Congratulations, Kentucky! After nearly a decade of advocacy and planning, the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky is a reality. To date, Academy students represent 81 counties that span the Commonwealth in all directions. Thanks to the support of legislators, businesses, educators, and parents, the Gatton Academy now stands as a beacon of excellence for Kentucky and a testament to the infinite possibilities that lie ahead for some of the state's brightest young minds.
Updated Curriculum Now Online
October 1, 2008
Updated information regarding the Gatton Academy's curriculum has been added to the Academics page of the website. The new information clarifies the older sample program schedule. Students complete coursework in math, core sciences, STEM electives, and humanities to meet both Gatton Academy and Kentucky pre-college requirements while obtaining over sixty hours of college credit.
Several Information Sessions Added to Calendar
Updated October 1, 2008
With letters going out to students, counselors, and administrators about the unique oppotunity the Gatton Academy affords Kentucky's exceptional students, it's time to share information about upcoming Community Information Sessions. The Gatton Academy will conduct over twenty sessions across the state this fall to share information about the progam in students' local areas. Information Sessions are a great opportunity to learn more about the program, speak with Gatton Academy staff members, and prepare for the admissions process.
Academy Information Session (Hopkinsville)
October 6, 2008, 6:00 p.m.
Academic Building, Room 158, Hopkinsville Community and Technical College
Academy Information Session (Mayfield)
October 28, 2008, 6:00 p.m.
Graves County High School Library
Academy Information Session (McCreary County/Stearns)
October 28, 2008, 6:30 p.m.
McCreary County Middle School Library
Academy Information Session (Louisville)
October 30, 2008, 6:00 p.m.
Louisville Science Center, 727 W. Main St.
Academy Information Session (Maysville)
November 1, 2008, 1:00 p.m.
Kentucky Gateway Museum Center, 215 Sutton Street
Academy Information Session (Russell)
November 17, 2008, 6:00 p.m.
Russell High School Library
If you plan to attend an information session, please RSVP online. This courtesy helps us plan for the number of families attending and ensures adequate space is available.
Additional sessions have previously been announced for Somerset, Richmond, Danville, Georgetown, Henderson, London, Northern Kentucky/Highland Heights, Prestonsburg, Elizabethtown/Radcliff, Harlan, and Morehead. Dates for these sessions are available on the Calendar page of the website.
Further sessions are planned for Owensboro, Paducah, Jackson, Hazard, and Columbia.
Four Gatton Academy Students Named National Merit Semifinalists
September 15, 2008
The Gatton Academy is proud to announce four members of the Class of 2009 have been honored as National Merit Semifinalists: Rachel A. Bowman, Daniel P. Coffman, Tyce A. Hodges, and Dalton G. Hubble.
Kentucky has 228 high school seniors among the nearly 16,000 semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program.
To compete for the 8,200 scholarships awarded by the program, the students must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist stage. About 90 percent of the semifinalists are expected to become finalists and about half of them will be awarded scholarships, making them merit scholars.
Winners will be announced in the late spring and summer of next year.
Gatton Academy Students Excel in State's Mandatory ACT
September 15, 2008
Bowling Green, Ky. - Though students at the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky are already experiencing life as university students through the residential program’s advanced curriculum, they are demonstrating that challenging coursework and preparation are also keys to ACT success.
Gatton Academy students at Western Kentucky University, along with almost 43,000 of their peers, participated in Kentucky’s first mandatory testing of all high school juniors through the ACT. Gatton Academy students received an average composite score of 28.3 out of a possible 36 points on the exam -- a full 10 points ahead of the statewide average. In the individual subjects, Gatton Academy students scored an average of 27.7 in English, 28.6 in mathematics, 27.8 in reading and 27.8 in science.
Gatton Academy Director Tim Gott explained the results of the ACT are tied to academic experiences students received in the program. “One factor that we feel contributes to this increase is the high level of rigor and relevance of the coursework our students receive at the Gatton Academy and WKU. While we want to focus on helping students across all aspects of their lives, we are very pleased to see tangible results on the ACT.”
Parent Institute Focuses on STEM
September 5, 2008
With the support of the AT&T Foundation, 31 parents from throughout Kentucky are participating in a special Commonwealth Institute for Parent Leadership focused on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Based on the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence's 11-year-old parent leadership institute, the program is designed and implemented in partnership with the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science and The Center for Gifted Studies at Western Kentucky University.
