Student Evaluations of the AGS Experience
Students answered the question:
AGS helped me develop skills of listening and sparked my interest not only in myself but in learning more. Here, I have put my life into other people’s shoes. I’m ready to go home and open the door for others.
Amazing. I had so much fun and learned tons.
AGS rocks! This is the ultimate fantasy camp for up coming seniors. I sense a very positive change in the attitude of myself and my friends. I really wish I could come back. I intend to apply as an RA in the future.
There have definitely been slow moments, but overall, I have, quite literally, had the greatest time of my life.
I would rate it very highly. It introduced me to many new ideas and ways of thinking which will make me a more helpful person.
It was good. I’ve learned a lot about myself.
I really had a great time. Sometimes I was nervous or disappointed, or just down, but overall, this place was exciting, welcoming and educational.
Overall it was fun with its little kinks here and there. Couch dorm needs to be looked over.
AGS has made a direct impact on my life. From the people, movies, speakers, and classes my world has been set in front of new doors to open and explore. I’ve learned things from Area I, II and III that I could not have learned anywhere else and I appreciate all the teachers’ enthusiasm and help.
It was amazing! I wish it wasn’t over and it could keep going on. I don’t want to leave!
I thought it was one of the coolest and effective things I’ve ever done. I learned a lot about myself and the way others think and how to respect their opinions.
It was amazing even with being homesick; the friends I made had a lasting impact. I’ve had the most enriching experience here.
It was amazing. I’ve learned so much I don’t know what I’m going to do with it all.
My overall experience at AGS was great. I met a lot of new people and I learned how to compose my own piece of music via Tristian Wilkerson.
AGS was a delightful, worthwhile experience. Coming here, I was not sure what to expect, but I am really glad I decided to come and have an enriching summer adventure.
On a scale of 1 to 10, I rate it an 8. I enjoyed myself, however at times some RAs made my 6 weeks hell!
This has to be the best summer I’ve ever had. The mental and social and intellectual challenges I’ve experienced here have been very profitable. It was very fun and I would recommend everyone to do it.
It was unlike anything I have ever done before in that there just weren’t enough hours in the day to do all I wanted to do. It was amazing.
It was great. I met people, learned and had constant interaction.
I love it. I really hate to leave here. I have grown so much in knowledge and self.
This was the BEST experience ever, because everyone worked to make one small community made up of people from all across Arkansas.
Very enlightening, comfortable, home, encouraging, fun, challenging, eye opening, wonderful. I really enjoyed AGS and wish I could come again.
Good, but they should schedule events for each hall only and have more events in the beginning of AGS.
AGS was lovely! The only problems were food variety and the behavior of a few residents. Other than those things, I had a wonderful time at AGS.
The social aspect of AGS was immensely different than any other summer experience and was much enjoyed. Sometimes those in power tended to overreact to miniscule occurrences and as a result sparked some hostility in a few people, but overall it was enjoyable.
This is a great place. We get to solidify ideas that we have been mulling over, and I don’t have much else to say.
Truly amazing. There is nothing I’ve done thus far in my life to compare to this experience. I’ve met friends that I’m sure will last a lifetime along with great teachers who love to teach and actually want to teach.
It was positive for me. I saw others, though, fall into the blind lifestyle of over self-confidence and an assurance of their own “intellectuality”. That is dangerous. AGS’ courses do not change people, the AGS students change each other for the better or worse, it depends on every student choosing to control their change or to just be molded. The first option makes for a stronger person.
I loved AGS but my Area I was boring and there was some unnecessary drama caused by the other students in my dorm. I would do it all over again if I could fix those problems. Area II and III and the seminars/speakers were the highlights of AGS for me.
I loved it. I’ll never forget it. Very beneficial to the development of my life.
My overall experience was amazing because it provided the independence and experience which we will need in our future. I only wish that it was longer, and I feel that it really prepared me for college.
Overall, I would say that I had a blast. I enjoyed meeting new people, classes, teachers, seminars, etc.
Pretty damn nice.
Other than missing home, AGS is amazing! So much to learn and talk about and think about.
The experience may be the best of my life. I never want to leave – I may take Lee Andrews up on his idea and build a commune. I’ll never be the same. Thank you so much.
It was a blast.
Awesome, amazing, incredible, unbelievable. Must I continue? The people here are great and so are the classes.
Overall, I would say my AGS experience has been a positive one. The first week or two were not fun and I wanted to go home, but afterwards I had a great time. I think that part of the problem was that we were shuffled around and stimulated so much that we didn’t have that much time to really meet new people initially. Most people stayed with kids from their home towns, and coming from a school that only sent two kids, it was rough. I’m not shy; on the contrary, I’m really outgoing and cheerful. But the super strict beginning made me feel constricted even though I don’t behave badly. I was not expecting so many little rules to be so overdone. Four hours were spent on the first day explaining common sense rules. That was ridiculous. However, after getting over the initial hump, I have had an amazing experience. The things I learned, both inside and out of class, are things that I’ll always remember. I’ve made many new friends, and they’ve inspired me to reach for greater heights. I’m glad I attended AGS. Thanks for a good summer.
I have enjoyed almost everything about AGS with the exception of Area IV and some rules I did not agree with or like. I have had an intellectually stimulating, social developing experience and I will have fond memories of it in the future.
Absolutely amazing. It brought me joy and new thoughts on life. I am disappointed that I have to leave.
It was amazing because of the freedom that it gave.
I enjoyed AGS and I would recommend others to come. If I had to go through this again I would, even with everything that went on in Couch which I thought was handled GREAT! I had a fabulous time at AGS! This really helped me have a good taste of college, as far as classes and meeting new people go.
It was great, so much fun especially meeting other people from all over the state. I learned so many things that I couldn’t experience any other place. Thank you for giving me the chance to be an AGSer.
My AGS experience was really beneficial and enjoyable overall.
I liked meeting friends, I also liked most of my Area I, save Dr. McCarthy because he is a health Nazi and I’ll do what I want health-wise. Area II and III were pointless to me because I couldn’t pick up concrete, applicable information from those classes.
I do NOT want to go home now. This place is brilliant. I’ve made new friends, learned to think in different ways and have become more independent. It if ever loses support from the State, I will fund it myself. I want other kids to go here.
My overall experience at AGS was an amazing one in that I have been able to leave my comfort zone and express myself the way I have always wanted to at school and not be considered an idiot for being an intellectual in a sea of funk.
It wasn’t what I expected. If it were not for the friends I made, I would not have returned after break. I was not challenged in Area I (Drama) and did not learn anything. Overall, I made some new friends and had fun outside of class, and not much here actually challenged me. The speakers were good and bad. Some of them, such as Widder, Greenberg and Schumacher were either (a) boring, (b) interesting, but too one-sided. or (c) did not stay on topic well. Schumacher did not really delve into physics or math, and I (being a Drama student) was looking forward to being exposed to knowledge outside of my area. I feel he “dumbed it down” and held back. We are smart individuals!! We don’t have to sit though an hour and 20 minutes of someone using simplistic concepts to discredit sci-fi films. We can handle physics theories and mathematical concepts!
I had a very out of the ordinary experience. It was so nice to learn about different types of social sciences. It was also nice to become part of a small family in Area II and III.
The best six weeks I will ever have in my lifetime. The memories I have of here will remain always in my heart.
My AGS experience was illuminating, being shown so many different perspectives will impact the kind of person I hope to become.
AGS has opened my mind to different ideas, worlds and problems existing in the world and the future. (It’s been wonderful!! And I’m going to miss this environment of social and academic learning.)
I’ve had an amazing time. I don’t want to go home! The people were my favorite part. So many friendships were made or brought closer together that it made my summer worthwhile.
Amazing. The teachers were supportive, the continuous availability of seminars, activities, and opportunities for interaction were inspiring. The other students from all over the state helped me to get out of my bubble and away from my comfort group.
OMG it was so much fun. I want to come back as an RA.
If AGS was a pizza I would eat the whole thing.
I really love AGS because all of the experiences I got to make - the friends, classes, and everything. “AGS is the Best”.
AGS is the most amazing thing that’s ever happened to me. There was so much to do and learn and yet it wasn’t school. I also met some of the most amazingly wonderful people in Arkansas.
AGS was an experience that helped me to discover who I am and how I want to live my life and it will be an experience I will never forget.
AMAZING!!! AGS was by far the best experience of my life.
Very enjoyable. All of the classes were challenging and fresh. This has been a defining experience in my life.
Amazing…it was a place to meet new people and expand mentally in a way which I’ve never been able to do before. It not only planted an extra seed of intellectualism in me but allowed it to grow and flourish.
It was great! I loved meeting new people and going to classes to discuss various things.
I really enjoyed it. Wish in-dorm curfew could have been later, but everything else was fine. It was a very enlightening experience.
I enjoyed AGS. It really taught me to see other perspectives and truly respect people different than me. It was refreshing to be around so many people, all different yet all willing to learn and be friendly.
I honestly feel like it was the best thing I could have done with these six weeks of my life. I’ve met people that will impact my life forever. Regarding self improvement, I learned how to better articulate my ideas to convey them to others, which I think is a vital life skill. I’m definitely not a radical homosexual communist.
