelist David Shields
  • Novelist Susan Orlean
• Thanks to the South Carolina Arts Commission, members of the National Symphony Orchestra visited to perform and work with our music students.
• Seniors Colin Whelehan (Greenville, Greenville High School) and T.J. Hu (Clemson, D.W. Daniel High School) qualified to participate in the 26th annual American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME).
• Three Governor's School students qualified to compete in the National History Day Competition in Maryland (of over 9000 South Carolina students that entered, these three students are among just about two dozen students representing our state at nationals):
  • A.J. Brannum, Dance Student (Columbia, Richland Northeast High School)
  • John Ott, Creative Writing Student (Rowesville, Brachville High School)
  • Kyndra Mack, Drama Student (Holly Hill, Lake Marion High School)

Creative Writing Students

• Tori Cole (Columbia, Richland Northeast High School) won one of the five $10,000 National Scholastic Writing Awards for her creative nonfiction portfolio.
• Two creative writing students, Allen Butt (Beaufort, Beaufort Academy) and Mary Murphy (Simpsonville, Mauldin High School), were chosen among 22 finalists in the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts (NFAA) competition. They each received an all-expenses-paid trip to Miami for youngARTS 2008 where Allen won $3000 and Mary won $5000, each for their creative nonfiction work.
• Additional NFAA award winners this year are:
  • Tori Cole (Columbia, Richland Northeast High School) - Honorable Mention
  • Caroline McTeer (Early Branch, Wade Hampton High School) - Merit Award
  • Katie Smith - High School Ten-Page Screenplay Contest, Honorable Mention
• The following students won Gold Awards from the National Scholastic Writing Competition
  • Sammi Bryan (Anderson, Christ Church Episcopal School) - Personal Essay/Memoir
  • Allen Butt (Beaufort, Beaufort Academy) - Short Story
  • Sarah Carnick (Simpsonville, Hillcrest High School) - one for Poetry and one for Humor
  • Matt Casedonte  (Anderson, T.L. Hanna High School) - Poetry
  • Andrew Durbin (Simpsonville, Mauldin High School) - Short Short Story
  • Cassie Falk (Mullins, Mullins High School) - Personal Essay/Memoir
  • Mary Murphy (Simpsonville, Mauldin High School) -  Scriptwriting
• The following students won Silver Portfolio Awards from the National Scholastic Writing Competition
  • Kelsey Allagood (Westminster, West Oak High School) - Non-fiction Portfolio
  • Cody Buchanan (Belton, Palmetto High School) -  Non-fiction Portfolio
  • Allen Butt (Beaufort, Beaufort Academy) 2 - one for General Writing Portfolio, one for Non-fiction Portfolio
  • Andrew Durbin (Simpsonville, Mauldin High School) - General Writing Portfolio
  • Megan Hicks (Pelion, Pelion High School) 2 - one for Non-Fiction Portfolio, one for General Writing Portfolio
  • Jessica Jernigan (Seneca, Seneca High School) - Non-fiction Portfolio
  • Margaret Sands(Murrells Inlet, Waccamaw High School) - General Writing Portfolio
• The following students won Silver Awards from the National Scholastic Writing Competition
  • Allen Butt (Beaufort, Beaufort Academy) - Short Story
  • Isaiah Swanson(Easley, Easley High School) - Personal Essay/Memoir
• The following students won awards in the South Carolina Writers Workshop High School Competition
  • Jon Ott, Jr. (Rowesville, Brachville High School) - 1st Place Fiction
  • Sammi Bryan (Anderson, Christ Church Episcopal School) - 1st Place Non-fiction
  • Taylor Davidson 1st Place Poetry and 2nd Place Non-fiction
  • Maggie Creech  (Rock Hill, Northwestern High School) - Honorable Mention Fiction
  • Hannah Jarrett (Chapin, Chapin High School) - Honorable Mention Poetry
  • Mike Roberts (Greenville, Mauldin High School) - Honorable Mention Poetry
• The following creative writing students were awarded a total of 68 Regional At-Large Gold Key Awards from the Scholastic Writing competition this year:
  • Seniors:
    • Kelsey Allagood (Westminster, West Oak High School)
    • Celeste Brewer (Greenville, J.L. Mann Academy)
    • Cody Buchanan (Belton, Palmetto High School)
    • Allen Butt (Beaufort, Beaufort Academy)
    • Tori Cole (Columbia, Richland Northeast High School)
    • Nick Condatore (Seneca, Seneca High School)
    • Sarah Carnick (Simpsonville, Hillcrest High School)
    • Matt Casedonte (Anderson, T.L. Hanna High School)
    • Andrew Durbin (Simpsonville, Mauldin High School)
    • Cassie Falk (Mullins, Mullins High School)
    • Megan Hicks (Pelion, Pelion High School)
    • Hannah Jarrett (Chapin, Chapin High School)
    • Jessica Jernigan (Seneca, Seneca High School)
    • Bekah LaTour (Clemson, D.W. Daniel High School)
    • Caroline McTeer (Early Branch, Wade Hampton High School)
    • Mary Jean Murphy (Simpsonville, Mauldin High School)
    • Margaret Sands (Murrells Inlet, Waccamaw High School)
    • Katie Smith (Anderson, T.L. Hanna High School)
    • Isaiah Swanson (Easley, Easley High School)
  • Juniors:
    • Jacob Borchardt (Lexington, Lexington High School)
    • Sammi Bryan (Anderson, Christ Church Episcopal School)
    • Maggie Creech (Rock Hill, Northwestern High School)
    • John Ott (Rowesville, Brachville High School)
    • Michael Roberts (Greenville, Mauldin High School)
    • Shelby Switzer (Columbia, Richland Northeast High School)
    • Lauren Taylor (Inman, Chapman High School)

