Governor Scholars of the Arts, or GSA is an education program of the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts. GSA has no funding from the students, all funds are from the state or private fundraising, which allows many students to participate. Upcoming juniors and seniors audition for a shot to fill one of the 256 spots in the program, this is a 15% acceptance rate.
The process of getting into GSA consists of auditioning for a specific role such as photography, film, music, and more. If accepted into the program, the students attend the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts for three weeks.
Getting into GSA is very exciting for the students, the students who made it into GSA are juniors: Liam Delany, Sophia Hamilton, Sylvie Martin, Jenna Richey, Hayden Rolf, Aisley Street, and Addison Tallent. The sophomore recipients are Brianna Horner, Annie Kuhnhein, Abigail McKinley, Chase Pawsat, all are juniors and sophomores.
Junior Sophia Hamilton said: “Yeah, I was so excited when I saw I got in, ’cause I didn’t get accepted last year, I was an alternate, so It made me feel like I improved. However it was bittersweet cause I also got into KPA, and I’m going to be doing that instead. ”
Sophomore Chase Pawsat was also excited about the news of getting accepted into GSA he said: “Oh yeah, I was so excited, I was glad that I stood out in the crowd and like my audition was that good”
During GSA, students practice and work with the skills that they were specifically accepted for. No one is really doing the same thing, all the students are working on their passions. The program helps students chase the things they love and help them make a future for themselves.