I loved it! My classes were very informative and employed lateral and pleasantly surprising and unconventional methods of thinking. My dorm (Martin) was kind of gross but the RAs were great. My teachers were (mostly) helpful and informative and challenged us in new ways.
My experience was one that I know I will never attain anywhere else. My mind has been opened to new things and I’ve done things I’ve never even thought about. Most of the people here were great as well.
A productive summer. Some things and people I will never forget.
If there hadn’t been three instances of no hot water, or accidental fire drills, AGS was a very enjoyable program.
Very positive. I enjoyed myself all the time here, and I feel like I’m learning now with more knowledge, purpose and direction. I can honestly say I had a “good time” all the time.
Overall, I am glad I came. If offered the chance to do it over, I would accept without hesitation.
There’s nothing really to say. It’s everything my brother told me it would be and more.
AGS was a positive experience. I enjoyed my classes and speakers. I felt like I had an opportunity to learn many things I would otherwise not known.
I would take everything that I learned and hopefully promote more people to attend.
I enjoyed myself and was able to think more without so many distractions. I liked the environment and majority of the people.
It was stimulating.
I loved it!!!! It was one of the coolest things I’ve done! It taught me a lot about life.
My experience has given me a new found confidence as a performer and person.
Two words: freaking awesome.
I think my experience at AGS was great. I loved getting to know new people and spending time with different types of people. I learned a lot of things about myself. I wish I didn’t miss home so much.
I can’t say that AGS changed me greatly as a person. But I can say it introduced me to many amazing people I would not have known otherwise. I also learned a lot from some of the speakers and the 4:10 and 6:10 seminars.
I can honestly say that I have felt, learned, made more friends and thought more here than in any other environment in my whole entire life. I absolutely have a new outlook on learning and a new value for living. I love it here and had an awesome summer.
My time at AGS has been the best experience of my life. I almost wish I hadn’t come so I would not have to feel the pain of leaving.
I’m glad I came here because of the classes and the people. They make me happy.
I have changed so much since I’ve been here. I actually talk to my parents about important things now. I have grown as a person, made a lot of new friends and will never forget my time at AGS. I’m so glad I accepted my invitation here.
Amazing. Area II would have been my favorite class. David Scott for world domination! Those drama performances were pretty cool. I leave you with this, “We do NOT advocate tooth-pulling.” David Scott Cunningham, The Great Area II Debate.
I had the unfortunate viewpoint coming into AGS that it would be amazing and life-changing (as told by a friend) so I had extremely high expectations. Thinking back, I should have tried to have more fun and meet more people. I enjoyed AGS and I am thankful for the opportunity of this experience. Thank you for all of your time and effort.
It was hard at first, but the longer I got used to living here, the more I enjoyed it.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, but the best week was week 2 when it came to 4 and 6:10s as well as the other activities.
Overall AGS was a great experience. It inspired me and gave me new motivation in life. It gave me the will to succeed and hope I’ve never known. Although making friends was difficult for me because a lot of people came from the same schools.
Very enjoyable - I’d do it again.
Overall I loved it. It was an amazing experience I will never ever forget. I will definitely encourage this years’ juniors to apply.
My experience has been very good. I would recommend that all students come here. My Area I classes were simultaneously boring and interesting in the way only math can be. It was everything else that made AGS a wonderful experience.
I loved AGS. This is the best experience I have ever had and I would do it all over again if I could. I wish it was longer than six weeks. This has been life-changing.
AGS helped me so much. I feel like I’ve been exposed to conflicts in the world and I know how I feel about them. I think I’m more prepared for senior year with college apps. I am also more firm in my beliefs. I knew how to think abstractly. I have learned so much here and the entire experience was amazing.
My experience here has changed my life. I have met so many new friends. The food could have been better but overall good. The dorms were small and only two bathrooms for girls. The seminars, speakers, movies and activities were all fun, thoughtful, and you gave me new a outlook on life.
AGS has been so amazing. The people are indescribable. If this was a year round high school it would be heaven because while you are in class and learning some of the time, the AGS community and your friends you make are so amazing and fun and I know I won’t lose touch.
It was fantastic! I loved AGS and I would love to come back as an RA and see AGS in a whole new light.
11 on a scale of 1 – 10 with 10 being great.
These six weeks have been some of the best. I’ve learned a lot from the people, speakers, classes and discussions. Sometimes I felt we were not given enough freedom but the atmosphere and experiences I’ve had are priceless. I think it’s changed a lot from recent years but it is still ok I guess.
I loved AGS. The activities and seminars were always entertaining and there was never a time when I was bored (except for some of the speakers maybe).
It was fun. I made a lot of friends and learned a lot. I got frustrated at times though because I didn’t feel like I could express my opinions as freely as everybody else, because the majority of the people here are liberal. I just wish Republicans and Christianity was more properly represented. At times, I almost felt made fun of or singled out because of my beliefs, but that didn’t happen very often, and it was mainly the students. Sometimes I felt they were encouraged by the atmosphere though. The final drama performance was one of the main things that just really got under my skin. It was really offensive.
My experience at AGS was amazing. The social opportunities, events, classes and everything made it my best summer ever.
AGS has had a few little flaws and drawbacks (much like everything else we do) but I’m afraid they have been drowned out of my memory by all the good. My overall experience has been tremendous and wonderful. I could come back every year.
As the best summer ever spent, it was a complete package - a social and intelligent experience all the way through.
It was good, not life-changing. I don’t feel as if my views of life have changed at all. I’m the same person.
Great – I liked the social environment a whole lot. I also liked the different activities and seminars outside of class.
It exceeded my expectations. I had a wonderful time and wouldn’t have changed it for anything.
Spiffy, productive, a bit stressful at times when behavior was tense but mostly good.
Overall, the experience has been worthwhile. Not life-changing, not great but worthwhile.
I love AGS. It should be six years long!
Very nice, met a lot of people and had a great time. I have no major complaints.
I know that I have learned more than expected and now know how important our generation is.
I had a great time at AGS. The people and the academics were challenging in a positive way. It was very helpful and beneficial to my personal development.
Amazing, I’ve learned more in 5 and a half weeks than I’ve have in a year. I’ve become a more social person and hope to make more friends with my new skills.
It was amazing!
Best 6 weeks of my life!
Greatest experience so far.
WONDERFUL!
It was the best experience of my life.
AMAZING (on a scale of 1 to 10 – it would be infinity)
I would assess my overall experience by telling everyone how much fun I had, friends made and more. I would remember my 6 weeks of summer at AGS by all the fun and excitement I had with everyone.
It (AGS) was different from anything I’ve ever experienced. (In the most amazing way.)
Crazy, but cool.
AGS is really different. It would have been better if our curfew was extended on weekends starting on Friday.
It was amazing. I learned so much here. I grew so much in my personal and social life.
It was educational in a different way – very fun, lots of good experiences.
Fun – I’m glad I came instead of staying at home and sleeping all day.
It was a really great experience except for some of the dorm room stuff.
#1 – it was awesome.
It was excellent. If I could I would come back. I really enjoyed it here. Even all the punishments.
I don’t want to go home!!! I had the best time of my life here. I’ll never forget the lifelong friendships that I have made or my instructors.
AGS was wonderful and it was great to be around the most talented, bright and fun teenagers in Arkansas
An unforgettable experience that will continue to change my life for a long time.
Vastly exceeded my expectations. It’s really what everyone said and more. I wish I could do it again.
A good experience overall. I’m grateful for the opportunity.
Life changing…I don’t want to leave. I feel at home more here than at home.
The first week was rough when I got into the swing of things it was much better.
I had an amazing time and I really don’t want to go home. Classes, speakers all were great. Overall AGS has helped me understand that the future is much closer than I thought…okay adulthood.
My experience was good overall because I felt it broadened my thinking and prepared me for college life. Meeting new people and learning new ideas was a good change from regular school. It was very diverse which was great.
Pretty good – The Couch RA issue was the only big problem and the way that was handled. Other – great.
I had a great time; however the dorm life was very bad (Couch).
I really enjoyed AGS. It was an experience unlike anything I’ve ever known.
I thoroughly enjoyed it and will suggest it to others.
AGS was a wonderful experience that has a lot of opportunities for students to learn a wide variety of things. It was long but worth it.
My over experience at AGS was really fun and active at all times.
AGS was an experience I’ll never forget and I’m so happy I came and sad to be leaving. It went by too fast!
It was an overall great experience that helped me to think more critically and see from different view points.
I think AGS has lived up to everything I’ve heard about. I wished it was longer.
Best summer ever.
Life changing – I would be willing to stay for the rest of the summer.
Loved loved loved it!
AGS is fun and enriching on the whole. I have a suggestion for next year however. If indeed the goal of AGS is to provide thought and encourage the development of a more balanced worldview, should we not then, give the strongly liberal-humanist perspective of most AGS students and faculty, present ideas that challenge that way of thinking? For example, Area III occupies itself with making students aware of the problems of poverty, race and class, but no exploration of possible solutions is tendered, leading to a perhaps uninformed conclusion that government welfare programs are advisable. A remedy for this might be to have an expert in economics come and speak to AGS as such an expert would be able to present the problem with poverty in such a manner as to raise the level of intellectual discovery regarding solutions to poverty. Speakers should be restrained from expressing political opinions if they are not trained to do so. Itkin’s remarks were inappropriate.
