The Massanutten Regional Governor’s School, owing to its small classes as well as its small overall population – consisting of two groups of 20 students per grade – is a very cohesive entity. In its two year course, students stay with the same group of students for each year throughout its four offered classes in statistics, environmental science, agroecology, and English.

For their efforts, they receive a stamp of recognition on their high school diplomas, their two years worth of college credits, and a brief graduation ceremony at the end of their senior year.

“Governor’s School is a truly unique educational experience. They encouraged us to do things that they’d never think of or let us do in regular school. I’m definitely going to miss it,” MRGS and HHS senior Neil Mehta said.

Aside from the scholastic benefits of Governor’s School, however, the ceremony celebrates shows how the class members feel about each other and how the group functions as a whole.

“Governor’s School graduation was really emotional. It was hard to accept that I wasn’t gonna see these guys every morning anymore. When our teachers spoke, however, they made it clear that graduation is not an end–it’s just the beginning of something new. I will treasure the experiences and memories I made at MRGS for the rest of my life,” MRGS and Turner Ashby senior Rebecca Mullins said.

Thus, with numerous, sometimes goofy, sometimes sentimental speeches, Governor’s school adjourned for its class of 2014.