The South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities (SCGSAH) develops the World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate in our students through a challenging curriculum in the arts and academics, along with other programs designed to engage and support student success. Our school slogan, Many Paths. One Community. Govie Unity, speaks to the diverse backgrounds of our students and the varied opportunities that await them when they graduate. The school prepares its graduates for success in college, in arts careers, and in other professional fields where they will use their creative talents.

Students demonstrated and developed these World Class Skills across the curriculum in 2025-2026. The “four C’s” in this set of skills tie directly into our mission: pre-professional arts instruction and academic excellence. Students demonstrated creativity and innovation along with critical thinking and problem solving in work that was recognized regionally, nationally, and internationally via the following awards and accomplishments:

• Creative Writing students earned outstanding regional and national accolades, including a prestigious national Gold Medal at the Scholastic Writing Awards along with multiple Gold and Silver Keys, and a designation as a YoungArts Award winner with Distinction. Students also excelled in playwriting, seeing work selected for the Clemson University Original Plays Festival, and were awarded prestigious creative writing scholarships alongside publications in literary journals like the Interlochen Review and Crashtest.

• Dance students demonstrated exceptional technical mastery and collaborative spirit, earning recognition from the National Honor Society for Dance Arts (including an Artistic Merit, Leadership, and Academic Achievement National Honorable Mention). Dancers achieved top placements at the school's Grand Jeté celebration and earned a Top 24 placement in Senior Classical Dance at the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP).

• Drama students excelled as highly disciplined individuals and ensembles, pushing their craft to regional and national prominence. Students auditioned successfully for top-tier training, securing regional and national qualifying spots at the SC National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) competition, reaching the finals of the Century Cycle Continues Monologue Competition (Annie Edge Award), and advancing as finalists in the SC New Play Festival (Next Broadway Star).

• Film program seniors—distinguished as the first graduating film class in the school's history—pioneered a legacy of artistic courage and technical collaboration. Their student-led films (including The Giraffe and the Monkey, Koschei the Deathless, The Horned Women, and Master of Puppets) earned accolades as winners, finalists, and official selections at the Reedy Reels Film Festival, Furman Film Festival, Tryon International Film Festival, and the SC Young Filmmakers Project.

• Music students demonstrated exquisite musicianship in prestigious state, regional, and national arenas. Accomplishments included winners and alternates in the SC Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Senior Performance Competitions, multiple regional qualifiers for the SC National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), and a finalist spot in the SC Band Directors Association Master Recital. Students also performed with elite ensembles, including the South Carolina All-State Band, Orchestra, and Choir, the Region Band, the Honor Band of America, and the Carolina Youth Symphony.

• Visual Arts students distinguished the program on regional, national, and international stages. At the Scholastic Art Awards, students captured two national Silver Medals alongside a vast collection of regional Gold and Silver Keys. At the National K-12 Ceramics Exhibition (NCECA), multiple students received distinguished merit and cash awards. Students also won top prizes at the Annual Upstate High School Art Exhibit, the Converse Emerging Young Artists Juried Exhibition, and ArtFields Jr., while producing professional exhibitions for Pacolet Milliken, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, and the NEXT Innovation Center.

As part of the Humanities curriculum, students explore how they can benefit their community and discuss global perspectives on important issues that help them develop insight, communication skills, and integrity both as artists and citizens. They are also encouraged to participate in service learning opportunities through the Connecting Arts Through Service (CATS) club, finding creative ways to connect with and support their community.

Alongside these arts and humanities programs, several key data points demonstrate SCGSAH’s commitment to career and college readiness for every student. The graduating seniors in the Class of 2026 earned significant academic and leadership achievements:

• Scores on SAT, ACT, and AP exams higher than state and national averages

• 173 (of 228) students enrolled in an AP course and those students took 256 exams

• 13 Spanish students earned recognition in the SC Seal of Biliteracy program 

  • 10 Silver 

  • 3 Bronze 

• The Class of 2026 was highly successful. With 116 seniors graduating in May here are some highlights:

  • 100% graduation rate

  • 99% completed one or more college applications

  • 20 earned Academic Achievement Awards

  • SC Diploma Pathways Seals of Distinction

    • Career pathway: 98 

    • College ready pathway: 101 

    • Honors pathway: 39 

    • Specialization - World Languages: 19

    • Specialization - STEM: 2

    • Specialization - Arts: 104

  • 35 inducted into the National Honor Society

  • 23 named Palmetto Fellows

  • 56 (additional) eligible for the LIFE Scholarship at four-year colleges

  • 100% eligible for the LIFE Scholarship at two-year colleges

  • 36 eligible for SC Hope Scholarship

This work, as is true from year to year, is a direct result of the high level of artistic and academic excellence that the Governor’s School’s faculty bring to the classrooms and studios every day. They continuously provide innovative learning experiences for students while pursuing professional development and remaining active and productive members of their respective professional communities. Our student life staff, health services team, and specialized support personnel on our Care & Concern Team work diligently and successfully to engage and support students.

Our students showed a growth mindset characterized by resilience, resourcefulness, and drive. Through their most notable and remarkable practice—creating and performing art daily—they continue to learn and demonstrate true curiosity, compassion, and innovation.