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BETHANY-After two challenging weeks in the classroom, 179 soon-to-be high school seniors from throughout West Virginia and alumni of The Governor's Honors Academy celebrated that program's 25th Anniversary Saturday at Bethany College.

With live music resonating from the back porch of "Old Main" - a majestic building on the college's quaint campus-more than 340 students and alumni of the governor's academy took part in a meet and greet while having some good old fashion fun.

Saturday's event at Bethany was part of The Governor's Schools of West Virginia. Those schools consist of The Governor's Honors Academy, The Governor's School for Math and Science and The Governor's School for the Arts. They are residential summer sessions for academically and artistically talented students from across West Virginia.

The school sessions take place every summer on the campuses of various colleges and institutions of learning around the state. Students attend classes, workshops, and events with some of the best faculty and instructors in their field.

The program is free of charge to the students is administered by the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts. This year's Governor's School for the Arts is being held just a few miles from Bethany at West Liberty University.

"We're celebrating 25 year's of The Governor's Honors Academy in West Virginia," said Sherry Keffer, director of The Governor's Schools. She said the theme for the day's activities was, "Cultivating Curiosity for 25 years."

Keffer said the academy is for high school seniors from around the state who excel in academics. She said it encourages the students to think about their full potential and what they can accomplish.

"We take ordinary people and present them with extraordinary expectations." Keffer said. A Alumni and students from every year since 1984 came together and were represented at Saturday's celebration. The three week program will conclude next weekend.

Wheeling Park High School student Sharif Youssef said, "I've met a lot of interesting people with creative minds, and it is a great place to meet new people and get challenged a little bit more."

Mitchell Saludes, also of Wheeling Park High School said, "I've enjoyed all the classes that I've had, and it's given me a lot of knowledge, and the people are great."

Devin Cottle of Wheeling Park High School said he has been studying "Shakespeare" at this year's session. He said he has met a lot of people from around the state, and that it has been a great experience for him.

For more information on the program you can visit the website, www.wvgovschools.org.