Polk County Early College senior Pixie Lilburn represented Polk County this summer at the North Carolina Governor’s School, a selective residential program for gifted and talented high school students.
Students are nominated by their school districts and selected through a competitive process for the four-week summer program, which brings together academic disciplines, the arts and specialized courses on two campuses.
Lilburn’s area of study was English, including both fiction and nonfiction classes.
“NC Governor’s School was an amazing and honestly life-changing experience,” Lilburn said. “My chosen discipline was English, which included both fiction and nonfiction classes, both of which were absolutely wonderful.”
Governor’s School emphasizes exploration and learning without traditional grades, tests or course credit. Beyond their primary disciplines, students can also take part in electives and presentations covering a wide range of interests.
Lilburn said that variety became one of the highlights of her experience.
“There were daily electives where students or staff could give presentations on things that interested them, from poetry to card magic, linguistics to autopsies; there were so many fascinating presentations available to us,” she said.
The program also gave Lilburn an opportunity to learn alongside students from across North Carolina in an environment designed to challenge them academically while encouraging exploration.
“Governor’s School gave me and my fellow students the opportunity to learn and grow in a challenging but engaging environment,” she said.
For Lilburn, though, the people she met were just as memorable as the coursework.
“One of the best parts was definitely the people,” she said. “The community was absolutely wonderful, everyone was so welcoming and encouraging. Governor’s School was a truly unforgettable experience.”
