Tullahoma High School had six students accepted into this summer’s Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts, which begins in early June.
The Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts is a residency summer intensive program for high school students gifted in music, visual art, theatre, dance, and filmmaking. Governor Lamar Alexander founded the School for the Arts in 1984, assembling a team of professionals to develop a program for Tennessee that would rival the best summer arts schools in the nation.
Since 1985 over 7,000 of Tennessee’s gifted and talented students have been afforded the opportunity to attend the School for the Arts. Each January, more than 1,400 students compete for the 230 available scholarships. The Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts strives to provide a well-rounded educational experience for our students. The faculty consists of outstanding visual and performing artists and educators from across the nation. Many faculty members hold terminal degrees from the most demanding schools in the world, such as Yale, Julliard, Eastman, and even the Moscow Conservatory.
Rising junior Carly Evans was one THS student admitted into this year’s program. Evans stated that she is thrilled about the opportunity and said that she is really looking forward to meeting other students who enjoy the arts as much as she does and additionally learning new skills and techniques. Evans also thanked her visual arts teacher, Kelly Orr, for helping her in the process.
“I am beyond excited and grateful to be attending the Governor’s School for the Arts,” Evans said. “During those three weeks, I am looking forward to the learning opportunities involving photography and sculpture that I wouldn’t have at home. Visual arts has always been a passion of mine. I had Mrs.Orr in fifth grade as well as high school, and she never let me turn in something that wasn’t of my full potential, and I am forever thankful for her.”
Rising senior JosEllen Turrentine will also be attending the Governor School for the Arts. Turrentine is involved in the chorus and is excited to expand her musical horizons and be introduced to other students who love music as much as she does.
“I’m really excited to be attending, and I’m looking forward to spending time with people who love singing as much as I do,” Turrentine said. “I’m especially really looking forward to my world music class.”
The Tullahoma High School Band has five students attending this year’s Governor School for the Arts. Rising seniors Ethan Eldridge (euphonium), Isaac Parlier (trombone), Drew Sterling (tuba), and Brady Welch (percussion), as well as rising junior Joshua Jones (french horn), will be attending this year’s program.
“We are so excited that so many of our students will get this unique opportunity to immerse themselves in three weeks of music, experience what college is like, and bring back the wealth of information they gain from this experience back to our Band program,” said THS Band Co-Director Lisa Burden.
This year’s Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts will take place at MTSU from June 3-25. For more information about the Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts, visit their website here.
