Eighteen scholars, 5 weeks, 1 journalism class.

The Governor’s Scholars Program offers these students a chance to learn about what it means to be a journalist in the 21st Century. We cover topics ranging from newspaper survival, multimedia, broadcast journalism, photojournalism and investigative reporting and ethics. They get to go see WAVE tv, the Courier-Journal and a printing press.
These 18 incoming seniors do not walk into this class with a lot of experience. For many it is the first time they have attempted to report a story, write it and take pictures for it. The following stories are their ideas and interviews. I “tweeked” their final versions, but tried to let their voice be the one that is heard.
They went out and interviewed their peers, allowing great insight into the diversity of this program. As a faculty in my second year with GSP, I was pleased with the ideas and the curiosity of these students. In some cases their ideas made me laugh and in others, one is reminded of terrible moments in history and the challenges some students overcome to be here.
The ideas were as diverse as GSP. And isn’t that what makes this program work? Its this diversity and the scholars’ willingness to embrace it that make me excited to share the first GSP Journalism Blog with you.

Jeanie Adams-Smith
Associate Professor
Photojournalism
Western Kentucky University

Roommates share more than space at GSP by Samantha Cecil

Governor scholars Lyndy Hill and Kristen Troyer thought they had nothing in common, so the idea of rooming together for 5 weeks seemed daunting.
Hill was born in Kansas and moved to Kentucky when she was 8, after her parents divorced. She was from a large blended family with a younger brother, 5 step brothers, a step sister, and 3 half-brothers.
Troyer, unlike Hill, moved around quite frequently as she was growing up. She was born in Colorado, moved to London, then to the Netherlands, then to Cincinnati, and now she resides in Villahills, Ky. She has two half-brothers and two-half sisters.
“I thought she was going to be one of those people that always had to be moving,” Hill said of Troyer.
Troyer thought her new roommate was quiet, tidy, but quiet.
Pre-assigned roommates is the norm with the Governor’s Scholars Program, established in 1983 as an academic-oriented summer camp that pushes students to learn problem-solving skills, be around other gifted teens from around Kentucky and push their creativity.
The program provides growth to upcoming seniors in hope of enhancing Kentucky’s future leaders. This year, there are 343 scholars staying at the Bellarmine University Campus in Louisville, Kentucky. During the 5 weeks, the scholars take classes and have special activities they can participate in. The classes, such as Architectural Design, Healthcare Industry and Journalism and Mass Media provide a glimpse at choices for that career path. Special Activities, such as Afternoon with the Arts, allows the scholars to express themselves creatively.
Students also go on many field trips, participate in the GSP talent show (Showcase) and see classic films they may have not been exposed to like Casablanca and To Kill a Mockingbird.
As the two roommates got to know each other better, the idea of a foreign room partner disappeared. The atmosphere in the room changed from awkward silence to an one filled with laughter and happiness; Troyer and Hill sit on their beds and joke often. Their room isn’t in the traditional arrangement like a majority of the dorms. Their beds, instead, are connected in an “L” shape and the separate items once divided in each girls’ belongings are now intermingled.
“We have not said a mean word to each other,” Troyer said. Hill jokingly responds with the comment, “When 5 weeks is over, I’m never talking to her again. I might not after this.” The bond between these two girls is evident and is one they hope is life-long.
“I can see us keeping in touch, but I don’t see us making each other godparent of our firstborns,” jokes Hill. “I always have the worst roommates,” Hill continues. “I know this might sound silly but I was so scared I’d have a sucky roommate.”
This fear is a common occurrence among scholars who attend the summer program. But GSP faculty and staff support this arrangement. Diversity is the basis of how roommates are chosen. Those given the task to assign roommates purposely ensure diversity from schools, location and ethnic background.
As Executive Director of Governor’s Scholar Program, Aris Cedeño, is commited to the scholar experience, and that includes making the scholars uncomfortable. He wants force them to consider new ideas and ways of thinking, plus the GSP mission also includes prepping them for what college will hold for them a year from now.
Only one time in Governor’s Scholar history, he recalls, has there been a time when roommates had to be separated. The faculty understands there will be some conflict between two diverse people in tight quarters for 5 weeks, but as Cedeño puts it, “Civilized people work the problems out.”

