Earlier this year, Thomas County Central High School musician Brandon Allen earned placement in the Georgia Governor’s Honors Program. His chosen field of study was music, his specific area of study jazz trumpet.
“Brandon is an accomplished classical and jazz trumpet player and has recently been pursuing secondary instruments,” TCCHS Bands Director Joe Regina said. “Brandon has a very high level of focus, and his work ethic in the practice room is exceptional. He is a perennial member of the district honor and jazz bands, as well as region honor band. He is a very positive young man and a great influence on his peers.”
GHP announced finalists April 3 during the state-mandated quarantine. Although organizers sought a way to hold the program for rising senior finalists, the spread and continued threat of COVID-19 marked the first-ever cancellation of the prestigious summer program since its inception in 1964.
“We were extremely thrilled Brandon was selected and proud of the effort he put forth during the nomination and application phase but equally disappointed he did not get to experience GHP firsthand,” TCCHS Assistant Principal Dr. Jim Rehberg said. “He is an immensely talented individual, and I have no doubt he will still learn many valuable lessons from the process and continue to have fantastic opportunities ahead of him.”
According to an announcement email to coordinators from GHP program manager Richard Parmer, tentative preparations are underway for the 2021 program in both physical and virtual formats. And 2020 finalists who were rising juniors at the time will have a chance to attend next year’s session – without reapplying – if interested, committed to adhering to school and program standards, and if granted parental/legal guardian permission.
To recognize the rising senior finalists, GHP shared nomination area opportunities with them and created special gift packages that included an official T-shirt, finalist certificate, program lanyard and decal, and items from partners at Berry College. Also, senior finalists received automatic program alumni status, and the program is striving to honor these students with a future “GHP Day at the State Capitol.”
“We hope that these items serve as reminders to the rising seniors that we have not forgotten about them and are steadily working to celebrate their achievements,” Parmer wrote in the announcement email.
Allen, a senior this year, is the TCCHS Yellow Jacket “Best of the Nest” Marching Band drum major.