Arkansas Governor's School
Encyclopedia
The Arkansas Governor's School (also known as Arkansas Governor's School for the Gifted and Talented) is a four-week (formerly six-week) program offered to rising seniors in the state of Arkansas. The school, which typically accepts around 400 students, takes place on the grounds of Hendrix College
in Conway, Arkansas
. Modeled after the North Carolina Governor's School, it was founded by governor Bill Clinton
in 1979.
Twice each week is a required speaker. Speakers at Governor's School have ranged from Rudy Giuliani
, Michael Shermer
, and Phyllis Schlafly
to Temple Grandin
and James Loewen
. During the beginning years, then-governor Bill Clinton
and his wife, Hillary Clinton gave speeches and held small meetings in order to improve the normal school experiences. Once each week is a required film, the first of which is usually Koyaanisqatsi
.
The curriculum at the school is broken up into three areas:
There are two other "areas," Area IV and Area V. Area IV consists of the residential staff (Resident Assistants, or "RAs," as well as the Head Residents of the various dormitories), whereas Area V consists of the office staff.
Hendrix College
Hendrix College is a private liberal arts college located in Conway, Arkansas. The student body averages around 1,400 and currently represents forty-three states and fourteen foreign countries. In US News and World Report's America's Best Colleges, Hendrix is ranked annually in the top tier of...
in Conway, Arkansas
Conway, Arkansas
Conway is the county seat of Faulkner County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 58,908 at the 2010 census, making Conway the seventh most populous city in Arkansas. It is a principal city of the Little Rock–North Little Rock–Conway Metropolitan Statistical Area which had...
. Modeled after the North Carolina Governor's School, it was founded by governor Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
in 1979.
Twice each week is a required speaker. Speakers at Governor's School have ranged from Rudy Giuliani
Rudy Giuliani
Rudolph William Louis "Rudy" Giuliani KBE is an American lawyer, businessman, and politician from New York. He served as Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001....
, Michael Shermer
Michael Shermer
Michael Brant Shermer is an American science writer, historian of science, founder of The Skeptics Society, and Editor in Chief of its magazine Skeptic, which is largely devoted to investigating pseudoscientific and supernatural claims. The Skeptics Society currently has over 55,000 members...
, and Phyllis Schlafly
Phyllis Schlafly
Phyllis McAlpin Stewart Schlafly is a Constitutional lawyer and an American politically conservative activist and author who founded the Eagle Forum. She is known for her opposition to modern feminism ideas and for her campaign against the proposed Equal Rights Amendment...
to Temple Grandin
Temple Grandin
Temple Grandin is an American doctor of animal science and professor at Colorado State University, bestselling author, and consultant to the livestock industry on animal behavior...
and James Loewen
James Loewen
James W. Loewen is a sociologist, historian, and author whose best-known work is Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong .-Early life and career:...
. During the beginning years, then-governor Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
and his wife, Hillary Clinton gave speeches and held small meetings in order to improve the normal school experiences. Once each week is a required film, the first of which is usually Koyaanisqatsi
Koyaanisqatsi
Koyaanisqatsi also known as Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance, is a 1982 film directed by Godfrey Reggio with music composed by Philip Glass and cinematography by Ron Fricke....
.
The curriculum at the school is broken up into three areas:
- Area I, which is similar to a college major. Students choose from one of eight areas of study (English/Language Arts, Visual Arts, Choral Music, Instrumental Music, Mathematics, Natural Science, Social Science, and Drama).
- Area II, also known as conceptual development, which focuses on epistemology. Many Area II teachers are (or were) philosophy, history, and English majors.
- Area III, which is also known as personal and social development. One topic largely stressed in Area III classes is the division of wealth.
There are two other "areas," Area IV and Area V. Area IV consists of the residential staff (Resident Assistants, or "RAs," as well as the Head Residents of the various dormitories), whereas Area V consists of the office staff.