What’s in a Name? by Rachel Parsley

Aris Cedeños is really good at names. He can also tell you where each of the 120 counties in Kentucky rest. As the Director of the Governor’s Scholars Program in the state, he has to know the state well. The program draws over a thousand students representing most of the counties in between Pikeville and Paducah.
But it’s the names that make his memory so famous.
“Once it clicks, it’s forever,” said Cedeños.
The first day of GSP brought the typical fear, hope and anxiety for the scholars. Remembering the names of the 343 scholars who were descending on Bellarmine University’s campus was one of many stresses for the high school seniors.
When Cedeños welcomed them with names of scholars already memorized they were in awe. “How does he know that?” is a typical murmur.
Tossing the 17-year-olds into the college-like GSP environment for 5 weeks is part of its success. The 26-year-old program is one of the most successful GSP programs in the country, with only 17 left in the nation.
The scholars, who make it to GSP by application, GPA, test scores and community and school service involvement, are looking mostly for scholarship opportunities. But they come away with better understandings of the diversity of their state.
But not so much of an understanding those pesky names.
At Bellermine’s campus this year there were 5 “Rachels” on one of the dorm halls alone. At graduation 2 “Chases” graduated back-to-back. And keeping up with the “Austins,” “Aarons” and “Kelseys” became tough for the faculty, some who had multiple of the same-named scholars in their classes.
Veteran faculty member Matt Curless recalls overseeing a dorm hall check-in one year and having a hall full of “Amanda’s.”
“That year, I wrote a song called “The Amanda Song,” said Curless, “and sang it at a showcase (talent show at GSP). It was a big hit!”
Bellarmine is one of 3 campus locations for GSP. The thousand-plus scholars that are chosen for the program are divided between the locations. As Dean of the program, Cedeño travels to all 3, but most of his time is spent at Bellarmine, so these names are a little easier to nail down.
As the program moves through its 5 weeks, more “Rachels” are met and the new scholar response becomes, “ugh” or “not another one.” Many scholars joke if you don’t know someone’s name, Rachel would always be a safe guess.
But what is happening through all the name games, class exercises, field trips and issue seminars, is far more than memorizing names. Scholars learn to get out of their comfort zones; they learn they can be friends with other students that may vary deeply in topics and issues. They are exposed to new cultures, religions, and points of view.
Behind one “Rachel” will be a very different opinion on gay rights or abortion than what another “Rachel” may think, but seeing an issue from another’s viewpoint is a powerful experience for many of these scholars.
“Most scholars tell us that Seminar (issue discussions) is their most memorable part of GSP,” said Cedeño.
Cedeño has been with the Governor’s Scholars Program for 18 years, and one particular year that stands out to him involves the name “Meg” and a lot of them. On the Eastern Kentucky University campus in 2001, there were 4 Resident Advisor’s named Meghan.
He has noticed that having the same name is more common with girls than boys on the campuses. This year, one RA Stephanie Riley has 3 Rachel’s just on her hall alone. Down the hall there are 2 more, so all in all there are 5 Rachel’s on one hall. What’s worse is that they all have dark hair, so keeping them all straight takes effort.
Even though there are multiple scholars with the same name, Cedeño always manages to put the correct name with the face. “You are not a name, you are a person,” Cedeño said. “Look them in the face.”
Even with all the sameness with the names, a new culture, called the Community at GSP, develops. Bonds are formed in the name of Friendship that sometimes last years. It is not uncommon for roommates at GSP to room together in college.
2009 may go down as a historical year for “name calling” but through the challenges of memorizing names, one thing is true, these scholars won’t forget each other.

