The Chesapeake Bay Governor's School Program is administered by the Virginia Department of Education, Office of Secondary Instructional Services, in cooperation with our school division. It gives gifted students academic, visual and performing arts opportunities beyond those normally available at Essex High School. Students are able to focus on a specific area of intellectual or artistic strength and interest as well as study in a way that best suits them. The program stresses non-traditional teaching and learning techniques to tailor the learning needs of the gifted students.

    The Northern Neck Technical Center strives to create a well-educated technically trained, highly competitive workforce. This program helps students to develop the educational prerequisites to attend college, pursue technical training, or they can go directly into the job market.