2026 conference
Save the Date!!!
Burlington, Vermont - October 15th-17th, 2026
More Information to Come!
Burlington, Vermont - October 15th-17th, 2026
More Information to Come!
2025 Conference
New Orleans, Louisiana - October 9th-12th, 2025
The registration link for the conference is:
https://givebutter.com/f2jAJZ
Our host hotel is the Embassy Suites, New Orleans, located in the heart of the Warehouse District of New Orleans. This centrally located hotel offers all of the amenities that we will need to have a great conference and is close to our main extracurricular activity - a special visit and tour at the National WWII Museum. It is also very close to the French Quarter and other New Orleans attractions. The special conference rate of $249 per night can be booked using this link:
https://www.hilton.com/en/book/reservation/deeplink/?ctyhocn=MSYCCES&groupCode=CESNCG&arrivaldate=2025-10-06&departuredate=2025-10-14&cid=OM,WW,HILTONLINK,EN,DirectLink&fromId=HILTONLINKDIRECT
You may also call the hotel directly to book, make sure that you mention the group, National Conference of Governor's Schools. The number is: +1 504 525 1993.
Please book no later than September 18th, 2025.
Some topics we are planning to discuss / address:
- Med Call - how does your program handle medicine dispensation / record keeping / sick call, etc.? What are some best practices we can implement, what are the challenges?
- AI - creeping into every aspect of our lives, Governor's Schools are no exception, especially with application essays and other materials before we even meet our students. On the flip side - how can we (and should we!) leverage AI to better serve our students, missions and goals?
- RAs / Counselors / however you call them. Probably the staff we depend on the most without thinking about it, until there's a problem. Many programs are mentioning that it's becoming more and more difficult to find and hire these essential members of our staffs - and then, how do we train them in such a limited amount of time?
- Mini Grant Reports - we awarded three mini grants to member programs for this past summer and they will share with us how those grants were used.
- If you haven't looked at the registration link yet, I'd also like to make sure you know about our Friday afternoon planned "extracurricular" activity - an Historian guided content dive and tour of the National WWII Museum.
We still have room for one or two more presentations or sessions so if you have any ideas or topics that you would like to present or see discussed, please let us know once you register for the conference.
https://givebutter.com/f2jAJZ
Our host hotel is the Embassy Suites, New Orleans, located in the heart of the Warehouse District of New Orleans. This centrally located hotel offers all of the amenities that we will need to have a great conference and is close to our main extracurricular activity - a special visit and tour at the National WWII Museum. It is also very close to the French Quarter and other New Orleans attractions. The special conference rate of $249 per night can be booked using this link:
https://www.hilton.com/en/book/reservation/deeplink/?ctyhocn=MSYCCES&groupCode=CESNCG&arrivaldate=2025-10-06&departuredate=2025-10-14&cid=OM,WW,HILTONLINK,EN,DirectLink&fromId=HILTONLINKDIRECT
You may also call the hotel directly to book, make sure that you mention the group, National Conference of Governor's Schools. The number is: +1 504 525 1993.
Please book no later than September 18th, 2025.
Some topics we are planning to discuss / address:
- Med Call - how does your program handle medicine dispensation / record keeping / sick call, etc.? What are some best practices we can implement, what are the challenges?
- AI - creeping into every aspect of our lives, Governor's Schools are no exception, especially with application essays and other materials before we even meet our students. On the flip side - how can we (and should we!) leverage AI to better serve our students, missions and goals?
- RAs / Counselors / however you call them. Probably the staff we depend on the most without thinking about it, until there's a problem. Many programs are mentioning that it's becoming more and more difficult to find and hire these essential members of our staffs - and then, how do we train them in such a limited amount of time?
- Mini Grant Reports - we awarded three mini grants to member programs for this past summer and they will share with us how those grants were used.
- If you haven't looked at the registration link yet, I'd also like to make sure you know about our Friday afternoon planned "extracurricular" activity - an Historian guided content dive and tour of the National WWII Museum.
We still have room for one or two more presentations or sessions so if you have any ideas or topics that you would like to present or see discussed, please let us know once you register for the conference.
2024 conference
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A great time was had by all!