Movies Get a Cool Reception at GSP by Nick Fischer

On a cool summer evening, hundreds of Kentucky Governor Scholars pile onto the hill behind Bellarmine University’s Knights Hall. They eat the free popcorn and sit on blankets spread out on the grass. Loud chatter and laughter dominates the scene until dark.
At sunset, a large make-shift screen, begins the current movie out for 2009, Will Smith’s Seven Pounds.
But 20 minutes into the film, the announcement is made that the film is to be post-poned due to an impending thunderstorm - the rain never materializes.
This turn of events reflects some scholars' feelings towards the GSP’s film selections —a lot of buildup and potential, but ultimately disappointment.
Casablanca, the first movie shown, is widely regarded as one of the best films ever made and holds the second spot on the American Film Institute’s Greatest Films of All Time list. However, a few of the scholars’ response to the film was not nearly as positive.
“I thought it would be better,” said Ross Gilliam. “You couldn’t even understand what they were saying half of the time.”
“When they told us it was second on the AFI’s list, they forgot to tell us it was second from the bottom,” joked Eric Butterbaugh.
GSP routinely shows films to the scholars that are considered “classics,” chosen by the staff. These movies are selected to provide the scholars an opportunity to watch films they otherwise might not see due to the age or obscurity of the film.
Other choices for the scholars included The Graduate, O Brother Where Art Thou and Apollo 13, which were received more favorably than their famous forties counter-part, although attendance dropped steadily both times.
The Governor’s Scholars Program started in 1983 as a way to encourage bright students in Kentucky to go to college in Kentucky and invest their talents back into the state.
The 26-year-old program tries to expose these students to new experiences and activities they don’t normally get to explore in their high schools.
Frank Ward, one of the faculty members with GSP, embraces the classic film idea and takes it one step farther. Ward offers the students a chance to see obscure science fiction films most of the 17-year-olds have never heard of.
Titles like, Them and Series 7: The Contenders were shown in Ward’s Science Fiction Club this summer.
“I am not always a fan of the choices (the staff makes),” said Ward. “But I was pretty happy that Dr. Stangelove was on the list this year.”
Its title alone may draw in a few of the curious.

The GSP "Kid Culture" by Maria Kosse

The typical dorm room does not contain drawers labeled “undies” and “hair,” green polka-dots stuck to the walls with slogans like “be green!” and “I love planet earth!” and a wooden mouse, finger painted different shades of pink, green, and red. Nor does the typical dorm room have “Magic Tree House” books and “Brain Quest” lined up on one of two desks, or a box of Crayons. The typical dorm room does not belong to a 5-year-old.
Yet for Abby Adams-Smith this colorful dorm room is hers for 5 weeks during the Governor’s Scholars Program at Bellarmine University. Abby is the daughter of the Journalism-Mass Media Professor, Jeanie-Adams Smith.
As a result of Adams-Smith’s 6-week commitment to enriching the minds of young Kentuckians, her daughter has found a new home for the summer, as the only child of faculty present.
The Governor’s Scholars Program, in existence since 1983, has dedicated itself to finding committed faculty. The 150 faculty members, spread out over three Kentucky campuses, dedicate 6 weeks of their summer to the Governor’s Scholars Program, often leaving their families at home. However, some faculty members choose to bring the family experience with them. While this may bring the comforts of home to the Governor’s Scholars Program, affectionately known as GSP, difficulties and challenges are also present.
Jeanie Adams-Smith, a photo-journalism professor at Western Kentucky University, is entering her second year as a faculty member at the Bellarmine GSP campus. Adams-Smith’s daughter, Abby, is also entering her second year at GSP, and remains the sole representative of a faculty member child. Her experiences differ from those of children in past years of GSP, as the numbers of children present on campus have varied.
According to Adams-Smith there is “no community at GSP of kids Abby’s age,” unlike that of years past. At the Eastern Kentucky University GSP campus in 2001, the number of children soared, nearing almost 20 children. The dynamics of the “kid culture on campus” vary greatly according to the number of children present. Instead of entertainment on campus, Abby is enrolled in a number of local area summer camps in order to keep her mind stimulated and be around kids her age. However, Adams-Smith does not see this as a negative.
“Abby is a happy, bright, child used to change,” Adams-Smith said “she has blossomed at GSP and really enjoys being around the scholars.”
However, not all faculty members can bring their children with them on campus for the 5 weeks. Matt Curless, entering his 11th summer as a visual art teacher at GSP, has left his family at home in northern Kentucky this summer.
While Curless claims that the “friendly, optimistic, people keeps [him] returning” to GSP, it still “hurts to be away.”
“When I come home on weekends, [his three children] look and talk different,” Curless explains, “their language and bodies are growing so fast and developing.”
Because the scholars rarely interact with anyone outside the ages of 16 and 17, seeing a bubbly 5-year-old, skipping and singing in the cafeteria can be a bit of a surprise. Yet Abby seems to be embracing the GSP experience, and making a culture of her own. While usually absent during the day, attending a zoo or art camp, Abby’s presence is felt by all, usually accompanied with a smile.
But just because Abby is not officially a Governor’s Scholar does not mean that she has not been infused with the qualities of curiosity and a passion for learning. As a 5-year old reading at an eighth grade level, Abby has truly discovered what it means to be a scholar.
Most notably, Abby hosted a bake sale to raise money for the diminishing polar bears. While from a distance it may look funny to see teenagers buying cupcakes decorated as polar bears from a first-grader, at a closer look it is evident that through the Governor’s Scholars Program, someone small can make the same impact as someone triple her age.