The two-day sessions are being held at the Holiday Inn University Plaza, Bowling Green, on September 11-12 and October 9-10. Fayette County parents include Sherri Ball, Lucy Blankenship, Allen Lind, Kathy Smiley and Debra Walker.
The Commonwealth Institute for Parent Leadership prepares parents to work toward higher achievement for all public school students. The institute's curriculum focuses on leadership skills, planning and strategic development as well as elements of Kentucky's education and accountability systems. Almost 1,500 Kentucky parents have now completed this training and returned to work as partners in their districts and schools. After completing the institute, parents work with educators and other parents on projects targeting specific areas of student achievement. Projects in this institute will focus on increasing student achievement in science, mathematics and technology in the participants' schools and districts.
New Admissions Video Now Online
September 4, 2008
The Gatton Academy is pleased to announce our new admissions video is now available for online viewing. The video provides an overview of life at the Gatton Academy from the perspective of students and administrators.
Upcoming Preview Weekend Dates Scheduled
July 24, 2008
The Gatton Academy will host its first Preview Weekend of the Class of 2011 admissions cycle on Saturday, October 18, 2008, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Events will take place at Schneider Hall on the WKU campus.
Families will meet in the second floor Scheinder Hall student lobby beginning at 9:30 a.m. Sessions will begin at 10 a.m. in the fourth floor common area. Activities for the day will also include campus and hall tours as well as parent and students question-and-answer panels.
Preview Weekends are a wonderful opportunity for prospective applicants and their families to meet with current Academy students and their parents, visit Schneider Hall, and gain a better understanding of student life at the Gatton Academy.
Parking will be available in the lot behind Schneider Hall and Parking Structure 1, which are both accessible from College Heights Blvd. For a WKU campus map, please visit http://www.wku.edu/Tour/campusmap.html.
Please RSVP online at gattonacademy.eventbrite.com or by telephoning 270.745.6565 no later than Thursday, October 16, 2008, at noon.
Additional Preview Weekends are scheduled for November 15, 2008, and January 31, 2009.
Class of 2011 Student Admissions Packet Now Available Online
July 24, 2008
Students interested in applying for the Gatton Academy's Class of 2011 (high school sophomores during the 2008-09 academic year) may download the revised Student Admissions Packet.
To download the packet click here. For more information about admissions, please visit our Admissions page.
Students must meet the following requirements to receive consideration for admission to the Gatton Academy:
- be a current resident of the state of
- be a sophomore or have achieved sophomore status,
- complete Geometry and Algebra II before enrollment, and
- score a minimum 22 math on the ACT or score a minimum 520 math on the SAT.
2008-09 Student Life Handbook Available Online
May 20, 2008
The revised 2008-09 Student Life Handbook is now available online. To download a copy of the handbook, click here.
Gatton Academy Honors 54 Inaugural Graduates
May 20, 2008
The inaugural commencement ceremony for the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky not only celebrated a year of accomplishment but looked toward the infinite possibilities ahead for the program’s graduates.
Fifty-four students representing 35 counties from across the Commonwealth were honored during Saturday’s ceremony at the Ivan Wilson Fine Arts Center Amphitheater on the campus of Western Kentucky University.
Forty-four of the graduates (81 percent) plan to attend Kentucky higher education institutions with 24 continuing their studies at WKU.
Jim Wiseman, vice president of public affairs for Toyota Motor Manufacturing of North America, delivered the commencement address and encouraged the graduates to respect others, challenge themselves, broaden themselves and enjoy life.
WKU President Gary Ransdell thanked members of the General Assembly, WKU faculty members, parents and students for making the Gatton Academy a reality for Kentucky students.
“You are part of history for the Commonwealth of Kentucky,” Dr. Ransdell told the Academy’s first graduates. “You are part of something special.”
Alyssa Mavi, a graduating senior from Ashland, shared with the audience the new experiences the Gatton Academy provided the senior class. “Never before have I, or my fellow students in the Class of 2008, been confronted with so many amazing opportunities,” Mavi said. “Never before have I truly felt excited to learn in and out of the classroom. Never before have I been surrounded and had the chance to live and work with so many talented young people.”
Since August, Gatton Academy students have taken classes in mathematics, science and other subjects at WKU in fulfillment of high school requirements and the Gatton Academy curriculum. In additional to university study, 56 percent of students participated in a facilitated research project with university faculty members.
