Governor’s School teaches Tennessee History, forms friendships

Governor's School students stop for a group photo amid their hike on the Roan Mountain balds, a highlight of the program for many in the group. (Photos by GSTHES students and staff)

By Ophelia Wagner

For four weeks this summer, 26 teenagers from across the state joined a decades-long program at East Tennessee State University that allows high school scholars to form lasting bonds while earning college credits.

Students from Memphis to Kingsport traveled to ETSU to participate in Governor’s School for Tennessee History and Environmental Studies (GSTHES), hosted by the university’s Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services. Students in the program completed a four-week college immersion experience, including a wide range of field experiences, all while earning three college credits in Tennessee History.” 

GSTHES is one of 11 Governor’s Schools throughout Tennessee, and with the Governor’s School of Integration of Biology and Statistical Sciences, one of two

The first Governor's School of Tennessee History and Environmental Studies cohort in 1987. (Photo courtesy of the Archives of Appalachia)

on ETSU’s campus. Governor’s Schools were first proposed in 1984 by Governor Lamar Alexander and GSTHES was founded in 1987.  In its nearly four decades of service at ETSU, the program has hosted more than 1,300 students as they learn about the history and environment of the place they call home.

During the four-week course, students are exposed to the rigors of college-level work. “They’re not just learning about Tennessee history,” Dr. Rebecca Adkins Fletcher, GSTHES director and assistant director of the Center of Excellence for Appalachian Studies and Services, said. “They’re also learning about the expectations of a college course: how to manage time and analyze primary sources, all while getting college-level feedback.” 

While the program is challenging, many Governor’s School students appreciate being held to the same standards as any university student. “I learned a lot about writing. I feel like I’ve really grown as a writer,” Lottie, a GSTHES student from Lebanon, said near the end of the program. “I’ve also learned a lot about asking questions, and how to speak up for myself when I have a question.” 

Students participate in a hike near Watauga Lake, which is in Tennessee's Johnson and Carter counties.

The GSTHES itinerary also includes some of the state’s most historically rich and awe-inspiring parks, including Sycamore Shoals, Rocky Fork, and a sunset hike on Roan Mountain’s balds. Before the Sycamore Shoals visit, students were able to either bike down the Tweetsie Trail while learning about Johnson City’s railroad history, or paddle down the Watauga River, courtesy of ETSU’s Outdoor Adventure Center. 

Students spanned the northeast corner of the state to participate in fieldwork and other hands-on experiences in natural history and paleontology. They spent a total of three days at ETSU’s Valleybrook campus to participate in the Pioneer Experience, building a homestead — complete with a log hut, latrine, firepit, and garden — from small logs and sticks, rope, and mud. “One of the most practical and enjoyable things I’ve learned is probably building our house and tying the ropes to make it,” said Nikhil, a rising senior from Chattanooga. “I never knew how to tie two pieces of rope together to make a structure. I think that would be useful.”  

Students work together to build homes from scratch during their time at ETSU's Valleybrook campus.

Immersion in museum work is also a central part of GSTHES. Included in the program are three days at the nearby Gray Fossil Site, where the group can “be part of an ongoing scientific dig and research,” Fletcher said. “They’re seeing how science works by doing it in the field. It takes some of the mystery out of it.” Students are also assigned to research and write a brief description of an artifact from ETSU’s Reece Museum, which serves the Appalachian region through exhibitions, collections, and community engagement. The students’ research will be showcased by the museum for the remainder of the summer and into the fall semester. 

Students researching and writing a description on a Reece Museum artifact, led by exhibition coordinator Spenser Brenner.

Among the most valuable aspects of the GSTHES program are the bonds formed between students during four weeks living together on ETSU’s campus. “Me and the rest of the guys all got close to each other in such a short span of time,” Nikhil said. “That surprised me. I thought it would be more surface-level and kind of awkward, but that awkward phase went away super quick. Our hikes and rafting and even building the house together gave us an opportunity to work together.” 

The group was able to explore downtown Johnson City after taking a guided tour of the historic Langston Centre.

Students in the program attend class together, eat together, and participate in nearly all activities as a group. In the span of four weeks, they form strong connections, and end-of-program presentations often include both laughter and tears. “What we’ve learned in the past is that students stay connected,” Fletcher said. “They have friendships that last for years.” 

This year’s program concluded on June 20 with group presentations and a digital yearbook before an audience of family members and GSTHES counselors and staff. To apply for GSTHES 2026, students who are rising high school juniors and seniors must attend school in Tennessee and must be nominated by a high school counselor or other administrator. More information on the application process can be found on the Governor’s School for Tennessee History and Environmental Studies website. 

Ophelia Wagner is a student in the Master’s in Appalachian Studies program at East Tennessee State University, and an assistant editor for Appalachian Places. She holds a master’s degree in Secondary English Education and has taught history in Tennessee public schools. Ophelia worked as a counselor in the 2025 GSTHES program.