Several T.C. Williams High School students will participate in prestigious academic and leadership programs this summer.

Students selected to participate in the 2008 Summer Residential Governor’s School for Academics, Arts and Mentoring Programs include Alexander Amaniel, Humanities; Abe-Melek Bekele, Mathematics, Science and Technology; John Fitzsimmons, Humanities; Alexander Hampl, Mathematics, Science and Technology; Yi Ping Roberts, Humanities; and Eliza VanZoeren, Visual and Performing Arts. The month-long programs for gifted students take place at colleges throughout the state.

Matthew Argao, Tiroune Oates, Ethan Livin, Seth Livin, Ryan Haskins, Kevin Lu and Carl Gunter will represent the school at Virginia American Legion Boys State, a comprehensive one-week “leadership action program” designed to educate students about how government works. Representing T.C. Williams at Virginia Girls State are Marie Brown and Shinada Phillips.

Sasha Denisin, a graduating senior, was selected to represent Virginia at the 2008 National Youth Science Camp. This month-long, all expenses paid residential science education program will be held in West Virginia for “the two most promising high school science students from each state.” Participants will attend lectures, interact with scientists, pursue their own areas of interest and research in the sciences and explore other disciplines such as music and art.  Potential candidates were required to be graduating seniors intending to pursue science, mathematics, engineering or medicine.  They also had to demonstrate superior academic and leadership ability and show skills outside of the science and academic fields.