Paducah Tilghman High School juniors Caroline Adkins, Anderson Ballert, Sasha Black, Max Canlas, Gray Edwards, Rex Gay, and Emme Haus have been accepted to the 2026 Kentucky Governor’s Scholar Program.
The Governor’s Scholars Program Statewide Selection Committee reported that the 2026 Scholars were selected from a highly competitive field of 1,698 outstanding young Kentuckians. The 1,020 students accepted represent 60% of the total pool of candidates. The number of candidates each district may submit to the statewide process is based on the district-wide junior class enrollment. Paducah Tilghman High School was permitted to submit seven applications this year, out of which all seven were accepted into the program.
The Governor’s Scholars Program is a summer residential program for outstanding rising high school seniors in Kentucky. This year’s sessions will be hosted by Centre College in Danville, Morehead State University in Morehead, and Murray State University in Murray.
Selection for the program is highly competitive, with an application process similar to that of prestigious colleges and universities. In addition to an academic profile that includes difficulty of course load, GPA, and at least one standardized test score, the application requires an outline of all extracurricular activities, a history of volunteer service, and a list of job positions held. Also required is a teacher recommendation which includes both a quantitative evaluation and qualitative descriptions of the student’s performance and potential, as well as a community recommendation which shows how a student performs in a community setting beyond the high school. The final component of the application is an original writing entry.
The core curriculum for the program consists of a focus area of the student’s choosing, general studies classes, and seminars. Faculty and staff also invite a variety of speakers and performers from a range of disciplines and pursuits to visit campus. The scholars are challenged to examine and nurture their sense of learning and leadership. The program’s mission is to enhance Kentucky’s next generation of civic and economic leaders.
Pictured L to R: Max Canlas, Sasha Black, Gray Edwards, Anderson Ballert, Caroline Adkins, Rex Gay, Emme Haus