Superintendent Brett W. Johnson and the Harlan County Board of Education recently honored Harlan County High School Senior Bailey Dunn.
Dunn chosen for the prestigious Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts and lived on campus at the University of the Kentucky for three weeks this summer.
She was among 2,500 Kentucky High School students who applied for the program. She was selected for drama.
The Kentucky Governor's School for the Arts (GSA) offers a drama program for talented rising high school juniors and seniors, providing an immersive, three-week summer program of daily seminars, creative projects, master classes, and lectures in a college campus setting.
Students must audition for acceptance and are taught by faculty in various artistic disciplines, including drama. The program, hosted by Kentucky Performing Arts, is a public/private partnership.
“My time at the Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts (GSA) in the drama discipline transformed both my craft and my sense of self,” said Dunn. “The creative, fast-paced environment pushed me to grow in confidence, resilience, and empathy while exploring new styles and taking risks in my work. Through workshops, rehearsals, and the final showcase, I strengthened my technique and learned to embrace vulnerability onstage.”
She said, “Just as impactful was the community I found at GSA. From lunch table conversations to performing at the coffeehouse open mic night, I connected with people who challenged my perspective and inspired me. In that supportive space, I discovered the importance of teamwork, the value of openness, and the power of art to bring people together. “
She shared Jeremiah 29:11, which reads, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Her parents are Jessica and George Anglin.