WKU News

The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky has selected 97 Kentucky sophomores for the Class of 2026, marking The Gatton Academy’s 19^th incoming class.

“The Class of 2026 is made up of remarkable young people interested in pursuing STEM careers and who are looking for advanced academic opportunities,” said the Director of The Gatton Academy, Dr. Lynette Breedlove. “These outstanding students have been engaged in their communities and sought opportunities to grow and help others.”

Applicants were evaluated based on ACT/SAT scores, high school grades, awards and accomplishments, extracurricular activities, responses to essay and short answer questions, and recommendation forms. In addition to these criteria, candidates were invited to interview with WKU faculty members, community leaders from across the Commonwealth, and Gatton Academy alumni.

Students from 40 counties make up the Class of 2026.  Among the students accepted include either the fourth or fifth students accepted in The Gatton Academy’s 16-year history from the following counties: Garrard, Metcalfe, and Bourbon. Overall, The Gatton Academy has had students attend from 117 of Kentucky’s 120 counties.

The mission of The Gatton Academy is to provide a residential program on the campus of Western Kentucky University for bright, highly motivated Kentucky high school students who have demonstrated interests in pursuing advanced careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Students enhance their creativity, curiosity, reasoning ability, and self-discipline through the companionship of peers, university courses, faculty-led research, and study abroad, preparing them for leadership roles in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Moreover, The Gatton Academy assists in preparing Kentucky to compete in a knowledge-based economy by increasing the number of scientists and engineers with ties to the state.

“It is a pleasure to welcome these students to The Gatton Academy,” stated Dr. Julia Roberts, Executive Director of The Gatton Academy and Mahurin Professor of Gifted Education. “The young people in Gatton’s Class of 2026 represent Kentucky in many ways, carrying out the goal of The Gatton Academy to enable Kentucky’s exceptional young scientists and mathematicians to learn in an environment that offers advanced educational opportunities and develop as future leaders for the Commonwealth.”

Students will complete their junior and senior years of high school living in Florence Schneider Hall.  At the end of their two-year course of study, students will graduate from high school with a minimum of 60 college credit hours and an Associate Degree of Interdisciplinary Studies from Western Kentucky University.

The Gatton Academy provides a rich living and learning environment designed specifically for academically talented adolescent students that features clubs, organizations, and community service. Additionally, students are able to participate in advanced research with WKU faculty members. Research conducted during students’ time at The Gatton Academy has been honored in the nationally competitive Regeneron Science Talent Search, Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair, and published in scientific journals. Study abroad opportunities allow students to participate in global learning experiences in locations such as Costa Rica and England.

The Gatton Academy is Kentucky’s first state-supported, two-year residential program for high school students with interests in advanced science and math careers and is one of only 15 such programs in the nation. The Gatton Academy is a recipient of the 2022 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award from Insight Into Diversity Magazine and the Innovation Partnership Award from the National Consortium for Secondary STEM Schools.

Students selected for The Gatton Academy’s Class of 2026:

(Students are organized by county of residence, with their sending school in parenthesis.)

Barren County

• Justin Colgate (Caverna High School) – Brian Thuotte, Amanda Colgate of Cave City
• Antonio Reyna (Barren County High School) – Enrique Reyna, Jenifer Reyna of Cave City

 Boone County

• Aryan Chinthala (Larry A. Ryle High School) – Anand Chinthala and Amaravathi of Union
• Eric Hebenstiel (Randall K. Cooper High School) – Katrin Hebenstiel of Union and Bjoern Hebenstiel of Ft. Mitchell
• Nicholas Sugimoto (Larry A. Ryle High School) – Monika Sugimoto, Shinichiro Sugimoto of Walton
• Avery Trenkamp (Boone County High School) – Alicia Trenkamp, Tony Trenkamp of Petersburg

Bourbon County

• Rowan Bailey (Sayre High School) – C. Scott Bailey and Stasia Bembenek Bailey of Paris

Breckinridge County

• Katie Morgan (Grayson County High School) – Dave and Missy Morgan of Leitchfield

Bullitt County

• Rue Brown (Bullitt East High School) – Katie Vansteen of Mt. Washington
• Alexander “Lex” Patterson (Bullitt Advanced Math and Science Program) – Adam and Amanda Patterson of Mt. Washington
• Austin Wooden (Bullitt Advanced Math and Science Program/North Bullitt High School/Riverview Opportunity Center) – Chad and Amanda Wooden of Louisville

Calloway County

• Amber Wu (Calloway County High School) – Juyoung Song and Mingyang Wu of Murray