Amazing. I will never forget the amazing, beautiful, intelligent people I have met here or the things I’ve learned.
Irreplaceable - this summer has been so amazing and helpful to me in finding myself and my views. I wouldn’t give it up for anything.
If I could I would stay here the entire summer.
Wonderful, always interesting, different but enjoyable.
AGS has been an amazing experience. It has made me think about things in a new way, and was, of course a lot of fun. Although I liked certain aspects better than others, overall, I have few significant complaints. Thank you.
Great. I’ve met so many amazing people and I can safely say that I’m so glad I came, it was definitely time well spent.
It was a great program and I feel very lucky to have come. I have met some wonderful people and have figured out who honestly are my real friends.
Best summer of my life.
I loved my time here at AGS. It has been a life changing experience for me.
All-round great experience.
Loved the experience - the speakers and movies were all wonderful and encouraged new ways of thinking. The three to a seat was a little extreme (guess which bus I was on) is the only complaint I can give.
I am more myself here than I have ever been. Coming to AGS and meeting new people and learning new things with them has changed me.
It was really great. The speakers were interesting for the most part, and the classes were great. I had a lot of fun.
It is a good experience. It has opened my eyes to the overall idea of life and careers. It’s also nice to meet people with the same interests.
I thoroughly enjoyed AGS. At first, I did not want to lose six weeks of my summer; however, I feel like I gained so much: knowledge, an open mind, and a desire to learn. I don’t want to leave, and will recommend the program to anyone interested.
I have gained so much more knowledge, and I believe even some maturity and wisdom from the educators here at AGS. They are so encouraging and many of the films, guests and lectures are so inspiring. With the skills and information I’ve gained here, I feel more confident in my goals of future success.
My experience at AGS has been one of constant change. I began at AGS just wishing to go home the first week. However, by the next week, I found myself wishing a little less. Now is the final three days and I am looking with the heaviest heart at all of the utterly amazing influential people that I have met. The teachers are the best that I could have asked for. I have made friends whose faces I will dearly miss when I don’t see them everyday. But most of all the experience has provided me with the single most utmost beneficial and rewarding time I could have ever spent. Thank you.
My overall experience was passable at AGS; naturally with a few dark spots.
Great experience, new people, new ways to think of things. Nothing is really forced on you. Don’t change a thing!
My AGS experience was WONDERFUL. The activities make it so easy to meet new people. I have felt at home after these six weeks. The overall project is also wonderful.
I absolutely loved it here. AGS gave me a chance to start off with a relatively clean slate and be who I wanted to be. I could hang out with any group I chose and be happy. Social activities were great and hey my classes weren’t bad either!
I had an amazing time. I made so many new friends and learned so many new things I wish I never had to go home. This experience has prepared me for college in so many ways. I also just want to skip my senior year and go straight to college.
AGS is awesome! The seminars, AGS Idol, talent shows, films, and Mabee Center definitely offered many opportunities to learn new things and have fun.
Through my experience at AGS, I have not only learned new aspects of Natural Sciences, I have learned how to meet and interact with people with all kinds of backgrounds and beliefs.
Wonderful, met new people, broadened by horizons and had a great time.
I had an amazing 6 weeks. I learned beneficial things and met great people.
I’ve had an absolutely amazing time at AGS. The Visual Arts area proved to be beneficial to me and I believe I can carry on what I have learned from both Carey and Jason. AGS has made me stronger in my beliefs and has seriously driven my urge to “dive in” and help the people of the world who are not as fortunate as we are. In all aspects of the world, I have always felt like making a difference in peoples lives but now I feel even more passionate about making the earth more green, feeding the hungry and spreading love, hope and peace. Aside from that, the people I have grown to love so much will stay with me always. I’m happy to say I spent a good six weeks of my summer with lovely people and teachers.
Overall it was a great experience. The faculty was amazing. The activities were usually a good selection and everything I learned, “core curriculum” or not, I can use where ever I go.
My experience at AGS was ok during the first couple of weeks but now that it’s almost over, I would have to say overall it was GREAT! I’ve met so many life-long friends and learned so much that I can take back to my home and school. This was a great experience for me at this point in my life, and I’m so glad that I came. I haven’t changed much, but a few things about me have been altered. My overall experience really can’t be expressed in words; it is only if you could see my actions. I’m so thankful I got to experience this.
My overall experience was amazing and I would without a doubt do it again if I could. I got so much out of it and met people who challenged my view and really made me think.
Amazing. I made great friends, had fun, enjoyed myself. It was so much better than working through my summer. I became more sure about my beliefs than anything else. This has been one of the greatest experiences – I don’t want to go home.
Overall, AGS ended up being cool. At first, it was really hard to meet new people. I was in Social Science so our classes had a very comprehensive curriculum. We had the obvious instruction time, great speakers, and good movies. However, outside of my area and making my own fun, dorm life and punishments were the pits. Towards the end, my dorm became involved in a lot of unnecessary drama. In no shape, or fashion or form do I appreciate being involuntarily involved in conflict. And I was also bothered by the fact that AGS faculty made mass punishments a general rule. When a group of 10% of us were late, we all got punished; crime happened in insolated incidents in my dorm and we were all going to be punished. We’re all so individual, I don’t think people are going to buy into this whole “communal living” idea. Recreation time, as far as activities were, were all a kind of one type. They were geared towards introverted brainy people; i.e. science fiction films, video game tournaments, soccer and chess. I didn’t feel like there were enough activities for those of us that enjoy more social type activities where we can interact with people solely on the premises of fun without extreme brainpower or doesn’t have the potential to incite argument or debate. I got enough of that in class. But it was better than I thought.
It was a great social experience. I got the chance to meet people from all over the state. AGS also contributed to my overall experience in the field of visual arts.
Very positive - the six weeks flew by in no time and I will miss it a lot.
I had a blast at AGS…I wish this was a year-round program!
I love AGS. I would advise everyone to come to AGS. A rollercoaster – good, bad, ups and downs, laughs – it was worth it.
300/100
It was the best way to spend my summer.
AMAZING!!!!
Loved it!
I would love to do it all over again. The greatest experience of my life - it changed me.
I would give it an11 out of 10. This was the best summer ever.
I would not be the same without it. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I would do it again!
Best summer ever!
Super, amazing, enlightening.
It was enjoyable!
It changed me and my views – I enjoyed it.
My experience here has been a growing, maturing, mind opening experience that I will never forget.
My overall experience at AGS was terrific. I got a lot out of it. It gave me a glance into college life and it exposed me to many new activities and discussions.
The overall experience was so much more amazing than I’d ever imagined it to be. I learned so much here and I’m glad I gave up some other events to come here. Life-changing.
The only regret I have about AGS is continuing to hang out with people from my high school. The seminars and the speakers made it the best. The atmosphere here is a haven for me.
My AGS experience was phenomenal! I learned so much about the world around me. I see things differently, in a more positive way. It was way better than spending my summer at home watching TV!
I loved AGS. Meeting new people was the best part. I also learned so much in the classes.
The most eye-opening, mind-opening, exciting experience I have ever had in my 17 years!
I’ve got tons of stories to tell when I get home. I loved it here!
There were times when I wanted to leave, but I am glad that I stayed. It has taught me to appreciate the home and family I do have.
It was really wonderful for the most part. 10/10.
It was difficult and sucked at first, but after I got used to everything and got to know people – it was good.
I loved it. I don’t want to leave my new friends. The experience taught me so much about myself. This is my life, no one controls it except me and I will make my own decisions but respect everyone else’s. I am leaving a changed young man.
My overall experience was very life challenging, dealing with attitudes including the RAs. Everyone had to adapt to each other and learn how to approach someone in certain situations.
On a scale of 1-10 1 being the worst, 10 being the best, I would give AGS a 9.5.
It was great!
Wonderful 10 out of 10.
I believe I came here with too many expectations and often felt let down. I do believe that the program has had an amazing impact on me however; and I intend to make decisions based on several realizations I have come to see while at AGS.
It was great and changed my life dramatically.
Governor’s School was overall a unique experience, and I am glad I am here.
Wonderful and life changing. When I go home, I will take with me a zest for debate, a new appreciation for music and friendships that would never have been possible.
It was very enjoyable.
It was a part of Couch, so a lot of students weren’t respectful and left our RAs to be stricter than most which sucked, but at the same time I understood because I work at a summer camp. But this doesn’t mean I don’t think they did well because they did what they could. I thoroughly enjoyed myself here and quite frankly don’t want to do home. I enjoyed the classes and people and I got a lot out of it. I loved the community created and relationships kept. I am thinking there will be a reunion.
It gave me a community in which I could grow and gave me a chance to challenge myself and get to know others/myself better.
Overall it was fun. Enjoyed a lot of things that happened.
I enjoyed it! I got a lot out of it! It was a wonderful experience. It wasn’t “perfect”, but nothing in life is! I learned a lot.
It was very rewarding experience. I learned how to strengthen my beliefs.
Very constructive and time well spent.
I loved it and would recommend it to all ready for it. It challenged me and made me more aware of the world around me.
I am madly in love with AGS! I missed my mommy and daddy a lot at the beginning and now I don’t want to leave. I’m going to miss this so much. It’s like a party every day.
It was very good. I did not expand my horizon but I enjoyed meeting people that I relate to.
I was “brainwashed” into being more open to others’ ideas and to also enjoy everyone’s differences.
