The 87 high school students who attend Alabama Governor's School (AGS) at Samford University June 18-30 will hear from the top officials of the state's judicial and executive branches of government.
Alabama Supreme Court chief justice Drayton Nabers, Jr., will speak during opening ceremonies Sunday, June 18, at 2:45 in Samford's Reid Chapel. Nabers' daughter, Mary Nabers Doyle, was an AGS participant in 1988.
Alabama Gov. Bob Riley will speak during closing ceremonies Friday, June 30, at 10 a.m. in Reid Chapel.
During the two-week honors program for academically gifted students, the rising high school seniors will study major and minor areas of coursework. Topics include the legal process, healthcare, anatomy, research science, the arts, television news, magazine publication, photography, Alabama heroes, astronomy, fitness, urban geography, Alabama plants and animals, Euripides' Medea, web design, Southern culture and business management.
AGS students will participate in a community service project, attend a Birmingham Barons baseball game and travel to Montgomery for a production of Man of La Mancha at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. They will also attend a session on how best to successfully apply for college admission and scholarships. The schedule also includes recreational activities and a talent show.
A special "Insights" dinner on June 27 will feature speakers Pat Pelham and Elaine VanCleave, representatives of Power of One anti-poverty coalition.
This year's AGS students represent 59 high schools in 31 Alabama counties.