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{{refimprove|date=July 2008}}
{{for|singular form's meanings|Pole}}

{{Infobox Ethnic group
{{Infobox Education in the United States
|group=Poles<br> ''(Polacy)''
|name= Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies
|image=[[Image:Image of Poles.png|350px]]
|image= MLWGSGIS.jpg
<small><small>First row: [[Marie Curie|Skłodowska–Curie]] • [[Pope John Paul II]] • [[Copernicus]] • [[Wałęsa]] • [[Joseph Conrad|Conrad]]. Second row: [[Wayne Gretzky|Gretzky]] • [[Jan III Sobieski]] • [[Kościuszko]] • [[Rejewski]] • [[Wajda]] • [[Maximilian Kolbe|Kolbe]]. Third row: [[Piłsudski]] • [[Stanislaw Lem|Lem]] • [[Zbigniew Brzezinski|Brzeziński]] • [[Harry Warner|Warner]] • [[Krzysztof Wielicki|Wielicki]] • [[Wolszczan]]</small></small>
|imagesize= 150px
|population =60 million (est.)<ref name="Swiat_Polonii">[http://www.wspolnota-polska.org.pl/index.php?id=pwko Świat Polonii, witryna Stowarzyszenia Wspólnota Polska: „Polacy za granicą”] (''Polish people abroad'' as per summary by Świat Polonii, internet portal of the Polish Association ''Wspólnota Polska'')</ref>
|motto=
|region1={{POL}}
|motto_translation=
|pop1 = 38,860,000<br>
|streetaddress= 1000 North Lombardy Street
|ref1 = <ref>[http://www.stat.gov.pl/english/opracowania_zbiorcze/b-s/2006/06_06/tabele/tabela14.xls Excel spreadsheet from Polish Central Statistical Office]</ref>
|city= [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]]
|region2 = {{USA}}
|pop2 = 10,024,711
|state= [[Virginia]]
|zipcode= 23220
|ref2 = <ref>[http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DTTable?_bm=y&-state=dt&-context=dt&-reg=DEC_2000_SF4_U_PCT001:001|547;&-ds_name=ACS_2006_EST_G00_&-TABLE_NAMEX=&-ci_type=A&-mt_name=ACS_2006_EST_G2000_B04003&-CONTEXT=dt&-tree_id=4001&-all_geo_types=N&-redoLog=true&-geo_id=01000US&-search_results=01000US&-format=&-_lang=en 2006 Community Survey]</ref>
|url= [http://www.gsgis.k12.va.us/ Official Site]
|region3 = {{BRA}}
|pop3 = 1,800,000
|district=
|affiliation=
|ref3 = <ref>[http://www.wspolnota-polska.org.pl/index.php?id=pwko Polish Society in Brazil]</ref>
|superintendent=
|region4 = {{DEU}}
|pop4 = 1,055,700
|trustee=
|principal= N. Douglas Hunt
|ref4 = <ref>{{de icon}} Bevölkerung mit Migrationshintergrund - Ergebnisse des Mikrozensus 2005 [https://www-ec.destatis.de/csp/shop/sfg/bpm.html.cms.cBroker.cls?cmspath=struktur,vollanzeige.csp&ID=1020312 Statistisches Bundesamt Deutschland] (German text about migrants in Germany) {{PDFlink|886&nbsp;[[Kibibyte|KiB]]}}.</ref>
|principal_label=Executive Director
|region5 = {{CAN}}
|viceprincipal= Phillip Tharp<br>Pat Taylor<br>Patti Chappell
|pop5 = 984,565
|viceprincipal_label=Assistant Directors
|ref5 = <ref>[[List of Canadians by ethnicity]]</ref>
|region6 = {{FRA}}
|staff=
|fundingtype= Public
|pop6 = 900,000
|schooltype= [[High school#United States|magnet high school]]
|ref = <ref> [[Polonia]] </ref>
|region7 = {{UK}}
|grades= 9-12
|language= [[American English|English]]
|pop7 = (est.) 500,000
|campus=
|ref7 = <ref name="Swiat_Polonii" /><ref>{{en icon}} [http://www.polishexpress.co.uk/en/newspaper.aspx?id=1 Poles in the UK, Polish Express], source: government statistics.<br>'''^''' {{pl icon}} According to Tomasz Ziemba from Polish Express online 1,020,000 Polish visitors in the UK logged into Polish chatroom Gadu–Gadu in January: [http://www.polishexpress.co.uk/artykul.aspx?id=935 Policzyło nas Gadu–Gadu]<br>'''^''' {{pl icon}} Tomasz Wybranowski, [http://wiadomosci.onet.pl/1431925,2678,kioskart.html Korespondencja,] Tygodnik Przegląd, 22.08.2007, onet.pl<br>'''^''' {{en icon}} [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=384121&in_page_id=1770 Steve Doughty, Daily Mail,] Office for National Statistics recorded the number of Poles who have travelled to the UK in 2006 at over 2,000,000. The number of those who stay exceeds 250,000.</ref>