It was such an eye-opening experience. I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to attend AGS.
Excellent. I loved the time I spent here. I was worried at first, but once I got here I have enjoyed all the time I’ve had here. The lectures were, for the most part, engaging and effective. The dorm life was comfortable, safe and inclusive and the only issue I would have it that there were times when two or more interesting activities conflicted on the same schedule I was forced to choose one.
About 8.5 out of 10.
The residential life and dining facilities were not as comfortable as I thought they would be but the classes were interesting.
I loved AGS. I really enjoyed being surrounded by people at AGS. It was wonderful.
It was life changing and a great experience. I learned a lot.
Overall, my AGS experience was fantastic – even though I lost a lot of sleep staying up late and getting up early.
I absolutely enjoyed AGS because of the social development. Talking to students who were on my level and the staff helped me to enjoy the days more. AGS also helped me to break out of my shell the first few days.
AGS has been great. It was absolutely amazing!
LOVE IT! I think the structure of AGS and the excellent faculty, along with having cool and intelligent peers was well worth the time spent here at Hendrix.
Excellent; this has been a haven for me from the outside world, yet, it has better prepared me for the future.
It was a pretty good experience overall. I met lots of different people and have gotten a good idea on how different people can influence people.
I learned more at AGS in 6 weeks that I did in one school year. I loved the people who were accepting of all ideas. I loved the teachers who let students come to their own conclusions.
I loved it! I’m extremely upset about leaving and I wish I could stay.
Very exciting and fun. Would do it all over again just to relive it.
My experience was very good. I especially like the free-thinking environment.
Fun. I had a great time. It wasn’t so much the classes as the overall experience that was great.
I have had so much fun at AGS. I am from a small town and I have met so many new people and so many of them are my friends and hopefully will be forever. I also loved the campus. Everything is close and we have to try hard to be late.
A-mazing.
Very changing in my habits – created a more social me.
Extremely beneficial. I learned a lot in my classes and the constant interaction with other students helped me become more comfortable around other people.
The greatest experience of my life! At first it was a little scary, having my beliefs questioned and all, but in the end, it made me stronger and more open minded.
I absolutely loved AGS! I love the classes, the teachers, the people and the overall experience. I think it was the best experience of my life.
I would assess my overall experience at AGS as once in a life time. I loved meeting new people, but I did not like how movies started late after the break.
AGS has been a really really beneficial experience for me.
My experience here was good. I was able to meet so many different types of people.
I have met a lot of people and learned a lot of new things at AGS. At first, I felt homesick and the program seemed to start slow, but I soon dove in and loved it.
The program was okay. Some of the teachers didn’t have good material, my RAs sucked and the “blanket” punishment was childish. Loved meeting my new friends.
My experience was very educational and opened my eyes to worldly issues. I am very glad I came to AGS.
I will miss it here, and I can’t wait for the reunion.
It was great overall. I learned a lot and made lots of great friends.
YAY a most amazing experience, life changing and constructive and unforgettable.
I enjoyed AGS very much. I’ve met so many amazing, intelligent people. It feels good to know there are people like myself, with similar (and different) ideas than my own.
My overall experience at AGS was positive and fun and I’m glad that I came because I learned some things about myself and met a lot of new people.
The freedom and the people – it was great!
I loved it, it helped me change my perspective on things and made me feel that it is alright to be me and express myself.
My experience was a ten! It was everything I hoped for.
Wonderful. I learned to many great things about myself and others.
My overall experience at AGS isn’t all I expected it to be. When we went home for a break I had to think about coming back.
This experience has been life changing.
My experience wasn’t that good, but it had nothing to do with AGS. I had a lot of things going on while here that affected me.
It was certainly unique. I had a lot to think about.
I had a great time. I wish it was longer. I’m going to miss all the great people I met here.
The program and its contents-classes, speakers, activities are awesome! I loved my teachers and what I learned. I met so many cool people! However, I found my RAs to be mean. They didn’t give us any “moving room”. We all were in fear for the tiniest things.
WOOT! Please make a year round AGS!
AGS truly was one, if not the most constructive and meaningful experiences that I’ve had in my entire life. I learned to view issues from different perspectives and I’ve also learned to value little things in life that really do matter to me.
I think that the 6 weeks I’ve spent at AGS has been one of the best experiences of my life so far. I developed a lot of critical thinking skills and special skills. I also developed a sincere interest in politics and economics. Two areas I was unfamiliar with before coming here.
Maybe the most well spend summer I’ve spent. I’ve matured. I’ve learned a lot of life stuff, how to deal with dorm life, the schedule, a dorm full of hormonal girls, waking up. Aside from the many group punishments and the fact that is not long enough, I loved the AGS experience. New friends, new experiences, a new way of thinking, my logic, it was great.
Not “life changing” but we learned a lot.
My overall experience at AGS was great. The speakers were great and the films shown correlated with Area II and III really well.
Like most people believe…it was life changing!!! I’m going to miss it. The people here are just great and actually have brains.
Excellent aside from the general two-faced air about the place. We’re here as up and coming seniors, the best and the brightest, but I often felt like we were treated like four year olds. Best use of my summer ever – learned a lot.
My overall experience at AGS has been amazing, fun, spontaneous, educational and … well great! I’ve made a lot of new friends and view everything in a much better light. I’ve learned to analyze things and my Area I abilities have greatly improved.
AGS as a whole has been amazing and a life changing experience. I have been introduced to many new beliefs and to a wide variety of people. I would do this all over again if I could.
It was not up to my expectations. Rules are overbearing, but it was fun overall.
I’d do it again.
Progressively good.
Great. I loved the classes. I made friends and enjoyed the RAs.
My experience was amazing, knowledgeable, fun, crazy, etc.!
Amazing, in fact, I get sad when I think of what it would have been like if I hadn’t come. It is the best experience I’ve ever had.
I loved governor’s school. I met so many great people and was exposed to so many new types of learning environments that I cannot wait to go home and share with people. I would come back time and time again.
Enjoyed attending.
I loved it. AGS is frickin awesome. It really taught me to be open to other people’s views. There’s such diversity here. People listen.
AGS was scary at first but after a while I really grew to love it. It was really exhausting, but very satisfying.
Buenos.
Best summer ever. I would pay to do this again.
I thoroughly enjoyed my experience. I got to open my mind and learn about many other views. The environment was quite lax and the fact that they expected for students to behave correctly helped with this.
I absolutely loved everything about it except for a couple of ridiculous thefts that went on in a certain dorm. I love all the faculty, RAs, students and especially the constructive environment. I am going to miss it so much. It was beneficial.
I had a great time at AGS. One of the best summers of my life.
It has been a fun six weeks, though the rules were too strict.
It was more enjoyable and enriching than any experience I have had in my 12 years of education.
The greatest experience of my life.
It was enjoyable, but not amazing. I recommend it.
It was a fantastic way to spend the summer. I love meeting people from around the state. Most of the seminars were interesting.
Overall I had a good time at AGS. The main thing I feel like AGS gave me was a new set of what I anticipate to be lifelong friends. Area II was my favorite class. Although the discussions at 4:10 and 6:10 were interesting, I felt most of them only got into subjects on a superficial level and I don’t feel like I gained a great new understanding from them.
I really enjoyed it. I wish we were allowed to have cell phones though.
It was mediocre. The experience depends on many things, and some were definitely better than others. Activities and teachers were great, but changing every day occurrences up some might help keep excitement high.
It was mind-blowing, amazing, fabulous, wonderful, fantastic, awesome, any positive adjective you could think of, and totally worth giving up six weeks of summer.
Not as “life-changing” as I expected it would be. A lot of good 4:10s and 6:10s but classes themselves were too easy.
Intellectual, social, creative, and innovative - definitely a progressive step in education.
It was a great experience.
Awesome! I’d pay large sums of money to come back.
Great place, but I wish the environment was more intellectual – the seemingly pointless, asinine nature of my Area II and III and the too-free environment in my Raney dorm somewhat disappointed me-but then I may not have the personality to support so much silliness.
I very much enjoyed my experience here and will recommend it. Keep the movies and all the activities.
I loved it and I would recommend it to anyone who would be open to it and would want to experience it.
It was wonderful. I learned a lot about so many different subjects and I made so many close friends.
AGS was very fun and something that couldn’t be replaced.
The overall experience was amazing, great. What really made AGS awesome, amazing, great was the students you picked to be a part of AGS.
Educational and very enjoyable. I learned a lot about subjects, the world, issues and myself. Very beneficial.
AGS has changed my life for the better in many ways and I am sad that I have to leave and that no one else from my school came.
Can I come back next year? I don’t think there is a better way I could have spent my summer.
I enjoyed it, but I think our RAs could have been more nice to us and not have picked favorites.
I loved it. I think it was an amazing experience to get to come and meet people who are just as excited about learning new things as you are. It was very encouraging.
Unforgettable experience – learned a lot and had a lot of fun, tried some new activities and found them pretty cool.
I would say that the AGS experience is an opportunity that many more than just the 400 students here would benefit from. It is a new way of learning and challenges the students in many different ways as well as providing interesting and thought provoking movies and speakers.
Let’s just say that I never want to leave. It is the perfect environment for anyone who wishes to grow or learn about the world and its societies.
