Pennsylvania, like all states, is facing some pretty big financial challenges but a particular cut in the proposed state budget that will eliminate the Pennsylvania Governor's Schools of Excellence has motivated a number of alumni to create an advocacy movement intending to prevent the demise of what we believe is an amazing program. On Tuesday March 10, a rally in support of the Governor's School program will be held on the Capitol steps in Harrisburg.
I attended Governor's School for the Arts in 1989 as a theater major. I can say without hesitation that it was the most significant formative event of my life. The skills and training I received at PGSA supported my later collegiate experiences in theater at the University of Pennsylvania where I was a member of the Mask and Wig Club, Penn Players, Arts House Theatre and a number of other student performing arts organizations.
While living in Austin, Texas I performed with a number of companies, including the Austin Shakespeare Festival. Teaching junior high school at St. Mary's Cathedral School gave me another outlet for my experiences in the performing arts; I started a theater program at the school and directed students in a number of productions, including my adaptation of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, entitled "You Gotta Be Frank!"
Many who know me for my experiences in counterinsurgency may not know about my background in the performing arts, but I have always seen a direct link between these facets of my life. Directing a play is about convincing people to take risks and do unusual things under stressful circumstances; the many lessons I learned in this field definitely served me during my career as a military officer.
Steve is another product of the Governor's School program, having attended the Governor's School for Business. He went on to attend Wharton at Penn and now has an MBA from Smeal at Penn State.
To my fellow Pennsylvanians, please consider contacting your local state leadership and voicing your support for the Governor's School program. It has made a difference in our lives, and we are certain that it makes Pennsylvania a better state.
For more information, visit the 'Save the Govies' group site on Facebook.
