Charleston, W.Va. – The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) has postponed the 2020 Governor’s Schools planned for this summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department organizes six residential academies each summer as part of this program to provide deep learning opportunities for students from grades 8 – 12.
Each year, the WVDE holds the Governor’s Schools at West Virginia college and university campuses and state facilities. West Virginia University and Marshall University have both announced that they will cancel on-site courses and resort to online instruction only this summer. Therefore, the venues will no longer be available. Both universities were scheduled to host several weeks of the Governor’s Schools at their Morgantown and Huntington campuses beginning June 14 and extending through July 13.
Next year (Summer 2021) the WVDE will double the number of programs offered to make sure that those students selected this year will still be able to participate. The exception will be the Governor’s Honors Academy. Since rising seniors attend this program, they will likely be unavailable next summer as they prepare for the next phases of their lives. Therefore, the WVDE hopes to host weekend experiences and recognitions this fall to celebrate their accomplishments. These plans are not yet complete but will be shared with students and their families and released publicly as soon as possible.
Through a competitive process, students apply to attend either the Governor’s Honors Academy, the Governor’s School for the Arts, the Governor’s School for Entrepreneurship or the Governor’s STEM Institute (high school and middle school). Each program offers instruction by college faculty and experts from the field. Students spend weeks immersed in their craft or areas of interest, and they also attend numerous enrichment activities and field trips. The program is offered at no cost to students or their families.
The 2020 Governor’s Schools include:
| The Governor’s Honors Academy | June 28 – July 11 | Marshall University | Rising Seniors |
| Governor’s School for the Arts | June 14 – July 3 | Marshall University | Rising Juniors |
| Governor’s School for Entrepreneurship | June 21 – July 11 | Marshall University | Rising Freshmen |
| Governor’s STEM Institute | June 28 – July 11 | Green Bank Observatory | Rising Freshmen |
| Governor’s STEM Institute I | July 25 – July 3 | WVU | Rising 8th and 9th Graders |
| Governor’s STEM Institute II | July 5 – July 13 | WVU | Rising 8th and 9th Graders |
The Academies are valuable opportunities for students, and Governor Jim Justice and the WVDE are committed to making sure they return when they can be hosted in a safe manner.
For more information and updates on the coronavirus in West Virginia, please visit coronavirus.wv.gov or wvde.us/COVID19.