It was totally mind-blowing, in the most dazzling way possible. I, truly, most definitely enjoyed it.
My overall experience at AGS was amazing. I honestly don’t want to leave. I’m definitely more open minded about a lot of things.
It didn’t start off so well. But after the first week or so, everything was wonderful.
I love AGS. I believe it was the best thing to happen to me. I will recommend other people to come and experience what I have experienced.
AGS changed my life. I’ll never be the same after all that I have learned here. My view of the world and of life has changed completely. AGS has made me a better person.
It was wonderful. I learned a lot that I think will help me develop into a more well-rounded person.
The rules have gotten out of hand. I view the expectation for us to act as bright, college bound young adults and the intense rules and punishments as hypocritical. It was an okay experience. I’d probably do it again.
I think it really gave me a feel for college lifestyle-wise. The classes also prepared me for my career and college education.
Valuable. Precious. Like no other. My experience here was so incredible. I loved it so much. I will treasure it forever.
I absolutely loved it. AGS was the most eye-opening six weeks of my life. I am dying to come back as an RA, even if it won’t be the same. AGS was a utopian society.
My experience at AGS has been absolutely amazing. The environment, the classes, the teachers, and the new friends I have made has been just a changing experience. I am very sad to leave AGS.
It was very fun and interesting because I met so many cool people and learned a lot in my different classes.
Amazing!! I loved every second of it. I have learned a lot and learned a lot about myself.
AGS started off slow, and it was a little difficult. However, AGS was amazing and a very valuable experience.
I wish it was 6 weeks longer. I’d never get tired of it.
Wonderful. I’m so happy I decided to come to AGS and it really helped me decide my career and my future.
My experience was great, aside from chick problems. The curriculum is amazing. Keep it up!
AGS is the best experience of my life thus far. The End.
!!!!!!!!!!!! Except 2 problems: going home and too many restrictions.
I loved it. I think that I came into AGS quite pompous and head strong in my beliefs. After the program, I’ve realized how biased I was and I am certainly more tolerant. I’ve grown a lot and I enjoyed the process.
Incredible, absolutely incredible. I lost sight at the beginning of the summer that I would actually have to go to class and learn stuff and what not. I have pumped myself up about all the cool people I was going to meet. So the first week or so wasn’t too fun because I had to remind myself where I was and why I was here. There were times when I didn’t want to go to class and the underlying fact that a search team would have to come and find me if I didn’t go to class was a damper on skipping, but it wasn’t a big deal because ultimately, the things I’ve learned here and the people I’ve met are irreplaceable and I’ll never be able to justify in words what that means to me. I wish everyone I know could have gone through my experience with me so that they’d understand. It would make going home a lot easier. But I guess part of the experience is being able to go home and adapt while still playing on all the values and skills I learned at AGS. Sharing the experience means you understand well enough to pass it on. It shows passion. And I am in fact, passionate about AGS. I just can’t describe how much the experience means to me, I can talk all day.
Overall it was fun. I personally would have liked it more if it wasn’t as long (like a 4 week program with no break). It helped further my education, along with introducing me to new people.
Deciding to come to AGS is the best decision I’ve made so far in my life. It has opened my eyes up to what’s going on around me, and has converted me to a less self-centered person. I love it here.
Fantastic. It’s made me want to find out more about myself. I learned about things I never knew, not only in Area I but seminars and movies. I will be doing a lot of my own research afterwards and wanting to make a difference in the world.
I’ve had a WONDERFUL time here. I’m really glad I had the opportunity to be here. It is a great experience. I feel like I’m more aware of the world around me and I’ve matured a lot.
It was one of the best experiences of my life. Everything about the place is awesome. It’s great to meet all these wonderful people.
AGS was an amazing experience and this has been one of the best summers I’ve ever had.
It was a great time which I enjoyed very much while also learning a lot about several topics.
It was a fun time and an awesome way to spend the summer. I made many new friends and feel like I learned a lot. Everything about it was fun and there was always something to do. I am glad I came and actually did something this summer instead of being bored.
The first few weeks were not good. Classes were boring and the speakers and movies got progressively worse. Dorms were crazy all through the program. Cold showers suck. Some of the rules were crazy and made it worse to be here.
I’ve changed for the good. I see people in general better than what I used to and see their side first.
I enjoyed about every aspect of AGS. I feel that I am a more confident, intellectual and caring person who is sensitive to others, yet aware of problems on a national scale.
I really enjoyed AGS. It was a worthwhile six weeks and the global perspective I gained was invaluable.
At first it was hard to get used to, but it’ll be hard to leave. It was nice to be in my own world for 6 weeks, to branch out and make new friends. It kept me busy over the course of most of the summer and it’s been a good step in my road to success.
No comment.
It was great and I would do it all over again.
Overall experience – fun, memorable. At first I wasn’t sure if I could come to AGS, but I’m glad I did.
My overall experience at AGS was very positive and was so much fun.
My experience at AGS will be something I will never forget. I’ve learned many valuable lessons and I feel they’ve better prepared me for my senior year as I sit down to prepare for college.
Overall, it was “expanding”. At first, I didn’t like it because I tried to stick with my friends who were in different dorms and making their own friends. Then, I branched out and started making my own friends and now AGS is amazing in my mind.
My overall experience has been very positive. I have enjoyed being here and I have been exposed to several different perspectives. I no longer view myself as a singular citizen of the world…I am more aware of the suffering or just different lifestyles of others.
Great, exciting. Could be more activities but a very good program.
Lyle Rupert did a really excellent job. We learned, had a good time, and were safe, happy, and healthy. Go Lyle! Plus his duck jokes were awesome.
Lyle was incredible. He was friendly and respectful to all students from what I saw of him.
The Director did a fine job of promoting a constructive environment.
Lyle Rupert was extremely effective. He was easily accessible without being overbearing.
I wish I could have seen more of him. I did enjoy the organ extravaganza. I guess he seemed too busy, but everything (schedules) seemed to be in line and I didn’t feel pressured by rules he made.
Very effectively. It was easy to get around and figure everything out.
Lyle was very adamant about a constructive environment. He was an awesome director. I really enjoyed his enthusiasm and the whole experience.
It went well. He balanced everything out well and got a lot of student involvement.
Lyle Rupert did an amazing job providing us with so many opportunities and different ways to learn.
Very well. It was a wonderful experience.
He did a good job.
Well, I believe that the past students promoted AGS more than anyone else. They made it seem like a great environment.
I think that since so far no one has been kicked out it has obviously been a very constructive environment. Almost everyone (99.9%) seemed delighted to be here, and I would enjoy this as my standard schooling procedure year round.
He promoted AGS very effectively.
He did a very good job creating a pleasant environment here at AGS. I am glad he decided to allow Couch to go to the mixer even though some girls made some bad decisions - so thank you!
The environment was fun and educational the entire time!
The director was great because he didn’t show any bias or favoritism. When he said something he meant it.
Very well. He was enthusiastic but he was firm and laid down the law.
Very effectively. The atmosphere at AGS was not only intellectually stimulating but caring and fun.
Very well. I felt very safe and welcomed in each class. That setting would help most in a constructive way.
He did very good. He executed many different programs for varieties of people and all activities were relevant.
I believe very effectively. Deconstructive things that happened (like that of the bus problem at the opera and the Couch dorm situation) were beyond his control.
The entire layout of AGS was extremely unique because in each class we would learn something different. After class we were able to get more involved because some students held 4:10s and 6:10s while others come out to listen. Also, there would be a different activity each week.
Gave good rules but I didn’t like the seating rules or the fact that we got in trouble for sleeping during the movies.
Lyle Rupert!!! I have no negative things to say about him. He’s a stand up guy and I’m surprised that this is his first year as director.
For the most part, AGS promoted a constructive and enjoyable environment. The recurring incidents and hostilities at Couch Hall; however, cast a dark shadow over some aspects of authority at AGS, but in the end most of the occurrences were dealt with, albeit late.
He was a very nice person who helped us and was understanding.
The Director was great. He was down to earth and nice. I really enjoyed my AGS experience, and I think it’s because we had good people like him running it.
He was fine. To me he was like the US President. He exists but is not any kind of personal force in my life.
He did a wonderful job putting AGS together. The staff, classes, and activities were all excellent.
Very!! I love Lyle! He created a very positive loving growing home!
The Director did a great job to create a relaxed and safe environment for all of us. He made it really easy to adjust to being away from home.
Lyle did his best to create a constructive environment at AGS which made AGS as great as it was. He was encouraging towards all the students.
The best way to measure that is by assessing if the environment was indeed constructive. (Hopefully, Lyle can be given some credit by association), which I’d say it was.
Lyle Rupert always was nice about everything. Even serious things didn’t feel like we were being punished. He encouraged us to have fun and learn lots.
Lyle did a fantastic job of building AGS into a worthwhile environment.
He made sure that we had the best summer of our lives.
Lyle Rupert was amazing and always funny and positive. Certain Couch situations couldn’t be avoided, but he dealt with them in a very understanding, non-harsh manner.
I think Lyle did a good job. He praised us enough to make us feel good about ourselves, but also made us aware of our responsibilities. Yeah for Lyle!
The director was great. He treated us with respect and tried to create a positive atmosphere – which I think he did. He is pleasant and a fun person and overall I felt very comfortable with him leading the program.
