State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge today named 50 students from around Georgia to his 2011-2012 Student Advisory Council. Twelve of the students selected attended the Governor's Honors Program in 2010 or 2011.  
As members of the council, these students will meet twice throughout the school year to advise the Superintendent and the Georgia Department of Education on how state policies are impacting the classroom. The Student Advisory Council will also discuss other education-related issues and will serve as the State Superintendent's ambassadors in their respective schools.

"The Student Advisory Council is an invaluable resource to the leadership of the Georgia Department of Education," Superintendent Barge said. "This group will provide a unique perspective on how state policies are working in the classroom and allow me the opportunity to communicate directly with students in schools throughout Georgia."

More than 700 students applied to be a member of the Student Advisory Council by filling out an application and answering an essay question. Students were chosen based on the strength of their essay answers, as well as their school and community involvement.

"We had a large number of qualified applicants this year, which made the task of choosing the members of the Student Advisory Council very difficult,” Superintendent Barge said. "I think we have a great group of students, and I'm looking forward to our first meeting."

The GHP alumni named to the Council are as follows:

2010
Seung Kwan Baek, Social Studies
Shaquilla Harrigan, Social Studies
Tanner Pruitt, Communicative Arts

2011
Zubair Akram, Social Studies
Jessica Allison, Biology
Varun Anand, Social Studies
Anna Heape, Communicative Arts
Franklin Lowe, Social Studies
Hunter Pruitt, AgSci/Environmental
John Stroud, Mathematics
Will White, Social Studies
Jacob Whitfield, Spanish

In addition, Varun, Franklin, and Jacob were Education minors last summer.

Congratulations to these outstanding GHP alumni!