Scholars Risk It All for a Little GSP Fame by Lindsey Horrell

The murmurs of hundreds of high school seniors begin to fade as they await the next student performance. It is a Friday night at the Governor’s Scholars Program on Bellarmine University’s campus and Showcase, as it is called, is in full swing.
The lights go down and the crowd perks up as a young lady nervously takes position on the stage. She timidly begins her performance, hesitantly singing the first few bars of a popular tune. Then, horror strikes as this scholar lives every performer’s worst nightmare: she freezes, right on stage in front of all of her peers.
As she stands there nervously, silently, someone whispers from the front, “You can do it.” Then, someone from the back begins humming the tune. Another brave scholar joins the first and soon the whole room is buzzing with the hums of hundreds of teenagers, there, in unison, supporting her.
She finishes her song to the hums of her classmates and friends, and the performance that began as a performer-and-her-audience ends as one community. This is the essence of the Governor’s Scholars Program.
This is Showcase.
Showcase was part of GSP from the very beginning- in 1983, the birth year of the program. It is described to many outsiders as a “talent show,” however anyone who has ever attended Showcase knows it is far more than that.
“Showcase is a venue for scholars to take a risk of showing their talents,” said Aristófanes Cedeño, the Executive Director of the Governor’s Scholars Program and Academic Dean of the Bellarmine Campus, “to take the stage in front of an audience who will not reject you.”
But why is Showcase unlike any other talent show? Isn’t performing in front of any audience a risk? Cedeño suggests it is the audience that makes Showcase a truly unique experience.
Meg Caudill, the director of the Showcase, tells perspective performers, “If you mess up, they’ll wait, and in most cases they’ll go along with you wherever you want to take them and when you’re done, they’ll be there to cheer for you.”
“Even people who don’t do Showcase take something away from it,” she said.
Where else can you see a ukulele player bring the house down or see a student get up and work the audience with shadow puppets? Another will receive a standing ovation for a Latin dance.
Outside of Showcase, where will six macho guys get up and dance to “Every Time We Touch?”
Unlike Governor’s School for the Arts, the GSP campus focuses on academic classes and activities. But the arts, like music, dance and painting still play a major role in the scholar experience.
The 344 students that make up the 2009 Bellarmine GSP class are encouraged by their teachers, resident hall supervisors (RA’s) and their peers to perform. It is not uncommon to see the faculty and RA’s in showcase, themselves.
Students must apply and be accepted into the GSP program from thousands of applications. The thousand-plus that are chosen are divided on to three campuses across the state of Kentucky.
As well as their academic performance, students are chosen based on community service and involvement in their schools; this can include, and often does, musical talent.
Taking risks in a community of peers who will cheer for your successes and pick you up when you fall, this is the heart of GSP. It is taking these risks that enables every scholar to grow beyond all expectations. This is what makes Showcase, and the Governor’s Scholars Program, an experience of a lifetime.

