The annual price tag on sending a student to MLWGS is approximately
$11,000. While this sum may seem costly, it pales in
comparison to most other education options.

The annual per student cost for Richmond City Public
Schools is $12,000. In Washington D.C., the cost is $13,500.
And so far, we are just looking at public secondary education
costs. When compared to private school tuition, MLWGS per
student cost is just pocket change!

St. Christopher’s School, a private K-12 institution in Richmond’s
West End, is considered by some local education experts
as the region’s second best high school, behind MLWGS. At St.
Chris, parents pay an annual tuition fee of $19,000.

Not to mention the sky-high tuition of higher education, huge
costs that many seniors are quickly becoming aware of! At some
universities, tuition + room + board + books = $50,000 or so annually
– approximately the same amount required to send five
students to MLWGS!

Returning to the subject of MLWGS price tag, it is quite interesting
to break down this $11,000 figure. This year, the state
paid about $7,200, more than half the cost per student.

Yet as we are all well-aware, the U.S. is now officially experiencing
a recession. Federal, state, and local budgets are being
led to the slaughter. All “non-essential” services are at risk of
being down-sized or scrapped entirely! Unfortunately for
MLWGS, gifted education is often classified as a “non-essential”
educational program.

In two weeks, a new, drastically reduced Virginia budget will
be presented to the General Assembly. According to some state
officials, funding for K-12 education, especially for gifted programs,
may likely be reduced.

MLWGS funding may be slashed, or might even dry up completely.
This could result in lower teacher salaries, a smaller faculty,
larger class sizes and no extra-curricular activity funds.

Recently, a smoke and scales school-wide e-mail alerted students
and parents of the dire situation. The message suggested that
members of the MLWGS community contact the Office of the
Governor at http://www.governor.virginia.gov, to demand that our
funding be preserved. In your e-mail, letter, or phone call, explain
why you think the state should continue to fund our school.
If asked “why support MLWGS?” The answer is simple. We
are a community of hardworking, high-achieving students and
faculty from 11 different cities and counties across the Metro
Richmond region. Even that hackneyed, five-year-old quote from
former Governor Warner, which is so prominently displayed on
our school website attests to this fact.

“The Commonwealth of Virginia stands to benefit immensely
from the future leadership capabilities of the alumni of our governor’s
schools,” said Warner. His words, forever immortalized on
our homepage, clearly explain why the state has invested so much
in MLWGS over the years, and why this investment should be
continued.

So be sure to send a letter, e-mail, or just pick up the phone.
The future of MLWGS is at risk, and the only way to keep our
funding is by taking action now!