The North Carolina Governor's School is a five and a half week summer program for high school students who are gifted in academics and a specific area of expertise. Natalie was selected to participate in the program in the area of choral music after an audition process at both the county and state level. The program is typically only available for rising seniors, but Natalie fell into the category of a few select rising juniors in specific performing and visual art areas. Only 650 students are selected to participate in this program, and the students are divided between two campuses, one being Salem College in Winston-Salem and the other being Meredith College in Raleigh. In addition to participation in the auditioned area, Natalie also took the specified Area II and Area III required. The anterior of the two explores connections between the Area I discipline, choral music, and society. The latter explores the importance of the integration of different disciplines in order to create a society linking ideas and actions, and theory and practice. The program is administered by the Public Schools of North Carolina, the State Board of Education, and the Department of Public Instruction through the exceptional children division. The advisory body over both campuses is a Board of Governors that is appointed by the State Board of Education.