Campbell County

• Flynn Cook (Highlands High School) – Melissa Price and Tim Cook of Fort Thomas

Christian County

• Charles Maddux (Hopkinsville High School) - John and Jennifer Maddux of Pembroke
• Adelaide Ogilvy (Hopkinsville High School) – Amanda Hill and Ryan Ogilvy of Hopkinsville

Crittenden County

• Macie Conger (Crittenden County High School) – Michael and Marcie Conger of Marion

Daviess County

• Logan Robinson (Daviess County High School) – Matthew and Kelly Robinson of Owensboro

Edmonson County

• Brayden Johnson (Edmonson County High School) – Brad and Jodi Johnson of Bee Spring

Fayette County

• Helen Rose (Henry Clay High School) – Jennifer R. Wies and Jeff West of Lexington
• Ash Sheehan (Frederick Douglass High School) – Dan Sheehan, Liz Sheehan of Lexington
• Becca Wills (Henry Clay High School) – Amy and Jeff Wills of Lexington

Garrard County

• Natalie Ryan Clark (Garrard County High School) – Jared and Amanda Clark of Lancaster

Graves County

• Rexley Ferguson (Graves County High School) – Joel and Teresa Ferguson of Wingo

Grayson County

• Morgan Glasscock (Grayson County High School) – Kenny and Diana Glasscock of Leitchfield

Hardin County

• Alaina Arrollo (John Hardin High School) – Natasha Kondrasiewicz and Shawn Bowers of Elizabethtown
• Latisha Atkinson (North Hardin High School) – Claudiann Atkinson of Vine Grove
• Riley Browder (North Hardin High School) – Miller and Shannon Browder of Rineyville
• Eli King (Thomas Nelson High School) – Niki and Adam King of Elizabethtown
• Serenity Tate (John Hardin High School) – Scott and Amanda Tate, Shannon Tate of Elizabethtown
• Cameron Wood (Central Hardin High School) – Tyler Wood and Amanda Kennedy of Cecilia

Hart County

• Talia Ellis (Hart County High School) – Marcus and Lindsay Ellis of Munfordville
• Tyler Robert Harper (Hart County High School) – Ashley Elizabeth Harper, John Robert Harper of Munfordville

Henry County

• Sophia K. Thomas (Sacred Heart Academy) – Julie and Jose Thomas of Pendelton

Hopkins County

• Lucy Gast (Madisonville North Hopkins High School) – Christi and Bruce Gast of Madisonville
• Virginia Nance Woehler (Madisonville North Hopkins High School) – Rachel and Eric Nance Woehler of Madisonville
• EJ Williams (Madisonville North Hopkins High School) – Charity and Kevin Williams of Manitou

Jefferson County

• Partha Krishiv Dukka (duPont Manual High School) – Bindu and Satya Kalyan Dukka of Louisville
• Lori Fitzgerald (Fern Creek High School) – Amanda and Adam Goins of Louisville
• Himani Gangumolu (Ballard High School) – Ravi and Anu Gangumolu of Louisville
• Vedant Garg (duPont Manual High School) – Geetika Garg, Sameer Garg of Louisville
• Vidhi Grover (duPont Manual High School) – Sumit Grover and Shweta Mutneja of Louisville
• Daniel Quinn Hall (duPont Manual High School) – Mary Shea Hall, Robert Travis Hall of Louisville
• Rowan Hall (duPont Manual High School) – Mary Shea Hall, Robert Travis Hall of Louisville
• Dylan Henry (Trinity High School) - Alina Wehby and Eric Henry of Louisville
• Sanam N. Krishnani (Sacred Heart Academy) – Naresh and Shweta Krishnani of Louisville
• Benjamin Lee (duPont Manual High School) – Steven Lee, Ella Lee, and Kelly Parks of Louisville
• Prthu Naik (duPont Manual High School) – Vinayak Naik and Smita Narasapur of Louisville
• Peicen Yu (Atherton High School) – Feilan Chen and Jianchao Yu of Louisville

Kenton County

• Roby Hardesty (Dixie Heights High School) – Ryan Hardesty and Janine Hardesty of Edgewood
• Elaine Zeiser (Simon Kenton High School) – Michael Zeiser and Bridget McClure of Crittenden

LaRue County

• Grace Fulkerson (LaRue County High School) – Kenneth and Julia Fulkerson of Hodgenville

Laurel County

• Areej Ali (North Laurel High School) – Hafiz Sroya, Adeela Bashir of London
• Zaid Salim (North Laurel High School) – Mazhar and Nida Salim of London

Lincoln County

• Kendall Smith (Lincoln County High School) – Tim and Paula Playforth Smith of Stanford

Logan County

• Lauren Coursey (Russellville High School) – Lee and Amanda Coursey of Russellville