Lyle Rupert did an excellent job with a constructive environment. He has a very “can do” attitude and is a good guy.
Our director very efficiently promoted a constructive environment because he made it a fun, safe, yet educational experience that we will all remember.
Yes, the AGS environment is a neutral environment but it also has a lot of diversity.
I thought that Mr. Rupert did a fabulous job in making AGS constructive but not constricting.
It was good to have “Ask the Director”. However, I sometimes felt the student’s ideas weren’t transferred well.
He was pretty effective I think in both promoting learning and entertainment.
Rupert was a classic authoritative figure that tried to be nice, etc. He didn’t communicate anything to me besides “Don’t cross the streets,” because apparently “Arkansas’ best and brightest” are too stupid to know what to do when we come to a street. LOL so hypocritical.
The environment that the Director provided at AGS was structured effectively for the faculty and students.
He was very upbeat and energetic which was always inspiring us as students and he made it very clear what the rules were.
Very effectively – his warm, glowing personality helped make AGS feel welcoming overall.
He did an excellent job of getting us all to work hard by his little rewards, but he also understood the responsibility of his job and the need to discipline.
He kept us positive and excited about AGS.
Very effectively – Lyle provided a leadership role that was needed to sustain the AGS environment. He was fully committed to the goal.
He was very amiable toward the students which took down some of his authoritative figure. I think that was a large part of it. However, he was not completely lenient toward wrongdoers, which is correct to do. The mix of friendliness and order kept a good environment for the students to interact in.
He was excited, which seemed to somehow infect everyone else with excitement. He didn’t focus on the negative things that happened, but rewarded us for the positive. He really cares about the students and it shows a lot.
Lyle Rupert was a great director. He never put too much pressure on us by being overbearing; however, he showed enough authority for us to understand not to cross him.
The Director was an incredible person. He was laid back but still fun to see.
I thought that the director did a great job with AGS. Everything was amazing.
Lyle Rupert was awesome! I think our environment was very constructive as well as safe and tons of fun.
I loved the environment here at AGS. Whether it was the academia, extracurricular time or free time, every part was very exciting and rewarding.
The Director was amazing! He made AGS seem like a safe, educational environment.
He kept order while maintaining a light-hearted persona.
Very effectively – His enthusiasm and charisma, as well as wise and just decision making, made this experience excellent.
The Director was very effective in promoting a constructive environment at AGS. He was such a friendly guy that the students felt a bond to him.
I felt that the environment was very constructive.
I really felt the Director did a good job leading in a friendly way that promoted the community values at AGS. He did not lead in an authoritative-dictatorial way that could stifle community.
The Director did a wonderful job handling all the various faculty who in turn handled us. That seems like a funny way of saying it, but he was very efficient and effective.
Very effectively. I felt we were all here to learn in a well-rounded manner, and Lyle helped to convey that in most of the activities in which we all participated.
The environment was very constructive. We had lots of free time to take advantage of the activities which were very widespread and interesting.
The whole experience was planned out to be a great and productive summer for me!
I think Lyle Rupert did an excellent job at keeping order of over 400 students and providing us with an educational experience that is life changing.
The director, in my opinion, did a good job maintaining the environment here. Most importantly he was flexible and reasonable which allowed some real learning to go on and he is a sharp dresser.
Mr. Rupert put an obvious amount of effort into making everything run smoothly. There were some issues that sprang up, but I think he did an excellent job facing them.
He was great. I enjoyed the community that he helped build.
I really liked the AGS Director. I thought he was able to maintain his authority and still have fun and I think he was well-liked and respected and created a constructive AGS environment.
I thought Lyle Rupert was an excellent instructor. He was outspoken with the students and he made us welcome from the first day.
I felt he more actively encouraged positive behavior and attitudes than constructive environment (but that is not a bad thing).
He did a very good job of keeping everything in line. And he listened to everyone really good.
He did very well and the environment was extremely compatible with learning.
Very effectively!! Lyle Rupert was very encouraging and constructive.
I feel that Mr. Rupert did the best job he could possibly do and I appreciated his tenacity and effort.
Very effectively! He tried to make everything positive and happy. I loved his positive attitude. I think the only bad thing was community punishment.
Lyle Rupert promoted a constructive environment. Most definitely he was very positive and did nothing but encourage the students.
Lyle Rupert = LOVE. Lyle didn’t force anyone to have a good time. He just had a way of making it happen. He also promoted the positive learning experience.
The Director promoted a constructive environment at AGS very effectively. He was respectful and committed to having the best AGS possible.
By applying a great set of rules, talking to us constantly and allowing us to ask him any question.
The director, Lyle, did a great job of promoting a pleasant AGS environment. I especially liked the way he addressed the stealing problem in Couch head on. Thanks for the experience.
He always tried to make everything happy, which was a great foil to the overbearing Joe Gray.
Lyle Rupert was very fair and did everything possible to make this the most enjoyable experience. I felt no need to go to the “Ask the Director” because I had nothing to complain about or ask for.
He did his job effectively and reasonably.
Lyle did a good job. Next year, they might want to work on their tardy scheme.
Very effectively. He was fun and easy going. So it was easy for the students to respect him and follow what he said.
There was a good constructive environment here but I don’t know if it was promoted by Lyle or just by the AGS experience.
The director was always there and had good control of things. His presence was very constructive to the environment.
The environment was constructive, but also too strict I think. There were many times I was afraid to do something for fear of dismissal even though I probably wouldn’t have.
He gave us enough freedom to experience some independence but not too much to keep us out of trouble.
Very effectively. He would remind us of how we needed to act before movies. He also helped to reward us and to punish us.
I felt very safe in my environment. I felt as if I was never left out or alone in my thoughts. I felt welcomed into all that was given to me by the Director. I felt encouraged to try new ideas and experiences.
The environment and community are the major component of AGS in my opinion and the director definitely encouraged everyone to be more of a community with all the activities and fun speeches.
He did a great job at making AGS a fun learning environment. He was very balanced.
Lyle’s shorts made my day better! I think Lyle tried to be the good guy and for the most part he was, but he wasn’t the most friendly kind of guy. He spent a lot of the “Ask the Governor” evading questions.
Lyle did a great job even when bad situations arose he was steady and found a way to accommodate everyone.
The Director was pretty good at promoting a constructive environment here.
He was enthusiastic and serious about what he did and said making it easier to get the point.
Pretty well for the most part, but it wasn’t what I had expected academically and emotionally – I didn’t learn as much as I thought I would.
The Director was underrating the AGS experience. He said we would have fun, but I didn’t think this was much fun.
Very effectively – The Director did not seem withdrawn at any time. I admired that.
As far as I am able to say from my experience at AGS, I believe the Director has done a FANTASTIC job leading AGS and making the whole program a success. The environment was great. He really has been a wonderful director in my view.
Lyle was very good at grabbing respect from the students and making the environment organized and fun.
Effective to the point of revising some decisions people thought they would make naturally.
Everything was well-kept and orderly. Recreation activities were set up very well along with everything else. He was very relaxed and firm at the same time.
He did a superb job of creating a relaxed environment and made us feel very comfortable while at the same time he kept order.
The Director was nothing but positive. Entering AGS I knew it was going to be fun because he was telling jokes.
The Director did an excellent job constructing the environment. Everything was well organized and taken care of promptly. There were many things students could do to avoid getting bored.
It was amazing. I didn’t know I could learn so much in six weeks.
Greatly effective – many events were great – chances to meet new people and improve social skills.
Very effectively.
He was very friendly but straight forward and honest.
On efficiency Lyle Rupert is the man! He tried solely to make sure the environment was great and he succeeded.
Very effectively – He always kept the mood light and upbeat while conveying serious points.
He seemed more comfortable towards the end, but he did a good job.
He was a really nice relatable person and I think that was effective in getting us to have a constructive, respectful environment at AGS – except for Couch in which a few people apparently did not participate in the constructive environment at AGS.
The Director promoted a very well constructive environment at AGS. The first day he told us we’ll have fun and make new friends and we did.
His “Ask the Director” sessions showed his openness to suggestions.
Very well – he’s very interactive with the students.
Fairly effectively.
It was pretty much well promoted.
He did well overall, although punishing everyone for a few people being late was a bit harsh.
He encouraged us to be positive in order to create a positive environment.
Fairly well – the “Ask the Director” was a good idea – if only more students cared to attend…
Lyle Rupert was such a nice sweet guy! He made us feel really at home, and so I really liked the environment.
Pretty good.
I believe that the director did a very good job. A majority of the students accepted the environment he was trying to promote.
Lyle did a great job at setting the tone at AGS.
He promoted a very constructive environment - not controlling but disciplining at the same time.
Lyle did a good job especially if this is his first year. I can’t really think of anything he did that disappointed me.
I love Lyle! He was positive and was an authoritative influence while still being “approachable”.
Very well.
Lyle Rupert is a king among men.
The environment was very great and Lyle did an awesome job.
Lyle was way awesome. He did a really good job letting us know what was going on and he’s also just a really cool guy.
Lyle constructively promoted AGS in a fun interactive way.
The Director always promoted a constructive environment. He always tried to stay positive.
The Director was WONDERFUL. He promoted a highly constructive environment here at AGS. I was very impressed.
It was properly promoted. They need to enforce their rules more.