|region8 = {{ARG}}
|mascot= Green Dragon
|pop8 = 500,000
|colors= Green and White
|founded= 1991
|ref8 = <ref>[http://www.clarin.com/diario/2004/04/27/t-749506.htm Poles in Argentina]</ref>
|enrollment= 698
|region9 = {{BLR}}
|enrollment_as_of=
|pop9 = 400,000
|free_label_1= Focus Areas
|ref9 = <ref>[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bo.html Poles in Belarus]</ref>
|free_1= [[Government]] & [[International Studies]]
|region10 = {{LTU}}
|pop10 = 250,000
|free_2=
|free_label_3= Athletic Conference
|ref10 = <ref>[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/lh.html Poles in Lithuania]</ref>
|free_3= [[Virginia High School League]] [[AAA Central Region]] [[AAA Colonial District]]
|region11 = {{RUS}}
|pop11 = 173,000
|box_width= 25em
|bgcolor_section= #f5deb3
|ref11 = <ref>[http://www.perepis2002.ru/content.html?id=11&docid=10715289081463 Poles in Russia]</ref>
|bgcolor_label= #efefef
|region12 = {{AUS}}
|bgcolor_value= #f8f8ff
|pop12 = 150,900
|bgcolor_image=
|ref12 = <ref>{{PDFlink|[http://www.crc.nsw.gov.au/statistics/Sect1/Table1p08Aust.pdf Poles in Australia]|56.3&nbsp;[[Kibibyte|KiB]]<!-- application/pdf, 57733 bytes -->}}</ref>
|bgcolor_address=
|region13 = {{UKR}}
|pop13 = 144,130
|bgcolor_url=
|ref13 = <ref>[http://www.ukrcensus.gov.ua/eng/results Poles in Ukraine]</ref>
|region14 = {{NOR}}
|pop14 = 120,000
|ref14 = <ref>[http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/iriks/article1443964.ece Aftenposten.no: - 120.000 polakker i Norge (Innenriks)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
|region15 = {{ESP}}
|pop15 = 78,305
|ref15 = <ref>http://www.ine.es/prensa/np503.pdf</ref>
|region16 = {{IRL}}
|pop16 = 63,090
|ref16 = <ref>[http://www.cso.ie/census/documents/PDR%202006%20Tables%2019-30.pdf Poles in Ireland]</ref>
|region17 = {{LVA}}
|pop17 = 57,000
|ref17 = <ref>[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/lg.html#People CIA World Factbook]</ref>
|region18 = {{CZE}}
|pop18 = 52,000
|ref18 = <ref>{{PDFlink|http://wtd.vlada.cz/files/rvk/rnm/zprava_mensiny_2001_en.pdf|1.41&nbsp;[[Mebibyte|MiB]]<!-- application/pdf, 1485306 bytes -->}}</ref>
|region19 = {{ITA}}
|pop19 = 50,790
|ref19 = <ref>[http://demo.istat.it/str2004/index.html Poles in Italy (click on Tutti i Paesi - Tavola)]</ref>
|region20 = {{MEX}}
|pop20 = 50,000
|ref20 = <ref>[http://www.meksyk.polemb.net/index.php?document=31 Poles in Mexico]</ref>
|region21 = {{KAZ}}
|pop21 = 47,293
|ref21 = <ref>{{PDFlink|[http://www.ide.go.jp/English/Publish/Mes/pdf/51_cap1_2.pdf]|87.2&nbsp;[[Kibibyte|KiB]]<!-- application/pdf, 89306 bytes -->}}</ref>
|region22 = {{NLD}}
|pop22 = 39,500
|ref22 = <ref>{{PDFlink|[http://www.cbs.nl/NR/rdonlyres/CCD504EA-9D41-40C2-AE28-BFB0A51C2045/0/2005k3b15p096art.pdf Poles in Netherlands]|162&nbsp;[[Kibibyte|KiB]]<!-- application/x-pdf, 166421 bytes -->}}</ref>
|region23 = {{AUT}}
|pop23 = 21,000
|ref23 = <ref>{{PDFlink|[http://www.statistik.at/pub/neuerscheinungen/vzaustriaweb.pdf Poles in Austria]}}</ref>
|region24 = {{ISL}}
|pop24 = 10,000
|ref24 = <ref>[http://www.hagstofa.is/?PageID=626&src=/temp/Dialog/varval.asp?ma=MAN12100%26ti=Mannfj%F6ldi+eftir+f%E6%F0ingarlandi+1981%2D2006+%26path=../Database/mannfjoldi/Faedingarland/%26lang=3%26units=Fjöldi www.hagstofa.is] </ref>
|region25 = {{TUR}}
|pop25 = 5,000
|ref25 = <ref>[http://www.polonezkoy.com/index_eng.asp www.polonezkoy.com] </ref>
|region26 = {{Flagicon|World}} Rest of World
|pop26 = 1,145,000 <small>(est.)</small><br>
|ref26 = <ref>[http://www.nasza-gazetka.com/Menu_Polonia/DIASPORA/DIASPORA.HTM Poles around the World (>polonia > statystyka)] </ref>
|languages=[[Polish language|Polish]]
|rels= Predominantly [[Roman Catholicism in Poland|Roman Catholicism]] with [[Polish Orthodox Church|Orthodox]], [[Evangelical-Augsburg Church in Poland|Protestant]], [[Atheism|Atheist]] and [[History of the Jews in Poland|Jewish]] minorities.
}}
}}