Dance Students

• A third (four of 12) of the finalists in the 2008 Youth America Grand Prix Southeast Regional Dance Competition that have been selected to move on to the national competition in New York this April are Governor's School dancers. They are:
  • Michael Agudelo (Spartanburg, Harid Conservatory)
  • Elena Bello (Conway, Carolina Forest High School)
  • Caleb Roberts (Hartsville, C.J. Roberts Academy)
  • Jonathan Spigner (Greenville, Home schooled) - Jonathan Spigner also won the region's silver medals in both classic and contemporary dance at the 2008 Youth America Grand Prix Southeast Regional Dance Competition.

Drama Students

• Five Drama students won National Foundation for the Advancement in the Arts (NFAA) Awards (the most the school has won in one year).They are:
  • Mary Tilden (Columbia, Dreher High School) - Honorable Mention (top 5% out of over 1500 applicants nationwide)
  • Emily Ussery (Tega Cay, Fort Mill High School) - Honorable Mention (top 5% out of over 1500 applicants nationwide)
  • Stephen Cook (Greenville, Riverside High School) - Merit Award (top 10% nationwide)
  • Sarah Mullis (Columbia, Irmo High School) - Merit Award (top 10% nationwide)
  • William Smith (Greenville, J.L. Mann Academy) - Merit Award (top 10% nationwide)
• Drama senior Sarah Mullis (Columbia, Irmo High School) won the English Speaking Union's Regional Shakespeare Competition. This is the fourth time a Governor's School student has won this competition.
• Drama seniors performed in the following productions this year:
  • "The Women of Lockerbie" by Deborah Brevoort
  • "The Shadow Box" by Michael Cristofer
  • "Our Town" by Thornton Wilder 

