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(Transcribed by TurboScribe. Go Unlimited to remove this message.) The Appomattox Regional Governor's School for the Arts

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and Technology is one of three comprehensive, full

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-time governor schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

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Located in Petersburg, ARGS has core academic classes

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as well as six focus area programs that

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students can pursue.

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Dance, theater, literary arts, technology, music and visual

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arts.

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We have 14 school divisions which send students

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to us and we have approximately 380 students

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total in grades 9 through 12, so we

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are a relatively small school.

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We maintain the low student population so that

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students can have smaller, specialized classes which is

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reflected in our mission statement.

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The Appomattox Regional Governor's School for the Arts

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and Technology provides gifted and talented students a

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differentiated and rigorous education, cultivates a supportive environment

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that inspires unique artistic and technological visions, promotes

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cultural tolerance, nurtures community partnerships and produces active,

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engaged citizens.

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The school opened in 1999 in the historical

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former Petersburg High School.

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It was originally constructed in 1918 but opened

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as a school a year late due to

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it being repurposed as an overflow morgue because

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of the influenza pandemic of 1918.

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The school closed in 1974 after a new

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high school was opened and the building remained

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in partial use as offices and storage until

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it was finally shuttered in the mid-80s

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and was being eyed for demolition by the

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90s until a grassroots effort was made to

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preserve the building.

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Fortuitously at the time, a new governor's school

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was being planned.

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Petersburg was selected as the location for ARGS

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because of the availability of the building which

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was structurally sound and it was a central

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location to the proposed participating school divisions.

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In 1999, ARGS opened as the only governor's

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school dedicated to the visual and performing arts

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and technology.

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Even though we are a governor's school for

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the arts and technology, we are a comprehensive

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school.

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Each school division provides transportation to and from

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ARGS and students attend from 8.30 to

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3.30 with a block schedule of four

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90-minute classes which alternate between A days

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on Monday and Wednesday and B days on

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Tuesday and Thursday.

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The Friday schedule alternates between A and B.

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We have a 50-minute lunch break where

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clubs can meet as well.

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ARGS offers both AP and dual enrollment classes

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which are taught through either John Tyler or

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Richard Blaine Colleges.

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The dance department has several practice areas on

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campus including a new professional level facility.

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They have multi-level classes in jazz, ballet,

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and modern as well as classes in composition

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and dance repertory.

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They also have a guest artist program where

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choreographers come and work with dancers.

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The literary arts department works in various forms

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of writing with classes like fiction, poetry, non

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-fiction, print and online publication, and more.

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They consistently win awards across multiple genres in

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the Virginia High School League's writing competitions as

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well as in regional and national competitions.

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They also publish an award-winning literary arts

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magazine known as Asgard.

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The music department offers ensembles such as orchestra,

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concert choir, and chamber choir.

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Our orchestra and choir consistently receive superior ratings

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at district meets.

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The students have opportunities in performing at ARGS

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and the surrounding communities at various public events.

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Our piano majors also regularly work with professional

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artists such as the Garth Newell String Quartet.

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The theater department comprises advanced theater, musical theater,

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and technical theater.

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The department has received many awards at the

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Virginia Theater Association Conference, such as the All

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-Star Cast, first place in the Tech Olympics,

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and first place in the On the Spot

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playwriting competition, along with many awards in the

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VHSL and annual One Acts Festival.

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The department also puts on two main stage

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productions each year.

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The technology department focuses on engineering and programming,

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providing multi-level classes.

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Augmented reality and virtual reality are quickly becoming

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more integrated in our everyday lives, and ARGS

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gives opportunities for the students to explore those

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fields.

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They also have an award-winning robotics team.

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The visual arts department has classes in sculpture,

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painting, photography, drawing, graphic design, ceramics, and more.

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They have won awards in national contests, and

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many of their work has been seen in

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galleries around the Richmond region.

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They also host an annual fashion show that

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attracts hundreds of people for the event.

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Even though ARGS is a governor school, in

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many ways we are just like other schools.

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Aside from the focus areas and their core

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classes, we have sports, cheerleading, golf, co-ed

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cross country, girls volleyball, boys and girls basketball,

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boys and girls tennis, and co-ed soccer.

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Since we are a small school, we compete

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with other VHSL Class A schools.

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Here at ARGS, we offer an array of

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extracurricular activities.

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Since we are a regional school, our clubs

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don't meet after school, so transportation isn't an

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issue.

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Instead, we have a 50-minute lunch block,

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and our clubs meet according to a schedule

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which allows the students to belong to multiple

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clubs.

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We have service clubs like the People for

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the Ethical Treatment of the Environment, Interact, and

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the National Honor Society, just to name a

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few.

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Each of our focus areas have their own

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club where important information is also discussed.

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There is also the robotics team, tabletop gaming,

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and many more to satisfy just about any

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interest.

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Since there are 14 school divisions, in order

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to apply to ARGS, you should contact your

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school division's gifted coordinator or middle school counselor,

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and they can start you on the right

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direction with the application process.

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There are two components.

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One is the application, and the other is

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adjudication.

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Each student applies to be adjudicated in one

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focus area where they will either perform, say

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for dance, theater, or music, or submit a

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portfolio for literary arts, visual arts, or technology.

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The application goes into detail on the requirements.

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Students' applications and adjudications are scored, and then

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those scores are sent to their representative school

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divisions.

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Each school division has a certain number of

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slots available, and they will make the final

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selection according to the number of slots and

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the needs of the focus area programs.

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Letters of acceptance are sent out in the

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spring.

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Please also visit our website, ARGS.us, for

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more information, or again, contact your school division's

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gifted coordinator.