When Words Don't Do Justice

By Molly Dean

Ballard High School, Louisville

 

There is so much to be said: so many relationships, feelings and opportunities that have been offered in this environment.

It seems to be much more of a utopian society than the real world which we have temporarily tried to block out. It's strange that I was intimidated by the idea of simply describing what this experience has been like for me.  Not in a bad way, simply a "where do I start?" way. 

I was one of about 360 students living on Bellarmine University’s campus in Louisville while participating in the Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program. In all, more than 1,000 scholars from across the state flocked to three college campuses this summer, embarking on a journey unlike any other.  The five-week program is dedicated to enriching top high school students’ academic, civic, economic, and social knowledge.

The GSP environment is so hospitable to growth.  Its uniqueness lies in the way it differs from the classroom settings in which we have all grown up.  No grades, no external motivation, simply reliance on your own curiosity and ambition.  You learn because you are hungry to know more.  You wrestle with what is difficult because you like the challenge.  And you are better for it. 

My journalism studies here have been eye opening.  The media is relevant and unavoidable, holding so much potential. I am taking home a greater understanding of how I am affected by the merging of communications technology, and an awareness of my news sources and how I stay informed on a daily basis.  It has sparked a curiosity.  But we are all searching for the truth in our own ways, and it boils down to the source. 

As far as the GSP is concerned, I am finding that generally, it is whatever the scholar is willing to put into it, as are many things in life.  A good attitude and a thirst for knowledge can take you places you never imagined.  Students are so receptive to an instructor’s passion for what they do that the teacher typically makes the class.  The entire GSP faculty really is a powerhouse of academia.  I am surrounded by so many role models, it makes my head spin in the best way!   

I'm not sure I can justify the program with my words, but I can say with certainty that this has been a life-changing experience. I cannot pinpoint how I am different, but it has been a big transition.  And this is such a vital point in our lives, "on the verge of adulthood.”  We hear it every day; we feel the pressure to make important decisions, except it is usually just talk, babbling.  But this experience has had an impact in so many ways. 

For these few short weeks, the Governor’s Scholars Program brought to a halt the reality and imminence of our futures, if only to show us how much potential we all hold.