Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, August 16, 1995 TAG: 9508160081
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
She recently spent four weeks at the Governor's School for the Visual and Performing Arts at the University of Richmond with 200 other gifted students taking college-level classes in the arts.
``Everyone was so talented. It was something that you couldn't get in high school drama classes,'' Collier said. ``It was inspiring, something I will remember.''
Maggie Stebar, a Craig County High School senior, feels the same way about her experience in the summer school for some of Virginia's brightest high school students.
``I learned more in a month than a whole year in regular school. I felt I came out a much better actress. The whole month was concentrated on the theater,'' Stebar said.
Some parents and supporters of the summer governor's schools are worried, however, that funding problems might prevent some students from participating next year.
State funds for the governor's schools were reduced this year. The state had been paying the entire cost; now, school divisions must pay 20 percent to 80 percent of each student's cost, depending on the school system's wealth and other factors in the state's school funding formula.
Eula Rosenberger, a member of the Virginia Advisory Committee for the Education of the Gifted, said Tuesday that she fears the cut in state funds will have a domino effect.
``The school divisions had already committed to sending students this year. They scraped up the money,'' said Rosenberger, a Roanoke resident whose daughter attended one of the governor's schools last year.
``But the real effect won't come until next summer. Some school systems might not be able to pay for their students,'' said Rosenberger, who's also a member of the Roanoke Advisory Committee for Gifted Education.Carol Collier, Emily Collier's mother, is trying to rally public support for restoring full state funding for the program.
"If more people knew about the program, I think there would be more support for it," Collier said.
The governor's schools are residential four-, five- and six-week programs for 600 gifted students in the visual and performing arts, humanities, math and science.
The schools for the visual and performing arts and humanities are held at the University of Richmond. The school for math and science was held at the College of William and Mary this summer and will move to Lynchburg College next year.
Smaller schools that conduct mentorships are held at the Medical College of Virginia, NASA/Langley Research Center and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. Foreign language academies also are held at several colleges.
Keith Eicher, site director of the summer programs at the University of Richmond, said the cost for room, board and instruction averages about $1,000 a student.
Eicher said school divisions felt obligated to pay their share of the costs this summer, but they might not feel the same next year.
Each school system is allocated a certain number of slots based on enrollment and other factors. The schools are open to rising juniors and seniors. The participants are selected through a competitive process that includes academic performance and recommendations from teachers.
Del. Clifton ``Chip'' Woodrum, D-Roanoke, said state funds for the governor's schools were cut because Gov. George Allen eliminated funds for the foreign language academies as part of his budget cuts this year.
Woodrum said some legislators wanted to save the foreign language academies. They decided to require school divisions to pay part of the cost for the summer governor's schools to generate funds to help keep the language programs. The school systems also were required to pay part of the cost for their students to attend the academies.
``Rather than acquiesce in what the governor proposed, we saved as much as we could,'' Woodrum said.governor's"I think foreign languages are extremely important in a global economy, just as the governor's schools are important," Woodrum said.
Del. Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, said the General Assembly might restore full funding for the governor's schools next year if the economy is doing well and state revenues are up.
School systems in the Roanoke Valley are expected to continue to send students to the schools even if full state funding is not restored.
Eight students from Roanoke attended the schools this summer at a cost of $3,825 to the school system. ``I can't imagine Roanoke not continuing to participate unless something unforeseen happens,'' said Rita Bishop, assistant superintendent for instruction.
Four Salem students participated in the programs at a cost of $2,285 to the school system. Director of Instruction Joe Kirby said Salem will keep sending students.
Eight Roanoke County students were enrolled this summer at a cost of $3,474. Superintendent Deanna Gordon said the county will send students to the schools as long as parents and the gifted advisory committee consider it a priority and money is available.
by CNB