The '''Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies''' (MLWGSGIS) is a public regional [[magnet school|magnet high school]] in [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]], [[Virginia]], directed by Mr. [[N. Douglas Hunt|Douglas Hunt]].
The '''Polish people''', or '''Poles''', ({{lang-pl|Polacy}} {{IPA-pl|p|o|'|l|a|c|y|}} ) are a [[West Slavs|Western Slavic]] [[ethnic group]] of [[Central Europe]], living predominantly in [[Poland]]. Poles are sometimes defined as people who share a common Polish culture and are of Polish descent. Their religion is predominantly [[Roman Catholic]]. The Poles can also be referred to as the inhabitants of the [[Republic of Poland]] and Polish emigrants irrespective of their ethnicity. A wide-ranging [[Polonia|Polish diaspora]] exists throughout Western and Eastern Europe, the Americas and Australia.


One of the 18 Virginia [[Governor's Schools (Virginia)|Governor's Schools]], it draws students from 11 jurisdictions: [[Chesterfield County, VA|Chesterfield]], [[Henrico County, VA|Henrico]], [[Hanover County, VA|Hanover]], [[Goochland County, VA|Goochland]], [[Powhatan County, VA|Powhatan]], [[Prince George County, VA|Prince George]], [[Charles City County, VA|Charles City]], [[King and Queen County, VA|King and Queen]], and [[New Kent County, VA|New Kent]] counties and the Cities of [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]] and [[Petersburg, Virginia|Petersburg]]. As the '''Governor's School for Government and International Studies''', it shared space at Thomas Jefferson High School (TJHS) in the city's [[The West End (Richmond, Virginia)|West End]] from its [[1991]] founding until summer [[2001]], when it moved into Maggie L. Walker High School after massive [[renovation]]s. The stated mission of MLWGSGIS is "to provide broad-based educational opportunities that develop gifted students' understanding of world cultures and languages as well as the ability to lead, participate and contribute in a rapidly changing global society." In 2006 and 2007, the school was recognized by [[Newsweek]] as one of twenty-one public elite schools in America.<ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12551652/site/newsweek/ Newsweek (May 8, 2006) The Public Elites.] ''Newsweek Magazine''. Retrieved on [[2006]]-[[11-17]].</ref><ref name="Newsweek2007">[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18784620/site/newsweek/ Newsweek (May 28, 2007) The Public Elites.] ''Newsweek Magazine''. Retrieved on [[2007]]-[[08-07]].</ref>
There is no commonly accepted definition of the Polish people. According to the [[preamble]] of the [[Constitution of Poland]], the Polish Nation consists of all [[citizenship|citizens]] of Poland. However, like in most European countries, many people limit the group to native speakers of the [[Polish language]], people that share certain traditions, or people who share a common ethnic background originating from Poland. As to its origins, the name of the nation comes from a [[West Slavs|western Slavic]] [[ethnic group]] of [[Polans (western)|Polans]] primarily associated with Poland and the Polish language. Poles belong to the [[Lechitic]] subgroup of these ethnic people. The [[Polans (western)|Polans]] of [[Giecz]], [[Gniezno]], and [[Poznań]] were one of the most influential tribes of [[Greater Poland]] and managed to unite many other West Slavic tribes in the area under the rule of what became the [[Piast dynasty]], thus giving birth to a new state. The Polish word for a Polish person is ''Polak'' (male) and ''Polka'' (female), however, when this common noun is used [[wikt:verbatim|verbatim]] in the English language (usually spelled as ''[[Polack]]'') it is always offensive.<ref>[http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=polack polack - Definitions from Dictionary.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>


==Selection Process==
==Statistics==
Applicants must undergo a rigorous application process in which three tests and an essay are administered. A combination of grades, recommendations, and tests results determine the applicants' overall score. All applicants are expected (but not necessarily required) to have completed Algebra I, Honors English, Honors Science, and at least one year of a foreign language, although it is not uncommon for incoming students to take their 3rd or even 4th year of a language in their freshman year. About 25% of applicants actually get into MLWGSGIS out of an average of 2000 applicants from all the participating localities. The school grades the applications, but it is the applicant's home school district that decides who is allowed to attend the school based on scores and available funding.
Poles or Polish are the sixth largest national group in Europe.<ref>NationMaster.com 2003-2008. [http://www.nationmaster.com/red/graph/peo_pop-people-population&int=-1&id=EUR&b_ac=1 People Statistics: Population (most recent) by country] Accessed 2008-01-25</ref> Estimates vary depending on source, though available data suggests a total number around 60 million people worldwide (with approx. 21 million living outside of Poland).<ref name="Swiat_Polonii">[http://www.wspolnota-polska.org.pl/index.php?id=pwko Świat Polonii, witryna Stowarzyszenia Wspólnota Polska: „Polacy za granicą”] (''Polish people abroad'' as per summary by Świat Polonii, internet portal of the Polish Association ''Wspólnota Polska'')</ref> There are almost 39 million Poles in Poland alone. There are also [[autochthonous]] Polish minorities in the surrounding countries including [[Germany]], the [[Czech Republic]], [[Lithuania]], [[Ukraine]], and [[Belarus]]. There are some smaller minorities in nearby countries such as [[Moldova]] and [[Latvia]]. There is also a Polish minority in [[Russia]] which included autochthonous Poles as well as those forcibly deported during and after [[World War II]]; the total number of Poles in what was the former [[Soviet Union]] is estimated at up to 3 million.<ref>Gil Loescher, [http://books.google.com/books?id=eR5oYvO1uFgC&pg=PA119&dq=3+million+ethnic+Poles+in+the+former+Soviet+Union&sig=Kdm4ndGC7XbDsOS8qiXjPlxC5k8 Beyond Charity: International Cooperation and the Global Refugee Crisis], published by [[Oxford University]] Press US, 1993, 1996. ISBN 0195102940. Accessed 12-12-2007. </ref>


