"I saw the best minds of my generation
destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked . . ." Allen Ginsberg, Howl


I'm writing this article because I want all of you, juniors and seniors, to know that you have choices. Juniors, you may not figure this out for quite some while, but you will either love the school or you will hate it. Seniors, if you're back, I suppose that it means that you either like it or that you're indecisive. You both, however, have choices.

I suppose this article would best be served by a brief recap of my experience. I went to the school (in my mind, there is only one Governor's School, ours) in the fall of '99. It was one of the most exciting years of my life. It wasn't, however, what I wanted. By the end of the spring, I was too scared to leave and too depressed to stay. Why? Because I thought that if I left, I'd have to go back to my old high school, and that thought was deplorable to me. I had no choices. But, thanks to months of looking at my options and talking to Ms. North, I figured out something to do.

Which brings me back to the point of this article: everyone still has choices. Believe me. If you want to know in detail, email me or talk to Ms. North. She's a better counselor than you'd ever believe. I graduated early through Adult Education and received my State of South Carolina high school diploma (not a G.E.D). And that option is open to all of you, if you make it through one year here. Hell, if you're a senior, you can go to Adult Ed for a bit, and graduate with extra credits that'll carry over to college.

Now, make no mistake. I'm not foolish enough to try to talk any of you out of going to the school. But I am foolish enough to tell you that no one matters except for you. I'm sure you all love your parents, but they aren't you. And you should be damned before you let them tell you where to go, because they don't have to put up with the crunch weeks, they don't have to put up with the rules. So, in closing, remember this:

There are more options than the ones in the car your parents are offering you if you stay at Governor's School.

ellis creel