The National Conference of Governor's Schools went back to its roots in 2024. The event was hosted by the Kentucky Governor's School for the Arts and Governor's Scholars Program. 
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NCOGS enjoyed a robust annual meeting in Louisville.
NCOGS 2024 Agenda
All activities at The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts (501 W. Main Street, Louisville, KY) unless otherwise noted. Agenda is still being developed; timing, topics, and locations may change. A final version of the agenda will be provided to all conference attendees. Thursday, Oct. 17th 3:30 p.m.: Executive Committee Meeting (only attended by committee members) 6:00 p.m.: Welcome, Introductions, and Dinner at Noble Funk Brewery (922 S. 2nd Street, Louisville, KY; 6 minute drive/Uber from conference hotel) Friday, Oct. 18th 8:00 a.m.: Breakfast 8:30 a.m.: Welcome from NCoGS Leadership, Conference Hosts, and Kentucky Performing Arts Leadership 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.: Grounding ourselves in our work, our mission, and our needs (each program should have one representative prepared to describe their program – scope, size, subject matter, etc. - - as well as one/two things they’re finding great success with, one/two things they’re challenged by, and one/two things they hope to gain/learn from the NCoGS network). 10:30 – 10:45 a.m.: Break 10:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.: Mini-grant presentations 11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.: Lunch Break 12:45 – 1:45 p.m.: Backstage Tour 1:45 – 2:00 p.m.: Break 2:00 – 3:15 p.m.: Government Relations and Lobbying 3:15 – 3:30: Break 3:30 – 5:30: Special Topic Breakout groups and report-outs (with break built in) 6:30 p.m.: Dinner OPTIONAL: 8:00 p.m. Concert by the Louisville Orchestra Saturday, Oct. 19th 8:00 a.m.: Breakfast 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.: Business Meeting 11:30 a.m.: Adjourn; all official NCoGS Conference events concluded. 12:30 – 3:30 p.m.: OPTIONAL: Cruise and lunch on Ohio River via Mary Miller Steamboat (tickets must be purchased in advance through Nick Covault; more info to be provided). Boat docking/wharf is 7 minute walk from KY Center/Conference hotel. 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.: OPTIONAL: The Kentucky Rural Urban Exchange Presents The Golden Thread ($35 tickets must be purchased separately/in advance; takes place in the Bomhard Theatre in The Kentucky Center) The Golden Thread is an annual forum gathering visionary leaders from various sectors to foster unity across cultures and communities in the Commonwealth. The event will feature remarks from the Secretary of State (KY GSP alum!), and performances by Kentucky Youth Poet Laureate Amy Roblero Perez (KY GSA alum!), an Appalachian folk collaboration between dancer Carla Gover (KY GSA alum!) and musician Randy Wilson, a Latin musical trio with Yani Vozos and friends, and the art rock band Producing A Kind Generation. The heart of the celebration is the "Long Conversation," a relay of short, unmoderated conversations stitched together by themes of commonality and a shared future. This year the event will be emceed by Chad Benefield from WBKR in Owensboro, and will bring together Jen Algire (Greater Clark Foundation, Winchester), John Bowman (Dream.org, Louisa), Victor Calderon (Kentucky Refugee Ministries, Louisville), Crystal Fox (Mayfield Minority Enrichment Center, Mayfield), Dreama Gentry (Rural Partners for Education, Berea), Val Horn (Cowan Community Action, Whitesburg), Richie Kessler, (Forever Green, Campbellsville), and Lamont “Jack” Pearley (African American Folklorist Magazine, Bowling Green). KY RUX is founded by KY GSA alumna Savannah Barrett (modeled after her KY GSA experience) 6:00 p.m. - ???: OPTIONAL: Ervay Avenue Chili Cook-Off (Free, although folks can purchase $2 tickets to vote if desired; 10 min drive from The Kentucky Center) – if you’re still in town and looking for fun, you’re invited to join Nick Covault (KY GSA) and his neighbors for their annual neighborhood chili cookoff! Low stakes, new friends, chili, and probably some front yard karaoke. For frequent updates, look at our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/governors.schools |
FUTURE CONFERENCES
2026: VERMONT
2027: MISSOURI
2028: WEST VIRGINIA
2027: MISSOURI
2028: WEST VIRGINIA