==Organization==
The term "[[Polonia]]" is usually used in Poland to refer to people of Polish origin who live outside Polish borders, officially estimated at around 10-12 to 20 million. There is a notable Polish [[diaspora]] in the [[United States]] ([[Polish-Americans]]), [[Canada]], ([[Polish-Canadians]]) and [[Brazil]] ([[Polish-Brazilians]]). [[France]] has a historic relationship with Poland and has a relatively large Polish-descendant population. Poles lived in France since the 1700s. In the early 20th century, over a million Polish people settled in France, mostly during world wars, among them Polish émigrés fleeing either Nazi occupation and later Soviet rule.
Each city or county that wishes to send students to the Governor's School must fund the school for the students that they send, as well as provide busing to and from the school. While the Governor's School allows allotments for each locality that cannot be exceeded, it is the individual localities that ultimately determine their own limit on how many students can be sent within the parameters of the allotment given and available funding. The Regional School Board of the Governor's School that oversees the administration comprises one school board member from each of the participating localities.


==History==
In the United States a significant number of Polish immigrants settled in [[Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]], [[Detroit, Michigan|Detroit]], [[New York City]], [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]], and [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]]. The majority of Polish Canadians arrived to Canada since World War II, the number of Polish immigrants increased between 1945 &ndash; 1970, and again since the fall of Communism in 1989. In Brazil the majority of Polish immigrants settled in [[Paraná]] State, the city of [[Curitiba]] has the second largest Polish diaspora in the world (after Chicago) and Polish music, dishes and culture are quite common in the region. In recent years, since joining the [[European Union]], many Polish people have emigrated to countries such as [[Ireland]]; where an estimated 200,000 Polish people have entered the labour market. It is estimated that over half a million Polish people have immigrated to the [[United Kingdom]]. The Polish community in [[Norway]] has increased dramatically and has grown to a total number of 120,000, making Poles the largest immigrant group in Norway.
At its 1991 founding, the Governor's School for Government and International Studies was given the [[Thomas Jefferson High School, Richmond, Virginia|Thomas Jefferson High School]] building by [[Richmond Public Schools]]. The city school stopped accepting freshmen in 1991, intending to turn the building fully over to GSGIS by 1995. However, parents, students, and alumni of TJHS, as well as city politicians, protested the closing of their school, RPS reversed its decision, and in 1992 TJ started accepting freshmen again and GSGIS started looking for a permanent home.


After several years of false starts and administrative turnover, GSGIS finally obtained the Maggie Walker High School building, an abandoned former Richmond City school, as a permanent home. The original building, [[Maggie L. Walker High School]], was first opened in the 1930s as a school for African-Americans. It was named for [[Maggie Lena Walker]], the first woman to operate a bank in the United States and was once attended by [[African American]] [[tennis]] pro [[Arthur Ashe]], as well as pro football Hall-of-Famer [[Willie Lanier]], and NBA great [[Bob Dandridge]]. GSGIS took up occupancy in fall [[2001]] after several million dollars of renovations, and then adopted the name Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies, or MLWGSGIS for short.
==Polish tribes==
The following is the list of [[Polish tribes]] - tribes which constituted the lands of Poland in the [[early Middle Ages]], at the beginning of the Polish state. Some of them have remained a separate ethnicity while others have been assimilated into the culture of Poland.
{| cellspacing="20"
|-
|
*[[Mazurians (ethnic group)|Mazurians (Masovians, Masurians)]]
*[[Polans (western)|Polans (Polanes, Polanians)]]
*[[Silesians]]
*[[Warmiak]]s
*[[Pomeranians]]
**[[Kashubians|Kashubians (Cassubians)]]
**[[Slovincian]]s
**[[Kociewiacy]]
**[[Borowiacy]]
* [[Bieżuńczanie]]
* [[Bobrzanie]]
|
* [[Dziadoszanie]]
* [[Golęszyce]]
* [[Goplans]]
* [[Lędzianie]]
* [[Opolanie]]
* [[Kujawianie]]
* [[Pyrzyczanie]]
* [[Ślężanie]]
* [[Trzebowianie]]
* [[Vistulans]]
|}


==European Union==
==Academics==
Today, MLWGSGIS is known for its outstanding academic record and high performance in scholastic competitions. All academic classes are taught at an honors or higher level. A large percentage of Governor's School seniors are accepted into either the [[University of Virginia]], or the [[College of William and Mary]], as well as a number of well-respected universities, including many in the Ivy League and Federal Service Academies. In 2005, Governor's School graduates received over $7,000,000 in scholarships for around 120 senior students. Students perform well above the national and state average on the [[SAT]], with scores averaging 1389 for 2006.
:''(for ethnic Poles living abroad see [[Polonia]], for those living and working in the [[United Kingdom]] see [[Polish British]])''


