Recruitment activities are underway for the 2019 Field Ecology Summer Regional Governor's School to be held from June 10 through July 5 at Dabney S. Lancaster Community College in Clifton Forge. Applications and information have been sent to all participating school divisions.
The Field Ecology Summer Regional Governor's School was founded in 1985 by Dr. Steve Adams, who was a professor of biology at DSLCC. It is designed to inspire a respect for the natural environment and aims to awaken an awareness of, and interest in, native plant and animal life as a rich and varied natural resource. The instructional staff emphasizes the interrelationships between organisms and their environment and human impact on these ecosystems.
Two sessions are offered: The first session, June 10 through June 20, is focused on a long-term salamander study in the Laurel Fork area of Highland County, while the second session, June 24 through July 5, focuses on forest ecology.
Any current eighth or ninth grade student is eligible to attend if (1) they are academically gifted and/or show potential to excel at biology; (2) their overall achievement in school work is acceptable; (3) they have been a resident of Virginia for at least one year; and (4) they are nominated by their schools or school divisions.
Ninth and tenth grade students who meet the above requirements and have previously attended one of the two sessions are also welcome to apply for the session they have not previously attended.
All students, including private school and home-schooled students, may be nominated by their superintendent, administrator of gifted programs, principal, counselor, or science teacher on the basis of academic potential, positive attitude, good citizenship, and maturity of judgment.
Applications are available in each school's guidance department, or on the Governor's School web site, www.fieldecology.org.
Deadline for the submission of completed applications to the student's school is April 1, 2019.
For further information, contact Ms. Jane DeGroot at jdegroot@dslcc.edu or Dr. Susan Rollinson at amrollinson@gmail.com, or visit the Governor's School web site at www.fieldecology.org. Interested individuals may also contact their school division's Administrator of Gifted Programs, school principal, or guidance counselor.