Mississippi Governor’s School Kicks Off

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – High-schoolers from across Mississippi have new homes away from home this summer for Governor’s school.

Juniors and seniors moved and settled in at MUW earlier today.

They will have two weeks to take classes and get a taste of what college is like.

Lyndsey Axthelm is excited to have her turn at attending the Mississippi Governors School.

Her sister went in 2013, and she is ready to learn everything she can.

“I expect a good set of leadership skills to arise from this and especially just meeting new people and talking with them and their experiences,” said Axthelm.

Leadership skills are just one of the things students will be learning this summer.

They have the chance to take dance classes, creative writing, sociology, and anything else they’re interested in.

“These students will have the opportunity to do leadership activities and also be apart of sports and activities, go to a dance,” said Alexis Smith. “It’s just really amazing that these students they have an opportunity to meet other students just like themselves. They’re highly intellectual students, and it’s really great that these students are our future leaders.”

Smith says the experience is a way for students to feel confident in themselves.

“The students can pretty much learn that it’s okay to be yourself,” said Smith.

One student is hoping to get a taste of college before he graduates in a few years.

“Getting a different worldview,” said Bobby Kurrent. “The way I see it, a lot of people don’t leave their state, don’t leave their hometown, so it’s a good experience for them to learn more about different people, even if it’s just one state, across their one state that they live in. Just meeting new people new views on how things work.”

After Axthelm graduates high-school she plans to study speech pathology and Spanish.

She hopes these next couple of weeks will better prepare her for what the future holds.

“I think it will be interesting to look at different world viewpoints and see what the teacher has to ask us to challenge us with,” said Axthelm.

Students begin classes and activities tomorrow.