In keeping with the school's name, which indicates a focus on government and international interests, the school offers [[Advanced Placement Program|AP]] courses in American History, European History, American and Comparative Government, Economics, Psychology, and Human Geography, and has received awards for high scores on the American History AP Test. In addition, the school offers 2 AP English courses, 2 AP [[Calculus]] courses (AB and BC), several university post-calculus math classes, and a variety of science classes including AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Physics and AP Environmental Science, as well as Anatomy and Physiology, Genetics, and Biopsychology.
A survey carried out by the [[CBOS]] public opinion institute, between March 30 and April 2, 2007, found that 86% of Poles felt that [[EU]] membership had had a positive effect, with only 5% of the respondents speaking against it, down from 22 percent in 2004. The institute also found that 55% of those surveyed prefer the EU to remain a union of sovereign states, while 22% supported the idea of a "[[United States of Europe]]".<ref>EU Business, 21 June 2007, [http://www.eubusiness.com/Poland/1182434414.99/ Poles more pro-EU than ever: survey] Accessed 12-06-2007.</ref> Principal areas of Polish life that have been improved by EU membership, are agriculture (according to 75% of those surveyed), the environment (61%), productivity (57%) and unemployment (56%).<ref>EU Business, 02 May 2007, [http://www.eubusiness.com/Poland/poland-eu.28/ Three years after entering the EU, 86% of Poles are satisfied]</ref>


Students are required to take 4 years of a primary language, and 2 years of another to make up 6 total years of foreign language instruction. Five foreign languages are offered through a 4 year, 5 year, or [[Advanced Placement Program|AP]] level, including [[French (language)|French]], [[German (language)|German]], [[Spanish (language)|Spanish]], [[Latin (language)|Latin]], and [[Chinese (language)|Chinese]]. [[Japanese (language)|Japanese]], [[Greek (language)|Greek]], [[Italian (language)|Italian]], [[Russian (language)|Russian]], [[American Sign Language]], and [[Arabic (language)|Arabic]] are taught in a two year sequence. Many students take courses that are two or three years ahead of their grade level. In order to provide adequate course offerings, the administration offers a plethora of AP courses along with Dual Enrollment courses with Virginia Commonwealth University and J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College.
Among the ten new EU members, of which eight are Central or Eastern European, Poles are the most mobile, with considerable numbers of Polish migrants found in almost all ‘old’ EU countries, filling numerous vacancies on the European labour market, especially in areas where indigenous workforce is insufficient. According to Franck Duvell of [[Oxford]], some countries, like Germany and Austria, missed on that opportunity by discriminating against mobile Europeans, granting them freedom of movement without freedom of employment, which resulted in the increase of numbers of illegal migrant workers there. “In fact, the EU accession process, and namely the Polish experience could possibly serve as a paradigm for easing some of Europe’s migration dilemma,” Duvell suggested.<ref>Franck Duvell, Centre on Migration, Policy and Society, Oxford, {{PDFlink|[http://www.compas.ox.ac.uk/publications/papers/2006-05-17-Duvell-Poles.pdf Poles in Europe - From Illegal Immigrants to Members of the European Union]|22.3&nbsp;[[Kibibyte|KiB]]<!-- application/pdf, 22872 bytes -->}}, accessed 12-06-2007.</ref>


==Community Service==
==Notes==
To foster community improvement efforts, all Governor's School students are required to complete 140 hours of community service by graduation. School clubs frequently participate in neighborhood cleanup projects. In order to receive a Governor's School diploma, all community service and credits must be completed. The 2005 graduating class completed almost 28,000 community service hours.
{{reflist|2}}

==Awards==
Award-winning and highly competitive teams at the school include:
*''[[We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution|We the People]]'' - 2003 National Championship, 2004 2nd Place, 2005 3rd Place, 2006 5th Place, 2007 5th Place, 2008 2nd Place, and four other top ten finishes. The advisor to this national championship team is history and government instructor Phil Sorrentino.
*[[Battle of the Brains]] (Academic [[Quiz Bowl]] Team) - Three national championship years (NAC 1995, PACE 2004, PACE and NAQT 2007) and several other top 10 finishes in national competition; in the [[Virginia High School League]], 10 of 11 Colonial District Scholastic Bowl championships, 10 of 11 Central Region titles, and three state championships. In 2006-2007, the team was voted #1 in the country by a poll of coaches and players. The team validated that ranking by winning two national championship tournaments in impressive fashion. The team has been coached by John Barnes since 1999. Earlier coaches have included Ken Wilkins and Hal Waller.
*[[Model UN]] - Multiple Individual and Team Awards
*[[Model Congress]] [http://www.gsmodelcongress.org/]
*[[FIRST]] Team 422, the [http://www.team422.com Mech Techs]
*[[Chess club]]
*[[Debate team]]
*Math Modeling Team - Top high school in the world with thirteen "National Outstanding" awards in the [[COMAP]] [http://www.comap.com/] High School *Mathematical Contest in Modeling, two winning teams in the undergraduate-level Mathematical Contest in Modeling, and two winning teams in the Interdisciplinary Contest in Modeling (also undergraduate-level). Dr. John Barnes has advised this team to its victories.
*Drama Club - In 2008, student Jimmie Lee Jarvis was awarded First Place For Acting by the [[Virginia High School League]] for his intense portrayal of Jerry in [[Edward Albee]]'s [[The Zoo Story]]. Over the last four years, since the hiring of Richmond Shakespeare Festival's Artistic Director, Grant Mudge, Maggie Walker has become noted for its theater productions, which are often praised as full blown productions, on a whole different level from other high school theater departments. The Drama Club has won praise for [[The Winter's Tale]], [[Hamlet]], [[Les Misérables]], [[Fame]], [[As You Like It]], [[The Zoo Story]], [[Our Town]], and many other productions. It is notable that the vast majority of prop pieces, costuming, and stage construction is done by the students themselves, making it one of the few student-driven theater programs in Central Virginia.