Madison County

• Chris Gachagua (Model Laboratory School) of Richmond
• Youngwoo Kim (Model Laboratory School) – Jiyeon Park, Seungho Kim of Richmond
• Lydia Willmes (Berea Community High School) – Will and Jess Willmes of Richmond

Marshall County

• Sam Martin (Marshall County High School) – Beth Kerrick, Chris Kerrick, Josh Martin, Doreen Liu of Benton
• Ava Smith (Mayfield High School) – Emilee Dillingham of Benton
• Addison Roberts (Marshall County High School) – Brian and Lori Roberts of Gilbertsville

McCracken County

• Maxwell Tolar (Paducah Tilghman High School) – Rheanel Tolar, Blair Tolar of Paducah

Metcalfe County

• Ande Slinker (Barren County High School) – Todd and Leea Martin Slinker of Horse Cave

Oldham County

• Mitchell Marcum (Oldham County High School) – Tanya Marcum, Gregory Marcum of La Grange
• Alrose Noronha (South Oldham High School) – Alston and Roseline Noronha of Crestwood
• Logan Potts (Oldham County High School) – Joesph and Lisa Potts of La Grange

Perry County

• Chancey Hurley (Perry County Central High School) – Jessie Hurley, April Moore of Chavies
• Noah Jent (Perry County Central High School) – Heather Costello of Sassafras

Rowan County

• Ryan Yang (Rowan County Senior High School) – Ming Zheng of Morehead

Scott County

• Sophie Norsworthy (Scott County High School) – Jeffery Norsworthy, Amy Norsworthy Sanders of Georgetown
• Landon Patton (Scott County High School) – John Patton and Shanna Patton of Georgetown
• Andrea Shaw (Great Crossing High School) – Chris and Whitney Shaw of Georgetown

Shelby County

• Dominic R. Sileo (Henry County High School/ILEAD Academy) – Dan and Michele Sileo of Shelbyville

Simpson County

• Adriana Williams (Franklin Simpson High School) – Megumi Williams of Franklin

Spencer County

• Isiah E. Byrd (Spencer County High School) – Kathryn and Garrett Bowling of Fisherville
• Jacob Cano Mauricio (Spencer County High School) – Gabriel and Brittney Cano Mauricio of Taylorsville
• Anabelle Thompson (Spencer County High School) – Arrell and Dee Thompson of Taylorsville

Todd County

• Bryan Michael Zimmerman (Todd County Central High School) – Bryan and Elizabeth Zimmerman of Trenton

Warren County

• Hosamulhaq Brula (South Warren High School) – Huma Qadir and Abdul Qadir Brula of Bowling Green
• Trisha Chhabra (Bowling Green High School) – Shalini Chhabra, Sandeep Chhabra of Bowling Green
• Sena Er (Bowling Green High School) – Aynur and Ali Er of Bowling Green
• Harper Ferrell (Bowling Green High School) – Becky Valentine and Tammy Ferrell of Bowling Green
• Keaton Garrison (South Warren High School) – Dennis and Rachel Garrison of Bowling Green
• Korrin Green (South Warren High School) – Kimball and Kimberly Green of Bowling Green
• Robert Holley (Bowling Green High School) – R. Wolf Holley and Tiffany Holley of Bowling Green
• Leo Martinez (Warren East High School) – Leo and Amber Martinez of Bowling Green
• Amogh Patnaik (South Warren High School) – Sujit Patnaik and Ritu Parija of Bowling Green
• Enmanuel Ramirez (Greenwood High School) – Mabel Monteagudo of Bowling Green
• Neha Reddy (Bowling Green High School) – Chandrasekhar and Dr. Karuna Reddy of Bowling Green
• Kaylee Rouse (Homeschool) – Ryan and Tiffany Rouse of Bowling Green
• Quin Suchy (South Warren High School) – Don Suchy and Kirstin Suchy of Bowling Green
• Maggie Sun (South Warren High School) – Alyssa Cao and David Sun of Bowling Green

Whitley County

• Kambree Bunch (Whitley County High School) – Krystal Miracle and Joshua Bunch of Williamsburg
• Cameron Collett (Whitley County High School) – Samantha and Chris Collett of Williamsburg
• Kara Fuson (Corbin High School) – Adam and Amanda Fuson of Corbin

Woodford County

• Maya Akwi Atanga (Woodford County High School) – Fonyam and Shana Atanga of Versailles

About The Gatton Academy: Established in 2007, The Gatton Academy is Kentucky’s first residential two-year program for gifted and talented juniors and seniors. The Gatton Academy’s students enroll as juniors and are full-time WKU students pursuing their interests in advanced science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The Gatton Academy is a recipient of the 2022 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award from Insight Into Diversity Magazine and the Innovation Partnership Award from the National Consortium for Secondary STEM Schools.