GASTON – Two of Northampton County’s high school students are off to the Governor’s School of North Carolina this summer.

Roshana Ashe and James Hanson were both honored by the Northampton County Board of Education at Monday night’s meeting with certificates of achievement.

According to the school’s web site, Governor’s School offers a six-week residential program for academically or intellectually gifted rising high school seniors “integrating academic disciplines, the arts and unique courses.”

Students receive a Governor’s School certificate at the end of the program.

The selection of the nominees has multiple steps that involve several school personnel, including teachers, guidance counselors, principals and superintendents.

The nominees’ applications are then passed to a committee who decides on who to select for the school.

The school is located on two campuses, Governor’s School-East in Raleigh at Meredith College and Governor’s School-West in Winston-Salem at Salem College.

“I’m happy (to be attending the Governor’s School) because not many students get a chance to do this,” said Ashe, a junior at Northampton County High School-West. “I’m very appreciative.”

Ashe, who is from Henrico, will attend Governor’s School-East for mathematics.

She added she hopes to take away “more perseverance and patience” out of the experience.

“I’m a little nervous about going,” said Hanson, a junior at Northampton County High School-East. “But I’ve talked to people who have gone; it sounds like it’s a really good experience.”

He will attend Governor’s School-West for mathematics.

The Rich Square teen credited his guidance counselor, Sharon Peele, for helping him.

“I think if you get the chance to do something like this, you should take it,” he advised other students.

In the future, Ashe would like to attend University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill after graduating high school and in the future would like to be a lab technician.

Hanson also expressed interest in attending UNC Chapel Hill where he would like to major in either psychology or education.

He said someday he would like to be a clinical psychologist.

In other business, the board recognized Northampton County Schools Network Administrator Melchizedek “Mel” Cherry for being elected as vice president of the North Carolina Education Technicians.

The board approved a resolution of a partnership between Northampton County Public School System and UHURU Community Development Corporation to engage community members in a study circle planning process, which will address youth related issues in the county.

The board also approved the second reading of the proposed 2007-2008 calendar.

At last month’s meeting, the board discussed a legislative bill that has made it through the House of Representatives, but has yet to be decided on by the Senate.

If the bill passed it would start the school year a week earlier, which would allow for students to get in their tests before the winter holidays.

Director of Community/School Relations and Student Services Susie Johnson said there is an alternate calendar to replace the existing one if the bill were to be passed.

The students of the month were also honor and included, Jermaine Deloatch of Northampton County High School-East, Shawnita Crowell of Northampton County High School-West, Shenika Britt of Conway Middle School, Crystal Zornes of Gaston Middle School, Kelse Edwards of Central Elementary School, Courtney Webb of Garysburg Elementary, Jaelun Wiggins of Willis Hare Elementary School, Emerson Mareno of Rich Square-W.S. Creecy Elementary School, Dajah Moody of Squire Elementary School and Rodney Davis, Jr. of Northampton Alternative School.