==Athletics==
MLWGS competes in the [[AAA Colonial District]] and [[AAA Central Region]] of the [[Virginia High School League]]. With fewer than 700 students, MLWGS is one of the smallest schools in Group AAA, a classification generally meant for schools of over 1,500 students. The school fields teams in basketball, dance, volleyball, wrestling, soccer, tennis, golf, swimming, field hockey, cross-country, indoor and outdoor track and field, baseball, and softball; only football is omitted from the offerings of a traditional public high school. The school mascot is the Green Dragon, adopted from the former Maggie L. Walker High School. In 2001, the boys cross country team won the state AAA championship, led to victory by head coach [[Jim Holdren]].

Prior to the school's move to the Maggie Walker building, Governor's School students participated in the athletic program of host [[Thomas Jefferson High School, Richmond, Virginia|Thomas Jefferson High School]], and shared TJ's Viking mascot and red/white official colors. As it became clear by 1997-98 that GSGIS students made up a majority or near-majority of participants in all offerings but football and boys' basketball, the teams in all but those two sports were officially designated '''Thomas Jefferson/Governor's School''' (TJ/GS) by the VHSL until GSGIS's move. MLWGS does not have a football team, despite being the only Richmond area school with a graduate in the NFL Hall of Fame, linebacker [[Willie Lanier]], although he played before the school was shut down and then reopened as a magnet school.

GO MLWGS WRESTLING!

==Clubs==
Governor's School is home to 35 clubs, including politically oriented clubs ranging from Model UN to a Libertarian Club, as well as clubs associated with most of the languages taught.

==Dual enrollment==
MLWGSGIS is in a partnership with [[Virginia Commonwealth University]] (VCU), meaning that students can earn college credit for certain "dual enrollment" high school classes. This also allows MLWGSGIS students access to VCU's extensive library system.
The Governor's School also offers levels I, II, and III of American Sign Language through partnership with [[J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College]].


==See also==
==See also==
* [[Governor's Schools (Virginia)]]
{| cellspacing="20"
* [[Literapedia]] (an ongoing literary project at MLWGSGIS)
|-

|
== References ==
* [[List of Poles]]
{{reflist}}
* [[Polonia]]
* [[Pole, Hungarian, two good friends]]
* [[List of Polish Jews]]
* [[Polish Americans]]
* [[Polish British]]
* [[Polish Australian]]s
* [[Polish Canadians]]
* [[Polish Brazilian]]s
* [[Polish minority in Argentina]]
|
* [[Polish Germans]]
* [[Polish minority in the Czech Republic]]
* [[Polish minority in Lithuania]]
* [[Polish minority in Romania]]
* [[Polish minority in the Soviet Union]]
* [[Demographics of Poland]]
* [[European ethnic groups]]
* [[Genetic history of Europe]]
* [[Haplogroup R1a (Y-DNA)]]
* [[Name of Poland]] ([[etymology]] of the [[demonym]])
|}


==External links==
==External links==
* [http://www.gsgis.k12.va.us Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies]
* [http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/legacy/chap-5.html#chap5-4 History of Polish war veterans being admitted to Canada after World War II]
* [http://www.zpwb.org.uk Federation of Poles in Great Britain]
*[http://www.firmypolonia.com/ Firmy i Organizacje Polonijne] [http://www.polishfirms.info/katalog/polonia (''Polonia Directory: Firms, Companies and Organizations'')]
* [http://www.polishheritage.co.nz/TRUST/TRUST.HTM Polish Heritage Trust of New Zealand]
* [http://www.polishplanet.com/ Polacy w Wielkiej Brytanii, Polish Community in the UK]


{{Polish diaspora}}
{{start box}}
{{succession box | before = [[East Brunswick High School]] | title = [[National Academic Championship]] champion | years = 1995 | after = [[Memorial High School (Hedwig Village, Texas)|Memorial High School]]}}
{{end box}}


{{Governor's Schools (Virginia)}}
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Poland]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Europe]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Russia]]
[[Category:Polish people|*]]
[[Category:Slavic nations]]


