State should continue funding for Governor's School

I was a scholar at the Governor's School of Public Issues held this summer at Monmouth University. Four years ago, my sister attended this program and not only did she learn so much from the staff, but she learned so much from the variety of people who attended the program, who she keeps in touch with to this day. When I saw how much she enjoyed her experience here, I knew that I wanted to spend my summer here when I grew older.

This program was everything I could have asked for. After only one week of being at this program, my mother saw a difference in the way I discussed issues that I had learned about, and she was very impressed. Three weeks into the program, I had learned even more about issues ranging from genocide and natural disasters to terrorism and the First Amendment, which is my class.

In my class I was able to read interesting court cases and discuss different parts of the First Amendment. I did a presentation on Internet censorship and became even more interested in the information I found.

Even when we were not in class, I found that my fellow scholars and I discussed and debated these issues frequently, which furthered my interest. Various clubs were also been formed by the scholars including the AIDS Awareness Club and the Genocide Awareness Club.

The AIDS Awareness Club put on a presentation for all of the scholars and staff, where I learned a lot about this terrible illness.

In the Genocide Awareness Club, I helped raise a lot of money to help victims of genocide. Before this program, I did not know or understand the issue of genocide. Now that I am aware of this problem, I plan to continue raising money at my school when I return in September.

The friendships that I have made here are golden. Already I have learned so much about different cultures and experiences. The knowledge that the different scholars have about diverse topics is incredible.

By meeting people from different areas of the state, I have been able to learn about programs which my school does not offer. I plan on bringing some of these activities back to my school to help make a difference in my community. If I had not come to this program, I would not have been able to meet these people and learn of these endeavors.

The counselors and teachers also bring so much to this program. Their incredible experiences and cultures are inspirational to me, and my time spent here would not have been the same without their enthusiasm and vast knowledge.

If the six Governor's Schools are cut from New Jersey's agenda, it will be a tragedy. Previous as well as present scholars will agree with me that this program is an amazing experience. Between the classes offered, the various speakers, the different scholars and the staff, I would not have chosen to spend my July any other way.

Every person involved in this program goes above and beyond to make sure that everyone is enjoying themselves while learning at the same time. Please help us make the public aware of the great value of the program by encouraging their support and contributions.

Rachel Sprung

Wayside section

of Ocean Township