Kentucky Home Feels Old for GSP'er by Kelsey Ryan

As Whitney Menser, a rising senior at South Oldham High School, makes her way across Bellarmine University’s picturesque campus, she notices familiar images everywhere. Those all too familiar rolling hills of Louisville set the perfect stage for her Governor’s Scholar Program classes, special activities, and events.
Menser as well as 343 other teens are living on the university’s campus for 5 weeks, getting a taste of what it would be like to be a college freshman. The scholars applied for the program against thousands of peers from around the state to be one of a little over one thousand picked for three campuses of GSP scholars.
One of the reasons for the rising competition is scholarships. Many of the colleges in Kentucky offer GSP graduates top scholarships.
But for Menser, that is surprisingly not appealing. Her options for post-secondary education are numerous, and no one would be surprised if she did chose to come back in a year to study at Bellarmine, except for Menser.
Her mind has been set against Kentucky universities since elementary school.
“It’s not like a shout-it-to-the-world kind of thing, but I don’t hide it,” she said casually. “Schools in Kentucky are either too small or too close… A lot of my friends are going to college in-state. I’m not interested in gong back to high school. It’s hard to get out of your shell if you know half the student population.”
Scholars chosen to participate to this 5 week program are top students in the state. They are chosen for their grades and test scores but also for their community service and school involvement. There is already extreme pressure to chose where to go to college; and scholarships, undeniable bonuses of being involved in GSP, bear enormous weight on this decision.
Though GSP is not technically considered a scholarship program, the overwhelming majority (a new high set at 84 percent in 2006) of scholars choose to remain in Kentucky for their postsecondary education. And with the down turn in the economy, the number will likely rise.
Menser isn’t worried about the financial aspect, and feels no guilt about attending GSP in the place of a student who would use the scholarships offered in-state.
“I applied to GSP for the experience, to get used to college life… I could get scholarships elsewhere just by having this program on my résumé,” she said.
Arís Cedeño, the executive director of Governor’s Scholars Program, insists that there is no pressure for any scholar to stay in Kentucky, and that the choice is the scholar’s to make. But on the other hand, Cedeño is quick to point out the need for the scholars in Kentucky.
“It’s not our goal to keep you (scholars) here, but remember, you need to help the place that helped you,” Cedeño said to a group of scholars.
Each night at GSP, Menser winds down in her dorm’s lounge. Tonight, she is dressed casually in a sweatshirt from Purdue, her mother’s alma mater. Though she has no clear-cut idea of where she wants to go, she feels a strong pull toward Purdue, whether or not she is awarded good scholarships.
“I always planned on paying student loans. I’m not worried about them,” she said.
The origins of the Governor’s Scholars Program in Kentucky reside in the early 1980’s, when leaders became concerned about the “brain drain” from their states into more challenging and exciting college programs in other states.
In the founding year of GSP, 55.8 percent of students made use of their scholarships, and with each passing year, excepting a few drop-offs, this number has been steadily rising.
Cedeño acknowledges this statistic, but promises that GSP is not going to stand in the way of any scholar who feels the need to leave Kentucky for other schools or programs.
“Away from home is a mental state,” he said. “You can go away… go wherever you want to go. You’re offered a scholarship to Harvard, and that’s your dream, take it.”