[[Category:High schools in Virginia|Walker]]
[[be:Палякі]]
[[Category:Magnet schools in Virginia]]
[[be-x-old:Палякі]]
[[Category:National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology schools|Walker]]
[[bs:Poljaci]]
[[Category:High schools in Richmond, Virginia|Walker]]
[[bg:Поляци]]
[[cv:Поляксем]]
[[cs:Poláci]]
[[da:Polak]]
[[de:Polen (Ethnie)]]
[[et:Poolakad]]
[[eo:Poloj]]
[[fr:Polonais (groupe ethnique)]]
[[ko:폴란드인]]
[[hr:Poljaci]]
[[id:Bangsa Polandia]]
[[it:Polacchi]]
[[ka:პოლონელები]]
[[la:Poloni]]
[[lv:Poļi]]
[[lt:Lenkai]]
[[hu:Lengyelek]]
[[mk:Полјаци]]
[[nl:Polen (volk)]]
[[ja:ポーランド人]]
[[no:Polakker]]
[[pl:Polacy]]
[[pt:Polacos]]
[[ro:Polonezi]]
[[ru:Поляки]]
[[sk:Poliaci]]
[[sl:Poljaki]]
[[sr:Пољаци]]
[[sh:Poljaci]]
[[fi:Puolalaiset]]
[[sv:Polacker]]
[[tr:Polonyalılar]]
[[uk:Поляки]]
[[zh:波蘭人]]

Revision as of 01:14, 10 October 2008

Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies
Address
Map
1000 North Lombardy Street

Richmond
,
Virginia
23220
Information
School typePublic magnet high school
Founded1991
Executive DirectorN. Douglas Hunt
Grades9-12
Enrollment698
LanguageEnglish
Color(s)Green and White
MascotGreen Dragon
Focus AreasGovernment & International Studies
Athletic ConferenceVirginia High School League AAA Central Region AAA Colonial District
WebsiteOfficial Site

The Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies (MLWGSGIS) is a public regional magnet high school in Richmond, Virginia, directed by Mr. Douglas Hunt.

One of the 18 Virginia Governor's Schools, it draws students from 11 jurisdictions: Chesterfield, Henrico, Hanover, Goochland, Powhatan, Prince George, Charles City, King and Queen, and New Kent counties and the Cities of Richmond and Petersburg. As the Governor's School for Government and International Studies, it shared space at Thomas Jefferson High School (TJHS) in the city's West End from its 1991 founding until summer 2001, when it moved into Maggie L. Walker High School after massive renovations. The stated mission of MLWGSGIS is "to provide broad-based educational opportunities that develop gifted students' understanding of world cultures and languages as well as the ability to lead, participate and contribute in a rapidly changing global society." In 2006 and 2007, the school was recognized by Newsweek as one of twenty-one public elite schools in America.[1][2]

Selection Process

Applicants must undergo a rigorous application process in which three tests and an essay are administered. A combination of grades, recommendations, and tests results determine the applicants' overall score. All applicants are expected (but not necessarily required) to have completed Algebra I, Honors English, Honors Science, and at least one year of a foreign language, although it is not uncommon for incoming students to take their 3rd or even 4th year of a language in their freshman year. About 25% of applicants actually get into MLWGSGIS out of an average of 2000 applicants from all the participating localities. The school grades the applications, but it is the applicant's home school district that decides who is allowed to attend the school based on scores and available funding.

Organization

Each city or county that wishes to send students to the Governor's School must fund the school for the students that they send, as well as provide busing to and from the school. While the Governor's School allows allotments for each locality that cannot be exceeded, it is the individual localities that ultimately determine their own limit on how many students can be sent within the parameters of the allotment given and available funding. The Regional School Board of the Governor's School that oversees the administration comprises one school board member from each of the participating localities.

History

At its 1991 founding, the Governor's School for Government and International Studies was given the Thomas Jefferson High School building by Richmond Public Schools. The city school stopped accepting freshmen in 1991, intending to turn the building fully over to GSGIS by 1995. However, parents, students, and alumni of TJHS, as well as city politicians, protested the closing of their school, RPS reversed its decision, and in 1992 TJ started accepting freshmen again and GSGIS started looking for a permanent home.

After several years of false starts and administrative turnover, GSGIS finally obtained the Maggie Walker High School building, an abandoned former Richmond City school, as a permanent home. The original building, Maggie L. Walker High School, was first opened in the 1930s as a school for African-Americans. It was named for Maggie Lena Walker, the first woman to operate a bank in the United States and was once attended by African American tennis pro Arthur Ashe, as well as pro football Hall-of-Famer Willie Lanier, and NBA great Bob Dandridge. GSGIS took up occupancy in fall 2001 after several million dollars of renovations, and then adopted the name Maggie L. Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies, or MLWGSGIS for short.

Academics

Today, MLWGSGIS is known for its outstanding academic record and high performance in scholastic competitions. All academic classes are taught at an honors or higher level. A large percentage of Governor's School seniors are accepted into either the University of Virginia, or the College of William and Mary, as well as a number of well-respected universities, including many in the Ivy League and Federal Service Academies. In 2005, Governor's School graduates received over $7,000,000 in scholarships for around 120 senior students. Students perform well above the national and state average on the SAT, with scores averaging 1389 for 2006.