He was smart and extremely well spoken. He was always very kind and considerate. He did a great job.
He was effective and upbeat about building a low-stress and well-behaved community.
I thought he was here to help from the start. I had a problem and he understood and helped me personally without knowing me.
He encouraged a lot of people to be active, to have fun, and would listen to criticism.
The Director promoted a well constructive environment for the young adults.
Lyle is amazing and good at the pipe organ!
The Director promoted a sense of community and encouraged interaction with diverse students.
Very effectively in communicating all that AGS had to offer. The environment was friendly and welcoming.
He kept it pretty structured, but why punish everyone. That caused a lot of tension.
Very well!
Pretty effectively; however, it probably could have been even more effective if he spoke more directly rather than informal.
At required events when Lyle spoke, everyone responded to him in such a positive way. At “Ask the Director” he dealt with what we thought was unjust. Mr. Rupert did the best possible job to create a positive and constructive environment.
Not very because there was still trash left in places where is shouldn’t have been.
Very effectively – it was a great environment.
He did a great job as far as I can tell to promote an environment where we were free to think, interact and have fun in the least inhibited way possible.
Lyle Rupert is amazing. He knows what he’s doing and I don’t know what we would do without him.
Pretty well - the rules were followed and it has been an exciting and wonderful six weeks.
Lyle Rupert was very effective in promoting a constructive environment. He did an excellent job as Director.
The blanket punishment sucked.
Dr. Rupert did an excellent job promoting a constructive environment.
AGS was very constructive overall, but I’m not sure if I can contribute that to the director, as I’ve no idea what the director actually does. Since AGS was wonderful I assumed he did his job very well.
Very effectively, he treated us in a positive way and that’s how I wanted it to be at AGS.
Lyle was very effective. I was really impressed by him. I understand this was his first year, and he did really well.
Pretty effectively I guess.
The environment was mostly free but I didn’t like not having cell phones. I think if students who have health problems…they should be allowed to have them. What if something happened?
The Director did an excellent job. He was not overbearing and overly controlling and he was not a pushover either. I felt like I wanted to go to class every day especially speakers and films; this is an effect of an excellent director.
He did a good job – having parents away truly does make things (for me at least) seem to be less stressful, and his pick of faculty and staff (with only a few exceptions) were truly impeccable.
Told us that it’s ok to have ideas; and it’s ok to be wrong. No grades.
He did a good job, I believe. He handled things well. He came up with “Ask the Director”, that was a step in the right direction.
He was very effective in promoting a constructive environment with his enthusiasm and positive attitude.
I think he did a great job and did particularly well at keeping the dorms from tearing each other down. He encouraged us to support one another as dorms and as individuals.
I think that Lyle did an excellent job especially as it was his first year. He always had fun with us. He never tried too hard to act cool or anything but was also serious and down to earth when he needed to be.
Lyle Rupert is a great Director. AGS ran very smoothly. (The pipe organ extravaganzas were amazing – encore next year!)
Very effectively - the AGS environment constantly remained positive and constructive.
Very, kept the rules clear and drama to a minimum.
Lyle Rupert did an excellent job at AGS 2007. His sincerity and generosity shows through his work.
Lyle was very effective in promoting a constructive environment. He was always around, always involved, and made a point of reinforcing what AGS was all about.
He was pretty effective at promoting a constructive environment for the most part. He made sure we were safe, and that we were always learning. He wanted this to be a fun experience, but also a helpful experience as far as learning.
I didn’t pay too much attention to what the director had to do with it, but I know that the teachers certainly provided an unforgettable environment that was very constructive so if the director had anything to do with that, as well as the rest of AGS that was simply amazing, then I guess he did his job well – very well.
The Director did a wonderful job in the construction of the AGS experience.
He promoted a constructive environment well, but sometimes the issues presented were one-sided.
Very little interaction with the Director but he definitely produced a feeling of community. He definitely pumped it up.
Lyle is great as a director. I feel that he understands the students and genuinely cares about our concerns. There are things he has to enforce, but he seems open to suggestions.
Lyle did a great job keeping everyone involved and safe.
It was effective. Some of the speakers put me to sleep but Lyle…was funny at times and seemed to be well organized.
Lyle did an awesome job as director of AGS. He always made uplifting and encouraging talks despite the “drama” at AGS.
Lyle did a great job! I love Lyle! He did very well at constructive environment promoting.
Very well – It was a really great environment – like home. Lyle’s a great director – we love ya man!
10/10
He was very effective and really got through to everyone.
Lyle did a really good job. He was very responsive to our needs.
Lyle Rupert was well suited for the job. He was fair, patient, understanding, and played one heck of an organ piece.
I believe the director did a great job keeping up with 400 children.
He was good at instructing discipline while being a good man.
Lyle Rupert is an awesome director – I love his work.
Consistently and effectively.
I think he did a fair job!
Good, I thought he couldn’t do any more than he did.
He did a very good job.
I felt that the environment at AGS was very constructive. I always had one event or another to attend and I never felt bored.
Extremely effectively – Lyle Rupert is da bomb!! He handled the Couch dorm incidents fairly and very well.
The Director created an environment that did promote constructiveness in AGS. I thought he worked well gearing everything towards us and really being concerned and hoping our experience would be great.
He had a great sense of humor, but at the same time could keep a group under control.
Lyle Rupert was amazing at what he did. I would recommend him again.
He was very friendly and told us all information we needed to know.
He was really positive. He always tried to encourage all of the students even when some were doing wrong.
He scared me slightly. I could tell at times his happiness and humor were fake.
Lyle did very well I thought. The cereal contest, Mr. Stacy, dancing digits, The Wave, and Hardin vs. Raney – I loved it all!!!
The environment was excellent and couldn’t have been any better. Lyle Rupert is a very organized, well-spoken, and effective director.
It was very constructive. I feel that I got a lot out of it!
He did a very good job. He encouraged us to do AGS extracurricular activities, and he read the announcements every day.
Lyle was incredible. He was so inviting and involved. I couldn’t imagine a better director of the AGS program.
Greatly, it was a very constructive environment.
He was very effective. He was very productive.
Great.
Mass punishments were enforced frequently and to little avail. Often he had a great effect on the students when we were all collected in Staples and when he encouraged silence and participation.
Very well because being a new director he was just as excited about us being here and making clear how strict he was about the rules made me respect him more.
He encouraged us to go and meet new people.
The Director was pretty constructive. He reminded us what to do to make our “community” better.
It gave us a wonderful place to share our ideas and help our belief structure grow more structured and self-reliant.
Very well. I love Lyle Rupert. He was good at reminding us to keep minding rules as well as interacting with us. I think he did a great job.
He seemed happy so we were happy. He didn’t have as much authority as I thought he would or seemed to be. He was more of a spokes person. He did alright.
He did a wonderful job because he used a tactic of being equal not authoritative.
Very much so. For instance, he let us carry on and do the wave before events but stopped us when it was time to get serious.
Very effectively. He was a constant presence and encouraged us to learn.
Yea for Lyle!!!! He was fun and exciting. He seemed like he was having just as much fun as us. He’s also a great speaker. If we weren’t excited, he got us excited.
OK I guess.
I thought Joe Gray was much more effective in promoting a constructive environment than Lyle Rupert was but that’s probably just because we see Joe Gray’s work more concretely.
Very well. At least the environment was constructive (I felt) and he seemed to take an active role. I thought he did a very good job.
Quit harping incessantly on rules! And be more lax on them, perhaps?
The director provided a warm and friendly environment for the students to interact and learn.
He was very enthusiastic about what was going on in campus.
Lyle did a good job not being over assertive but kept things in order. He made AGS enjoyable.
I didn’t really feel any influence from the director. He was nice enough when he talked to us.
The director, I believe, did his best to foster an environment of community at AGS.
Lyle Rupert is very optimistic and promoted AGS. He was a good director.
Lyle did a very good job with the whole AGS experience. He was very involved in all that we did!
The Director promoted an environment that focused on community. He never yelled at students or was really negative.
The Director did a pretty good job at making everyone feel welcome. He tried to talk to at least everyone while we were here at AGS.
Very, it helped a lot prohibiting phones. There were plenty of interesting and compelling events.
The Director promoted a constructive environment through expressing and encouraging community.
The director promoted a pretty constructive environment and he would take any problem into his hands very seriously.
He was very good for his first year at AGS. He connected very well with the students.
Very well – he laid down the rules from the start and enforced them.
Everyone was supportive of each other and we were in a safe environment.
A constructive environment was promoted very well.
The director promoted a constructive environment very effectively through pep talks and punishments.
I like the director, but the people working under the director aren’t the greatest – you would think this was two different programs. He’s really nice, thoughtful, and easy to reach which is very important.
Lyle helped encourage a positive attitude toward discipline and life in general. He was a very good authority figure who I was comfortable speaking to him about issues, I had confidence that he was a reasonable authority figure.
Lyle Rupert did a nice job in maintaining a nice environment for the faculty and students.
Very effective, he is nice and funny and acted like he cared. I would accept him on facebook.
Lyle Rupert was awesome. He was so positive and was an absolute amazing and crucial part of my AGS experience.
Lyle was very nice and welcoming to all the students and promoted a constructive environment very well.
A lot – he made an effort to keep things constructive and beneficial.
The director did a good job in maintaining order and sticking with the rules.
