Allysa Durbin and Anna Sohl are happy as clams because of the news they received about GSA.

Photo courtesy of Connor English

Connor English

Staff Writer

   Lone Oak High School student Alyssa Durbin recently learned she was admitted into the Governor’s School for the Arts and Anna Sohl received word that she was admitted as an alternate. These students were chosen out of a pool of more than 1,500 applicants from all across the state and Alyssa is one of the 225 that were accepted.

    Students accepted into the program live, breathe, eat and sleep the arts for three weeks on the campus of Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky. Students at GSA participate in seminars, classes, lectures, workshops, field trips, while meeting other accomplished artists and making life long friends. Each student has a main focus of study while they attend.  Alyssa’s focus will be musical theatre and Anna will study architecture if she is given the opportunity to attend. When asked what she looks forward to the most while learning about theatre this summer Durbin said, “I’m excited to sing and dance until they kick me off the campus.”

    98% of GSA alumni go on to college, 93% receive scholarships averaging $59,000 per alumnus, and on average alumni score 6 points higher on the ACT than the national average. The three week program at Transylvania is completely paid for by the state. This is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity for Durbin and Sohl remains hopeful that she will have the same potentially life-changing opportunity. Erica Rust looks back on her time at GSA last year by saying, “It was a very exciting time and one I will remember for the rest of my life.”

“...live, breathe, eat and sleep the arts...”