Timeline for Summer Honors 2023

  • Monday, November 28 Nomination forms sent to teachers

  • Friday, January 27 All nominations must be submitted to ESU #11

  • Monday, February 13 Screening Exams will be available and codes will be sent to nominating teachers. We ask that teachers be responsible for monitoring student candidates while the students take the exam.

    • ​ Portfolio/Resume sheets will be available online for nominating teachers and nominated students to access.

  • Friday, February 24 Exams must be completed and portfolios and resumes must be submitted to ESU #11. All Art portfolios must be in original form, drama and film data must be delivered, but Creative Writing and resumes for Special Intern and Web Master/Photographer can be submitted either electronically or physically.

  • Friday, March 24 Notification letters will be mailed to students letting them know whether they have been accepted to the Summer Honors Program or not.

  • Wednesday, April 12 Registration deadline for Cogran.


Summer Honors Program 2023

Will be held June 11 – June 23


What is Summer Honors

The nationally recognized program is sponsored by Educational Service Unit #11 in Holdrege. (The program was recognized by the International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development as one of the top gifted programs for rural students in the nation.)

The Summer Honors Program is a two-week, summer school program designed to help students learn as much advanced subject matter in their areas of study as possible. The program is housed out of the Holdrege High School. It is designed to help students find out exactly how far they can go in two weeks in one subject area if they are allowed to progress as fast as they can. According to Janelle Jack, Coordinator of Gifted Education at ESU #11 (2013 - 2022), “The Summer Honors Program brings master teachers from across the country to Holdrege so that students are exposed to as many expert teachers and geographic backgrounds as possible.”

During January each year, teachers are asked to nominate their best students in the areas of Agriculture, Art, Creative Writing, Computer Science, Social Science/Psychology, Drama, Engineering/Science, Logic, Math and Medical Science. These students were given a test or asked to submit a portfolio of original work in order to qualify for the program. There were 406 student nominations for SHP 2022 from the six-county area served by Educational Service Unit #11 and 111 of those students were selected as finalists for the program based on their test scores, written work or portfolios.

This “typical” day schedule is in effect on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of the first week. There will be no Saturday classes. The second week of classes are held Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Friday is the last day of the program. Reception and “Graduation” exercises will be scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on that last Friday.

8:30 AM Arrive at School Cafeteria

8:45 AM Announcements Cafeteria

9:00 AM -12:30 PM Morning Classes Assigned Rooms

10:30 AM 15 Minute Break Cafeteria

12:30 PM - 2:00 PM Lunch Break Choice

2:00 PM Afternoon Classes Assigned Rooms

3:30 PM 15 Minute Break Cafeteria

5:00 PM Classes Dismiss

8:00 PM Evening activities dismiss

The evening Large Group Activities include the Get to Know you Night, Poetry Slam, Swimming, Talent Show, Game Night and Dinner/Dance. The Drama Class will be performing “The Alibis” on the second Wednesday of the program at the Tassel Performing Arts Center in Holdrege. This performance will be open to the public with a free will donation.

The Medical Science students’ days are quite different because they will be in Kearney, and Holdrege at various facilities during the first week and rural hospitals during the second week, including Phelps Memorial Health Center in Holdrege, Lexington Regional Hospital in Lexington, CHI Hospital and Kearney Regional Hospital both in Kearney.

The Summer Honors Program is a work school, not a vacation school.