Very nice environment. There were awesome activities and friendly staff.
He promoted the constructive environment very effectively.
I would accept Lyle Rupert on facebook – an awesome leader who promoted a memorable AGS summer!
The director was very effective in promoting a constructive and learning environment.
Very much but no one showed up for the seminar! (Ha Ha) but the community built over time and by the end we could see exactly what he was talking about.
I felt challenged here. I enjoyed that there was always something to do, something to learn. In my school, being bored is quite common.
I feel Lyle Rupert did a wonderful job as director at AGS he was able to enforce the rules while still maintaining a positive image with the students.
He did it very well - going over the day’s activities.
He kept order in all areas and activities…
The director listened to the student’s concerns and addressed all problems. He was very high spirited and related to the students which in turn made a constructive environment.
Fairly well - there needs to be either less rules or more rules. This middle thing is not working.
Very well, a lot got done.
The director did a great job here at AGS. When someone needed or wanted something, it was taken care of.
He evidently made some mistakes with the use of group punishments, but he is a pleasant person.
He did a great job keeping people happy, he always strived to make people’s experiences enjoyable.
The environment was way too strict almost to the point of suffocation. Often I felt like I was in a prison camp. I felt like everywhere I turned I was being griped at for someone else who broke the rules.
AGS was very academically and socially fertile.
My director asked the class to respect the person who was speaking by paying attention to what they had to say.
Lyle Rupert did an excellent job of promoting a constructive environment at AGS. The Area I, II and III classes were organized very well and the seminars and other social activities were interesting and informative.
Yes - Lyle Rupert was amazing; a great finish yea for him! It was welcoming, active, intellectually stimulating and safe. I don’t feel corrupted by feminists, environmentalists, animal rights activists, liberal un-Americans at all!
The Director promoted a positive environment by cracking jokes and praising the students for good work during the blood drive and cereal drives. Overall, Lyle did a great job.
Ah, Lyle, you minx. Khaki short and polos aside I can’t really think of anything negative to say. He seemed more or less interested in us, but get some leaches for those RAs.
The director did an excellent job of promoting a constructive environment at AGS. All the activities and privileges we had were amazing and gave me lots of wonderful memories.
The director did fairly well promoting a constructive environment. At some point; however, I felt as though were being treated as younger students which wasn’t understandable to me.
The director was quite effective and made sure most of anything was connected to the “AGS Experience” in some way.
The Director was very nice and interacted well with all of us with attitudes (hormones and everything else that comes with being a teenager). He had a very good sense of humor.
It was very constructive but very left wing. VERY left wing which is upsetting when there isn’t any neutrality.
Overall he needed to find better comedy material since every joke he told was and shall continue to be extremely lacking.
Very effectively. Lyle Rupert handled crises and dangerous issues calmly and expediently.
Very well and to (what I believe) the greatest extent he could.
Lyle Rupert was great. He was involved with students and never presented a “better than thou” attitude. He seems understanding and optimistic.
Very effectively, there were lots of activities available for us to attend on a wide variety of subjects. The environment at AGS was very stimulating.
Encouraged us to mix and socialize and was very funny.
He really promoted thinking and helping our fellow human beings.
The Director was good at promoting AGS as a whole. More class options would be beneficial to the AGS environment.
Lyle Rupert was very effective.
Lyle did an excellent job as director. He went above and beyond his responsibilities to ensure a safe, fun and happy environment.
He made it fun?
Amazing!!!
Good, he made announcements and made sure we were doing what we were all supposed to do.
He made it fun. He was always available to talk to and he would even just hang out.
Lyle did a great and satisfactory job. He brought excitement.
Lyle was really nice. He was there if you needed to talk to him and though he could be serious, he was fun too.
Lyle did a fine job. The AGS environment was great.
Well.
He promoted the “constructive environment” every time he got in front of us.
Lyle did really well besides some of the punishment choices.
Bien.
Lyle is righteous. He got involved. He cared. He was part of our ayuguya.
He was friendly and functional as a great diplomat and leader.
He did this really well.
Lyle Rupert was or, in proper English, is a great director, funny yet in control.
Very well, he was very diplomatic.
Lyle Rupert tried to made AGS fun and entertaining and enriching. It was.
The Director did very well to promote a constructive environment.
I felt Lyle Rupert did a good job and overall I didn’t feel super constricted by anything.
The director consistently mentioned the rules before the movie to give students an understanding that he was serious.
Very. There was always somewhere to be – events, videos, lectures (the lectures rocked, by the way). The guest speakers were awesome, I learned a lot.
Rupert encouraged everyone from the start and presented himself as a friend. He told us what he expected from us and we were eased by his non-menacing demeanor.
He was involved and exciting all the time which made AGS that much better.
I was not at all prepared for the environment or the experience.
He was very effective in keeping the community and environment positive and intellectually stimulating.
Very effectively, he talked about the things that go on every day and how it affected AGS students. These made us realize he cared.
The director did a very good job running the school in my opinion. I was surprised to hear that it was only his first year. There were many surprise incidents that he handled very well.
He was very effective from his handling of events, staff and students. Everything ran smoothly and everything was supportive of learning and growing.
Very effectively, it was probably the most constructive environment I’ve every seen or taken part in.
The environment was very constructive. There was always something to do.
He created a mixture between school and home, and that is what made me very comfortable.
I believe Joe Gray did an excellent job. He mixed people up by the difference of them.
Very effectively. Lyle always promoted a constructive environment before speakers and required films. Lyle’s enforcement of the rules made me feel safer.
He worked well with keeping everyone satisfied, maintaining a respectable name for AGS, and allowing everyone to express themselves.
He was respectful and likeable, but it’s his first year so there were issues with proper methods of discipline (unnecessary early curfews, etc.) but our scary visit with him at “Ask the Director” made it clear that that was an unsuitable means of punishment and improvements have already been implemented. He is a very open and nice guy and promotes responsibility and community cooperation genuinely.
The Director kept the environment constructive. The atmosphere was all about building up and learning while having fun.
Very effectively. Lyle was able to maintain a comfortable, fun presence while keeping a sense of community at the same time. He really tried to make this a positive experience for all of us.
Lyle is a total sweetheart! You can really tell he cares about us all very much. He genuinely cared about us and the time we spent here.
Apparently everyone enjoyed AGS and did not want to go home. Lyle was always open to new and better suggestions. Great job Lyle!
Pretty effectively. It was informal and it allowed for socialization and the free exchange of ideas.
The Director promoted a very constructive environment at AGS. I really felt part of a community.
Good.
Horrible, that man’s shorts were too short!! Just kidding, he did a great job!! Think of more punishments so you don’t punish the whole group.
The environment at AGS was both constructive and open and it was an environment that was essential to AGS.
I believe Lyle Rupert did a good job. He was entertaining, but likewise knew what he was doing. He was a good, productive, and involved director.
Everything was run top-notch. Incredible.
The Director promoted a very constructive environment at AGS. He really helped people enjoy their stay at AGS.
Lyle is a good man who wanted the best for everyone. He did a great job with all of his duties.
I believe Lyle Rupert was extremely effective at promoting a constructive environment. He was funny and interactive, yet kept control of all situations. He truly tried to be empathetic to all of our feelings.
Very much so. Encouraging and fun yet firm and organized.
Pretty effectively. Some might see Lyle as a pushover, but I think he did a very good job. He made the AGS experience a lot more enjoyable, a really FUN guy. He and Grace handled the Couch situation very maturely. He had a lot of constructive things to say about that.
I loved the atmosphere at AGS. I don’t know how much of that was constructed by the director.
He executed this very well. I didn’t feel too stressed out over everything we were doing. Actually, I occasionally found myself thinking we had too much free time.
Lyle did very well. I was expecting him to be stricter with us, but he was fun, always having a good time and cracking jokes. I think this helped him to do as well as he did and create a positive environment.
He definitely promoted a constructive environment. He was always positive and cheerful. He would be the good cop in a good/bad cop situation and Joe might be the bad. (I love Joe too!).
Lyle did an amazing job creating a constructive environment here at AGS. I was very glad to have him as Director. He made us feel comfortable and relaxed. I hope he’s here in years to come.
He did a great job! The environment was amazing. I love AGS so much. The Director did a wonderful job.
I believe that the Director created a very positive environment here at AGS.
It was a very positive, engaging environment; he did very well.
I did not have a lot of contact with him at all, do not know a lot about him besides he told corny jokes and always wore short shorts. I really didn’t see him involved.
AGS rocks!! It was promoted very well. I thought for the best because of everything he said and got the best. I didn’t however appreciate that he allowed Jesus Camp to be shown. I’m Evangelic Pentecostal (so I felt disrespected).
He created a very constructive environment and supplied ample time for learning and teaching opportunities.
I love Lyle Rupert. He understands young adults. He is respectful and fair. Everything was aimed at building momentum towards postivity.
The Director was very friendly and made AGS a happy place. He made Joe Gray look like the bad guy, but he made sure rules were followed and that most people were satisfied.
He did so by motivating us.
Very effectively – he always had a positive attitude every time I saw him.
He made AGS very fun and effective. I love Lyle Rupert.
Lyle was very considerate and it came across well that he was genuinely concerned with the well being of all the students of AGS.
Very effectively. He encouraged us to behave yet was still funny and had a great attitude.