Music Students

• Clarinetist Andy Jacobi (Clemson, D.W. Daniel High School), was named winner of the Greater Anderson Musical Arts Consortium Concerto Competition earlier this year (which includes both college and high school students). He performed Premier Rapsodie for Clarinet by Claude Debussy and had the honor of performing the same piece with the GAMAC Orchestra.
• Margaret Gould, violin (Greenville, Greenville High School) and Audrey Cook, cello (Greenville, Christ Church Episcopal School) were selected as two of the five finalists in the GAMAC Competition.
• DJ Cheek, viola (Easley, Pickens High School) and Margaret Gould, violin (Greenville, Greenville High School) were two of 120 students selected nationally for the American String Teachers Association's 2008 High School Honors Orchestra.
• Benjamin Watkins, piano (Hodges, The McCallie School) was invited to participate in the Aloha International Piano Festival and Competition in Kailua, Hawaii where he won second place.
• Caroline Beckman, bassoon (Easley, Easley High School) and Yvonne Kao, flute (Greer, Riverside High School) were selected as Senior Solo Competition Winners by the Carolina Youth Symphony.
• Marcus Shields (Columbia, Hammond School) won 1st place in the Classical Singer Competition. Caroline Alexander (Lexington, Lexington High School) and Kati Lear (Mt. Pleasant, Charleston School of the Arts) also placed in this competition.
• Kristine Kruta, cello (Simpsonville, J.L.Mann Academy) and Ben Chen, clarinet (Simpsonville, Mauldin High School) were selected as finalists in the Clemson University Orchestra's Concerto Competition. Ben received Honorable Mention in the event.
• Allen Fitzpatrick, viola (Rock Hill, Northwestern High School) received Honorable Mention in the Senior Strings category at the 21st annual Young Artists Competition sponsored by the Charlotte Symphony's Youth Festival.
• Aaron Price (Georgetown, Georgetown High School) was awarded the Emerson Scholarship for the Interlochen Summer Program. One student from each of the 52 states is chosen for this honor each year.
• The following students were selected to attend the National Symphony Orchestra's Summer Music Institute (approximately 70 students are chosen nation-wide):
  • Margaret Gould, violin (Greenville, Greenville High School)
  • DJ Cheek, viola (Easley, Pickens High School)
  • Andrew Smith, horn (Columbia, Socastee High School)
• The following students placed in the inaugural USC-Aiken Young Artist Vocal Competition sponsored by Masterworks Choral and Aiken Opera Society:
  • Caroline Alexander (Lexington, Lexington High School) - 1st place
  • Garrett Campbell (West Columbia, Airport High School) - 2nd
• The following students were selected to participate in the All-State Band:
  • Jarrod Mabrey, clarinet (Moore, James F. Byrnes High School)
  • Ami Pulaski, trumpet (Varnville, Wade Hampton High School)
  • Nicolas Quattrocchi, clarinet (Little River, North Myrtle Beach High School)
  • Terrence Sanders, tuba (Aiken, Silver Bluff High School)
  • Elaine Sebring, trumpet (Lexington, Pelion High School)
  • Annie Teague, flute (West Union, Walhalla High School)
  • Hillary Bolt, flute (Anderson, T.L.Hanna High School)
  • Ben Chen, clarinet (Simpsonville, Mauldin High School)
  • Anna Nelson, clarinet (Aiken, Augusta Prep Day School)
  • Malynn Berry, clarinet (Batesburg, Batesburg-Leesville High School)
  • Aaron Price, horn  (Georgetown, Georgetown High School)
  • Chris Sparace, tuba (Pendleton, Pendleton High School)
  • Colin Whelehan, trombone (Greenville, Greenville High School)
• The following students were selected to participate in the All-State Orchestra:
  • Allen Fitzpatrick, viola (Easley, Pickens High School)
  • Jarrod Mabrey, clarinet (Moore, James F. Byrnes High School)
  • Terrence Sanders, tuba (Aiken, Silver Bluff High School)
  • Elaine Sebring, trumpet (Lexington, Pelion High School)
• The following students were selected to participate in the Region Band:
  • Seth Adams, percussion (Summerville, Stratford High School)
  • Elizabeth Butler, oboe (Greenwood, Greenwood High School)
  • Kristiana Johnston, clarinet (Columbia, Pelion High School)
  • Yvonne Kao, flute (Greer, Riverside High School)
  • Kayla Stevens, oboe (Sumter, Sumter High School)
  • Hannah Marsh, horn (Cheraw, Cheraw High School)
  • SJ Holcombe, oboe (Easley, Easley High School)
  • Brittany Bradfute, bassoon (Simpsonville, Christ Church Episcopal School)
  • Jehle-Phillips Franke, horn (Gaston, Swansea High School)
  • Spencer Chipman, saxophone (Aiken, Aiken High School)
  • Daniel Miller, clarinet (Summerville, Summerville High School)
• The following students were selected to participate in the Upstate West Region Orchestra:
  • Allen Fitzpatrick, viola (Rock Hill, Northwestern High School)
  • Nicholas Capps, violin (Liberty, Easley High School)
  • Linda Chen, violin (Lexington, Lexington High School)
  • Carrie Frey, violin (Clinton, Clinton High School)
  • Meghan Jackson, violin (Moncks Corner, Berkeley High School)
  • Audrey Cook, cello (Greenville, Christ Church Episcopal School)
  • Nick Gerald, cello (Taylors, Wade Hampton High School)
  • Anne Lewis, violin (Florence, West Florence High School)
  • Haley Zdybel, cello (Myrtle Beach, Horry County Scholars Academy)
  • Allie Tennant, violin (Myrtle Beach, Carolina Forest High School)
  • DJ Cheek, viola (Easley, Pickens High School)
  • Josh Dieringer, viola (Greer, Riverside High School)
• The following vocal students won awards in the National Association of Teachers of Singing Competitions:
  • Aaron Cooker (Sumter, Crestwood High School), category winner
  • Caroline Alexander (Lexington, Lexington High School), category winner
  • Marcus Shields (Columbia, Hammond School), regionals
  • James Williams (Sumter, Crestwood High School), regionals
  • Garrett Campbell (West Columbia, Airport High School), regionals
  • Kati Lear (Mt. Pleasant, Charleston School of the Arts), regionals
• The following students won awards in the Music Teachers National Association's State Senior Performance Competition:
  • Andrew Smith, horn (Columbia, Socastee High School) - 1st place, Brass
  • Aaron Price, horn (Georgetown, Georgetown High School) 2nd place, Brass
  • Ami Pulaski, trumpet (Varnville, Wade Hampton High School) - Honorable Mention, Brass
  • Margaret Gould, violin (Greenville, Greenville High School) - 2nd place, Strings
  • DJ Cheek, viola (Easley, Pickens High School) - Honorable Mention, Strings
  • Audrey Cook, cello (Greenville, Christ Church Episcopal School) - Honorable Mention, Strings
  • Ben Chen, clarinet (Simpsonville, Mauldin High School) - 2nd place, Woodwinds
  • Andrew Jacobi, clarinet (Clemson, D.W. Daniel High School) - Honorable Mention, Woodwinds
• Andrew Jacobi, clarinet (Clemson, D.W. Daniel High School) was the concerto winner in the Greenville County Youth Orchestra Honors Competition.
• DJ Cheek, viola (Easley, Pickens High School) received a South Carolina Music Educator's Association Scholarship Award. He was also selected as a substitute violist for the Greenville Symphony Orchestra