In keeping with the school's name, which indicates a focus on government and international interests, the school offers AP courses in American History, European History, American and Comparative Government, Economics, Psychology, and Human Geography, and has received awards for high scores on the American History AP Test. In addition, the school offers 2 AP English courses, 2 AP Calculus courses (AB and BC), several university post-calculus math classes, and a variety of science classes including AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Physics and AP Environmental Science, as well as Anatomy and Physiology, Genetics, and Biopsychology.

Students are required to take 4 years of a primary language, and 2 years of another to make up 6 total years of foreign language instruction. Five foreign languages are offered through a 4 year, 5 year, or AP level, including French, German, Spanish, Latin, and Chinese. Japanese, Greek, Italian, Russian, American Sign Language, and Arabic are taught in a two year sequence. Many students take courses that are two or three years ahead of their grade level. In order to provide adequate course offerings, the administration offers a plethora of AP courses along with Dual Enrollment courses with Virginia Commonwealth University and J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College.

Community Service

To foster community improvement efforts, all Governor's School students are required to complete 140 hours of community service by graduation. School clubs frequently participate in neighborhood cleanup projects. In order to receive a Governor's School diploma, all community service and credits must be completed. The 2005 graduating class completed almost 28,000 community service hours.

Awards

Award-winning and highly competitive teams at the school include:

  • We the People - 2003 National Championship, 2004 2nd Place, 2005 3rd Place, 2006 5th Place, 2007 5th Place, 2008 2nd Place, and four other top ten finishes. The advisor to this national championship team is history and government instructor Phil Sorrentino.
  • Battle of the Brains (Academic Quiz Bowl Team) - Three national championship years (NAC 1995, PACE 2004, PACE and NAQT 2007) and several other top 10 finishes in national competition; in the Virginia High School League, 10 of 11 Colonial District Scholastic Bowl championships, 10 of 11 Central Region titles, and three state championships. In 2006-2007, the team was voted #1 in the country by a poll of coaches and players. The team validated that ranking by winning two national championship tournaments in impressive fashion. The team has been coached by John Barnes since 1999. Earlier coaches have included Ken Wilkins and Hal Waller.
  • Model UN - Multiple Individual and Team Awards
  • Model Congress [1]
  • FIRST Team 422, the Mech Techs
  • Chess club
  • Debate team
  • Math Modeling Team - Top high school in the world with thirteen "National Outstanding" awards in the COMAP [2] High School *Mathematical Contest in Modeling, two winning teams in the undergraduate-level Mathematical Contest in Modeling, and two winning teams in the Interdisciplinary Contest in Modeling (also undergraduate-level). Dr. John Barnes has advised this team to its victories.
  • Drama Club - In 2008, student Jimmie Lee Jarvis was awarded First Place For Acting by the Virginia High School League for his intense portrayal of Jerry in Edward Albee's The Zoo Story. Over the last four years, since the hiring of Richmond Shakespeare Festival's Artistic Director, Grant Mudge, Maggie Walker has become noted for its theater productions, which are often praised as full blown productions, on a whole different level from other high school theater departments. The Drama Club has won praise for The Winter's Tale, Hamlet, Les Misérables, Fame, As You Like It, The Zoo Story, Our Town, and many other productions. It is notable that the vast majority of prop pieces, costuming, and stage construction is done by the students themselves, making it one of the few student-driven theater programs in Central Virginia.

Athletics

MLWGS competes in the AAA Colonial District and AAA Central Region of the Virginia High School League. With fewer than 700 students, MLWGS is one of the smallest schools in Group AAA, a classification generally meant for schools of over 1,500 students. The school fields teams in basketball, dance, volleyball, wrestling, soccer, tennis, golf, swimming, field hockey, cross-country, indoor and outdoor track and field, baseball, and softball; only football is omitted from the offerings of a traditional public high school. The school mascot is the Green Dragon, adopted from the former Maggie L. Walker High School. In 2001, the boys cross country team won the state AAA championship, led to victory by head coach Jim Holdren.

Prior to the school's move to the Maggie Walker building, Governor's School students participated in the athletic program of host Thomas Jefferson High School, and shared TJ's Viking mascot and red/white official colors. As it became clear by 1997-98 that GSGIS students made up a majority or near-majority of participants in all offerings but football and boys' basketball, the teams in all but those two sports were officially designated Thomas Jefferson/Governor's School (TJ/GS) by the VHSL until GSGIS's move. MLWGS does not have a football team, despite being the only Richmond area school with a graduate in the NFL Hall of Fame, linebacker Willie Lanier, although he played before the school was shut down and then reopened as a magnet school.

GO MLWGS WRESTLING!

Clubs

Governor's School is home to 35 clubs, including politically oriented clubs ranging from Model UN to a Libertarian Club, as well as clubs associated with most of the languages taught.

Dual enrollment

MLWGSGIS is in a partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), meaning that students can earn college credit for certain "dual enrollment" high school classes. This also allows MLWGSGIS students access to VCU's extensive library system. The Governor's School also offers levels I, II, and III of American Sign Language through partnership with J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College.

See also

References

  1. ^ Newsweek (May 8, 2006) The Public Elites. Newsweek Magazine. Retrieved on 2006-11-17.
  2. ^ Newsweek (May 28, 2007) The Public Elites. Newsweek Magazine. Retrieved on 2007-08-07.

External links

Preceded by National Academic Championship champion
1995 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Polish_people&oldid=244270184"