Twenty-five members of the senior class are Kentucky Governor’s Scholars. Six members of the class were selected as National Merit finalists with one named a scholarship winner. In all, seniors completed a total of 1,649 hours of community service.
“Today is the culmination of a year of experiences that have set the pace and established the traditions for the Gatton Academy,” said Dr. Julia Roberts, executive director of the Academy.
Academy director Tim Gott noted his pride over the accomplishments of the graduating class. “I could not be more proud of this inaugural class,” Gott said. “These students took a leap of faith to be trailblazers in this new educational initiative in the state. Though they had to give up many good things from their home schools to participate in the Academy, they maximized this opportunity and created an amazing community of learners. The ripple effect of their phenomenal efforts will be felt for years to come.”
In the fall of 2008, representatives from the graduating class will attend 15 schools across the United States: WKU, University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, Centre College, Northern Kentucky University, The College of William and Mary, The Culinary Institute of America, Davidson College, Florida Institute of Technology, Kenyon College, University of Miami, The Mississippi University for Women, New York University, Vanderbilt University and Virginia Tech University.
Four-year scholarships totaling $6.8 million were offered to the graduating class while $2.6 million in four-year scholarships were accepted.
“Kentucky is the 14th state to establish a residential school with a focus on mathematics and science supported by the state,” Dr. Roberts said. “This inaugural graduating class from the Gatton Academy symbolizes a giant step toward addressing the need to develop top talent in mathematics and science.”
For information, contact Corey Alderdice at (270) 745-6565.
List of 2008 Gatton Academy Graduates (.pdf)
Gatton Academy Selects 62 Students from 44 Counties for Class of 2010
April 9, 2008
The Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky at Western Kentucky University has selected 60 students for its Class of 2010.
The students span 44 counties from across the Commonwealth. This gifted group of high school sophomores brings with them to the Gatton Academy an average ACT score eight points higher than the statewide average for graduating seniors.
In all, 130 students applied and were judged based on ACT/SAT scores, high school grades, awards, responses to essay questions, and letters of recommendation. Then 100 were invited for interviews with Academy staff members and representatives from across the Commonwealth. In the end, 60 dynamic applicants emerged from the review process.
The selected students scored an average of 28.8 composite on the ACT and 29.2 on the math portion of the exam. The highest possible score is a 36. The 2007 statewide average ACT score for graduating Kentucky high school seniors was 20 on the math portion of the exam and 20.7 composite.
| “We are extremely excited to welcome this outstanding group of students to the Gatton Academy,” said Corey Alderdice, assistant director of admissions and public relations for the Gatton Academy. “These students bring with them numerous talents and abilities. Most of all, they bring a passion for learning and a readiness to bring the state of Kentucky fully into the economy of the 21st century.”
The incoming class includes students from the following counties: Adair, Boone, Bourbon, Boyd, Bullitt, Butler, Calloway, Carlisle, Christian, Crittenden, Daviess, Fayette, Franklin, Grant, Graves, Greenup, Hardin, Harlan, Henderson, Henry, Jefferson, Jessamine, Kenton, LaRue, Laurel, Lewis, Lincoln, Logan, Madison, McCracken, McCreary, McLean, Mercer, Monroe, Muhlenberg, Owen, Pendleton, Pike, Rowan, Simpson, Spencer, Trigg, Warren and Woodford.
The goals of the Gatton Academy are to enable Kentucky’s exceptional young scientists and mathematicians to learn in an environment which offers advanced educational opportunities, preparing them for leadership roles in Kentucky. Moreover, the Gatton Academy will prepare Kentucky to compete in a knowledge-based economy by increasing the number of scientists and engineers who live and work in the state. The students will finish their junior and senior years living in the renovated Schneider Hall and taking courses offered by WKU. At the end of two years, they will be high school graduates and will have earned at least 60 college credit hours.
Tim Gott, director of the Academy, looks for these students to continue the level of engagement and success of the program’s inaugural group of students. “Our inaugural group of students has set a very high standard in the classroom, research labs and across the WKU campus,” Gott said. “These incoming students will build upon these experiences and to push the bar higher.”
The Academy provides a rich living/learning environment designed specifically for academically talented adolescent students that features research, clubs, organizations and community service.
The Gatton Academy is Kentucky’s only state-supported, residential program for high school students with interests in science and math careers and the 14th such program in the nation. More information about the Gatton Academy is available online at http://www.wku.edu/academy/
For information, contact Corey Alderdice at (270) 745-6565.
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