South Carolina Governor's School for Science and Mathematics

The South Carolina Governor's School for Science and Mathematics (GSSM) is a public, boarding high school for students in grades 11 and 12, located in Hartsville, South Carolina. The school concentrates on science and mathematics, but offers the full spectrum of the humanities as well.

South Carolina Governor's School for Science and Mathematics
Address
401 Railroad Ave.

Hartsville
,
South Carolina

United States
Coordinates34.373°N 80.065°W / 34.373; -80.065
Information
TypePublic boarding school
Motto24/7Smart[1]
Established1988
OversightBoard of Trustees
Grades11-12
Number of studentsMaximum of 288
Student to teacher ratio10:1
CampusResidential Dormitories mixed with Labs, Classrooms, a Student Activities Center, and a Gymnasium
Color(s)    Navy blue and silver
MascotEagle
NicknameGovie(s)
NewspaperThe Govie Gazette
YearbookExcelsior
AffiliationSouth Carolina Department of Education
NCSSS
Coker University
Websitewww.scgssm.org

The school has 29 full-time teachers; 93% with doctorates and 100% with master's degrees. Students regularly score the highest SAT and ACT average in the state (1379 and 29, respectively, in 2020). The school was named "#1 Best Public High School in South Carolina" by Niche.com in 2020 and The Washington Post's "Top-Performing Schools with Elite Students" in 2016.[2]

Academics

Students at GSSM select from a wide range of STEM courses during their two years on campus. Typically, 18 AP courses are offered and 45% of the STEM courses are listed as "Above AP".[3] Students can conduct semester or year-long scientific investigations,[4] in addition to the required Summer Program for Research Interns (SPRI).[5] During SPRI, students conduct six weeks of mentored scientific, business or economics research at university or corporate R&D labs across South Carolina or in locations across the United States and other countries. In 2009, GSSM began the Research Exchange Scholars Program (later renamed the Research Experience Scholars Program) with exchange students from Pforzheim, Germany[6] and Daejeon, Korea. The program has grown to include more locations in Germany and China, and plans are underway to include sites in a number of countries. In 2017, the RESP program included sites in Germany, Korea, and China.

In addition to a rigorous STEM curriculum, GSSM also offers a wealth of humanities courses and a January Interim[7] mini-mester of experiential courses and national and international trips. Courses and trips vary from year to year.

Outreach

Beyond the education provided to students in residence, the school delivers outreach programs[8] for middle schoolers in satellite locations statewide, as well as for rising 8th through 10th graders at its annual, residential summer program, GoSciTech.

GoSciTech, originally named Summer Science Program (SSP), began as a one-week program in 1990. As of 2012, the camp expanded to offer up to four weeks of courses and was renamed GoSciTech. In 2016, nearly 30 courses were offered to over 500 students.

Satellite camps include iTEAMS Xtreme and iTEAMS Xtreme: Next Generation, computer science, technology and robotics day camps. CREATEng, an engineering and design thinking day camp, was added in 2014. More than 1300 students and teachers from across the state participated in GSSM's summer outreach programs during the 2016 summer.

History

The school was founded in 1988 by Governor Carroll Campbell and Charles W. Coker on the grounds of Coker College. It moved to a purpose-built campus nearby in 2003.[9] In 2010, two new wings were added: the Academic Wing, containing classrooms and laboratories, and the Student Activities Center, which includes an engineering projects center and also a gym, weight room, game room, and kitchen. In 2015, the school reached maximum capacity of 288 students.[10]

Admissions

Admission to GSSM is by application and open to any resident of South Carolina in his or her sophomore year of high school. More than 350 students apply each year for the coming junior class, with about 149 invited in 2016 (varying from year to year so that the student body size at the start of each year is 288). Applications are due by February 1 before the school year in which the students will begin attending. A score on one of the following standardized tests is required for admittance: PSAT, SAT, or the ACT. The remaining students are placed on a waiting list, which is pulled from should any of the originally selected students decide not to accept.

Student life
SCGSSM State Soccer Championship 2012

All students live in residence at the School. Each suite consists of two rooms and a bathroom, each room housing two students. There are common areas on each hall.

Much of the student body participates in the school's numerous clubs and societies. Many students also participate in varsity athletics with cross country, swimming, volleyball, tennis and soccer teams consistently ranked highly and/or participating in state championships. In 2017, boys cross country won the 1A state championship. In 2018, the boys soccer team won the South Carolina division 1A state championship. In November 2018, the girl's volleyball team won the South Carolina division 1A state championship. The school also boasts multiple individual and team track and field state champions, as well as SC state chess championships.[11]

Students are required to complete 50 hours of community service annually, though a majority of the students surpass this requirement. Service projects include tutoring local students and residents, computer, website and IT help for business owners, volunteering at the animal shelter and food bank, and helping around campus.

Notable alumni
  • Aziz Ansari - actor, comedian, and filmmaker[12]
  • Hon. Shiva Hodges - U.S. Magistrate for the District of South Carolina[13]

See also

References
  1. "24/7SMART - Trademark Details". JUSTIA Trademarks. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  2. "Top-performing schools with elite students". The Washington Post.
  3. http://www.scgssm.org/residential/academics/course-catalog-and-faqs
  4. http://www.scgssm.org/residential/academics/scientific-investigation
  5. http://www.scgssm.org/residential/academics/senior-research
  6. http://www.scnow.com/news/local/article_1d896e88-d597-59d2-b9fe-9956687db21f.html
  7. http://www.scgssm.org/residential/academics/january-interim
  8. http://www.scgssm.org/outreach-camps
  9. Ray, Rusty (October 6, 2010). "Governor's School brings the best and brightest to Hartsville". SC Now.
  10. "Mission and History". South Carolina Governor's School for Science and Mathematics.
  11. "2015 Report Card" (PDF). State of South Carolina.
  12. "NBC's Parks and Recreation star has SC ties". WIST.
  13. Monk, John (9 August 2016). "Hawk-killing USC trustee says he got bad deal from 'bird lover' judge". The State. Retrieved 17 January 2019.
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