CHARLESTON — Thirty-Six Northern Panhandle students will further their educational horizons this summer in the arts, STEM-related fields, an honors academy and an entrepreneurship program as part of the 2022 Governor’s Schools of West Virginia.

The Governor’s Schools return this year to full in-person instruction for the first time since 2019. The four academies were postponed in 2020 and held virtually in 2021 due to the pandemic. This year, activities are planned at pre-pandemic levels with middle and high school students returning to campuses around the state for the prestigious and intensive residency programs.

Through an arduous application process, students apply to attend either the Governor’s School for the Arts, the Governor’s School for Entrepreneurship, the Governor’s Honor Academy, or the Governor’s STEM Institute. These academies are taught by college faculty and immerse students in their area of interest along with engaging activities and field trips.

More than 300 students have committed to the four academies for the 2022 session, which began at the end of last week and will run through late July. West Virginia University, Marshall University, Fairmont State University and the Greenbank Observatory are serving as host sites this year.

Local attendees are:

Governor’s Honors Academy

(Fairmont State)

Abigail Dowler, Hancock County

Natalie Briggs, Marshall County

Lavani Gandee, Ohio County

Makenna Kelly, Ohio County

Bridget Lofstead, Ohio County

Reagan Olejasz, Ohio County

Grace Howell, Tyler County

Gwendolyn Jacenkiw, Tyler County

Alec Jacobsen, Tyler County

Governor’s School for the Arts (Marshall)

Melody Campbell, Brooke County

Savannah Dulaney, Hancock County

Tessa Kefer, Hancock County

Sofiah Bozenske, Marshall County

Julia Kelly, Marshall County

Lauren Rice, Marshall County

Jacob Meneely, Marshall County

Joshua Meneely, Marshall County

Taylor Andrews, Ohio County

Audrey Bennett, Ohio County

Rachel Edinger, Ohio County

Aubrey Smith, Tyler County

Governor’s STEM Institute,

Session 1 (WVU)

Emmett Mick, Hancock County

Sophie Cunningham, Marshall County

Haley Harvey, Marshall County

Alyssa Wells, Tyler County

Governor’s STEM Institute,

Session 2 (WVU)

Leah McMahanm, Hancock County

Jessa Fields, Hancock County

Lucrezia Santini, Ohio County

Elliana McCabe, Ohio County

Morgan Fisher, Tyler County

Madison Morgan, Wetzel County

Governor’s STEM Institute

(Greenbank Observatory)

Sarah McBee, Marshall County

Alina Holliday, Marshall County

Jessamine Schmidt, Ohio County

Anthony Sikole, Ohio County

Phranki Myers, Tyler County