Governor's School for Tourism (GST)

GST 2026 Updates and Application

The GST provides selected 9th- and 10th-grade students with opportunities to tour West Virginia for 10 days, learning about the tourism and hospitality sectors of our economy through hands-on experiences and introducing various career paths in one of the state’s fastest-growing industries. 

Students will stay at multiple state park lodges and visit historical and other significant landmarks across Almost Heaven. This exciting experience is being planned as a collaboration between the West Virginia Department of Tourism and the West Virginia Department of Education.

Download the 2026 GST Flyer [PDF]

Where

The 2026 Governor's School for Tourism (GST) will feature several travel destinations throughout West Virginia.

When

The GST will take place on June 20 - 29, 2026.

Apply for the 2026 GST Program

School and County Information

The GST requires high schools and county boards of education to actively recruit and assist 9th and 10th grade students during the application window. The school counselor should not be the only individual involved in recruitment. Information should be shared with career technical education (CTE) centers and teachers. Please use the flyer attached below to share this information in classrooms and with teachers who may be able to promote the program.

High School Responsibilities

• Inform all qualifying students of their eligibility. Speak with students about the merit of the GST.
• Inform students of the application.
• Communicate with the county contact about deadlines to ensure students from the high school have submitted their applications with sufficient time for the school counselor to scan documents and make selections to the county.
• The school counselor must scan student applications as PDF files and establish a committee to determine who will be nominated by the principal. The principal must sign the recommendation form and scan it as a PDF. All PDF student applications and the principal recommendation are sent electronically to the county contact. Each county will have its own deadline for schools. The state deadline for counties to submit their recommendations to the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) is Friday, May 1, 2026.
• The school counselor must print transcripts and first-semester student grades as required in the application.

GST Principal Recommendation Form (PDF)

County Contact Responsibilities

• Review all the information about the GST on the WVDE website.
• Establish a county deadline for schools to submit PDF files of student applications and principal recommendations for consideration at the county level. The state deadline for counties to submit the superintendent nomination form is Friday, May 1, 2026.
• Share the PDF flyers with all middle school principals and counselors to post and share with students and parents
• The county contact must convene a county selection committee to select ONE student for the GST. Alternates may be recommended within the superintendent form. Please plan accordingly.
• The county contact should complete the superintendent’s recommendation form, ask the superintendent to sign it, and scan it into a PDF file. Please submit the PDF file and the PDF student applications of the nominated students to the state file upload folder.

Please label the PDF as the county name and 2025 GST Superintendent Recommendation (i.e. Pocahontas_2025GST_SuperintendentRecommendation).

• GST Superintendent Recommendation Form (PDF)
• State Submission Folder

If you have questions, please contact Dustin Lambert (dllambert@k12.wv.us), WVDE State Coordinator of West Virginia Governor’s Schools, or (304) 558-5325.

Parent Information

Drop Off and Pickup

TBA

Handbook and Itinerary

The student handbook and daily itinerary are currently being drafted for 2025. We will share this information soon to inform students and parents of expectations and what the experience may look like for the duration of the school.

Information and events within the documents below are subject to change as the hosting college/universities/organizations prepare for the summer. Please only use the information as a guide to what might be expected during GST.

• 2025 GST Student Packing List [PDF]
• 2025 GST Itinerary [PDF] 

The West Virginia Department of Education maintains a Facebook page to showcase students during each school. Please visit the page to view all the exciting activities going on throughout the summer. 

Apply Online

Thank you for your interest in the GST. Please review the qualifications listed below before completing this part of the application.

Required Qualifications:

1. Must be a current high school student in West Virginia with plans to attend next year.
2. Must be a West Virginia resident.
3. Must be a freshman or sophomore at the time of application.
4. Must have a grade-point average of at least 3.0.
5. Must satisfy all immunization requirements according to the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR). Non-public school and homeschooled students must provide proof of immunizations.

The school counselor must be involved in the application process for the GST. Please provide sufficient time for school personnel to secure the required documents for the application.

Within the application, students will be required to secure TWO teacher recommendations. Please provide sufficient notice to teachers prior to submitting the application.

Application Part I

Application

We recommend collecting all required documents within the application before starting the online form. We do not accept PDF versions of Part I. Please submit this part online only.

You can download and print the PDF version of Part I of the application to prepare your answers before starting the online form

Part I goes directly to the WVDE. Students must complete this part of the application before starting Part II.

Application Part II

Part II of the application requires students to type information within the PDF and print pages to be completed by the school counselor and principal. You may fill out the application electronically (using a pdf viewer) or print the PDF to fill out manually.

Important: Once you have all the required signatures and supporting documents, please scan all documents into one PDF file and electronically submit it to the school counselor for review by the school selection committee. Once the PDF has been submitted to the school counselor, the application process is complete for the student.

The state deadline for applications from the county superintendent is Friday, May 1, 2026.

Employment Opportunities

GST Faculty

The GST employs faculty chaperones to accomplish the mission and goals of the program. These positions are considered part-time and require specific qualifications.

Eligibility Requirements for GST Faculty

• Currently teaching WV tourism, middle or high school history, or WV History
• Reside fulltime in WV and be able to demonstrate knowledge of the state
• Have a 4-year degree, or equivalent work experience
• Hold a teaching certificate or experience working with youth in teaching or youth leadership roles
• Be fully available for the 10-day duration of GST tour
• Be available for onboarding, training, and curriculum development meetings
• Be capable of working long days in physical and outdoor environments
• Pass a background check and complete youth protection trainings

Salary/Benefits

• Completion Contract - $5,000 for 12 full days (10 travel and 2 training days)
• All tour travel, lodging, meals, and activity costs will be covered by GST.

Apply for the 2026 Faculty Chaperone position online

Download the full 2026 GST Faculty Chaperone Job Description (PDF)

Application Deadline: April 3, 2026 at 11:59 PM

If you have questions, please email Texie Wells (tpwells@mail.wvu.edu) or John Lymphany (john.lympany@mail.wvu.edu)

GST Nurse

The GST employs a nurse accomplish the mission and goals of the program. This position is part-time and require specific qualifications.

Required Qualifications for GST Nurse

• Reside fulltime in the state of West Virginia
• Hold a current ARNP or RN license in West Virginia (LPNs are not eligible for the position)
• Pass a background check and complete youth protection trainings
• Be fully available for the 10-day duration of GST tour
• Be capable of working long days and be “on call” at all times in the event of a medical emergency
• Be available for onboarding, training, and meetings

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with middle/high school students (school nurse)
• Experience working at residency camps
• Working with students with IEP/504 plans

Salary/Benefits

• Completion Contract - $5,000 for 12 full days (10 travel and 2 training days)
• All tour travel, lodging, meals, and activity costs will be covered by GST.

Apply for the 2026 GST Nurse position online

Download the full 2026 GST Nurse Job Description (PDF) 

Application Deadline: Friday, April 3, 2026 at 11:59 PM.

If you have questions, please email Texie Wells (tpwells@mail.wvu.edu) or John Lymphany (john.lympany@mail.wvu.edu)