Visual Arts Students

• The following visual arts students were honored by the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards:
  • Seth Berry (Batesburg, Batesburg-Leesville High School) - Silver Key Jewelry Design, Honorable Mention Printmaking and Honorable Mention Sculpture
  • Emily Connell (Rock Hill, South Pointe High School) - Honorable Mention Ceramics
  • Sarah Barnes (Pendleton, Pendleton High School) - Honorable Mention Ceramics, Honorable Mention Sculpture
  • Chelsea Granger (Simpsonville, Mauldin High School) - Silver Key Printmaking
  • Faye Simmonds (Salley, South Aiken High School)- Honorable Mention Jewelry Design
  • Ryan Revell (Round O, South Aiken High School) - Honorable Mention Sculpture
  • Ryan Revell (Round O, South Aiken High School) received an Honorable Mention award in photography from the National Foundation for the Advancement in the Arts (NFAA) Young Arts Competition.
• The following students won awards in the 2008 Young Women in Art Exhibition at Converse College:
  • Amy Bergeron (Bluffton, Hilton Head Prep) - Aquatint Etching - Best of Show
  • Allison Brown (Greer, Riverside High School) - 1st Place, Ceramics
  • EllenBess Gable (Greenwood, Greenwood High School) - Third Place, Printmaking
  • Sarah Barnes (Pendleton, Pendleton High School) - Honorable Mention, Photography
• The following students won awards in the 2008 Annual Upstate High School Art Exhibition:
  • EllenBess Gable (Greenwood, Greenwood High School) - 1st Place Metals, 2nd Place     Printmaking, Honorable Mention Painting
  • Emily Harris (Fort Mill, Fort Mill High School) - 1st Place Promotional Design
  • Denzel Mattison (Greenville, Greenville Tech Charter School) - 2nd Place Promotional Design
  • Ryan Revell (Round O, South Aiken High School) - 1st Place Photography
  • Joshua Goodwin (Goose Creek, Goose Creek High School) - 2nd Place Photography
  • Seth Berry (Batesburg, Batesburg-Leesville High School) - 1st Place Printmaking
  • Allison Brown (Greer, Riverside High School) - 2nd Place Sculpture, 2nd Place Ceramics
• The following students won awards in the Picasso Project
  • EllenBess Gable (Greenwood, Greenwood High School) - State-wide Winner, Printmaking
  • Chelsea Granger (Simpsonville, Mauldin High School) - State-wide Winner, Printmaking
  • Emily Connell (Rock Hill, South Pointe High School) - Regional Winner, Printmaking
  • Trent Barnes (Seneca, West Oak High School) - Regional Winner, Printmaking
  • Amy Bergeron (Bluffton, Hilton Head Prep) - Regional Winner, Printmaking
  • Seth Berry (Batesburg, Batesburg-Leesville High School) - Regional Winner, Printmaking
• The following students won awards in the National K-12 Ceramic Exhibition, Held by the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA):
  • Emily Connell (Rock Hill, South Pointe High School) received the Marvin and Ingrid Mahan Foundation Scholarship Award
  • Sarah Barnes (Pendleton, Pendleton High School) received an Outstanding Achievement Award and the Edward Orton Junior Ceramics Foundation Award