Catawba County Schools

CATAWBA COUNTY, NC – Catawba County Schools is proud to announce that nine outstanding high
school students have been selected to attend the 2025 North Carolina Governor’s School, a
prestigious four-week summer residential program for gifted and talented students.

Governor’s School, held from June 22 to July 19, brings together some of the most exceptional
students from across the state to engage in advanced study and exploration in academic and
artistic disciplines. The program is hosted on two campuses, Governor’s School West at Greensboro
College and Governor’s School East at Meredith College.

This year’s selected students and their areas of study are:
● Kyo Yang – Challenger Early College High School, Governor’s School West (Natural Science)
● Alan Wilson – St. Stephens High School, Governor’s School West (Mathematics)
● Orryn Simmons – Bunker Hill High School, Governor’s School West (Mathematics)
● Carter Hessong – St. Stephens High School, Governor’s School West (Mathematics)
● Cela Parrish – Bandys High School, Governor’s School West (Choral Music, Soprano 2)
● Jahdai Avalos-Joya – Challenger Early College High School, Governor’s School East (Visual
Arts)
● Cameron McNally – St. Stephens High School, Governor’s School East (Social Science)
● Cady Lam – Fred T. Foard High School, Governor’s School East (Natural Science)
● Jaxon Cheese – Bandys High School, Governor’s School East (Choral Music, Tenor 2)

Students are selected through a competitive process after being nominated by their school, making
this achievement a testament to their dedication, hard work, and academic or artistic excellence.
Catawba County Schools is incredibly proud of these students and congratulates them on this
remarkable opportunity to expand their knowledge, engage with like-minded peers, and challenge
themselves in a dynamic learning environment.

For more information about the North Carolina Governor’s School,visit NCGovernor’sSchool Website.