WKU News

The Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky has selected 60 students for its Class of 2017.

The Gatton Academy’s Class of 2017 includes 60 students from 39 counties.

“The competitiveness of The Gatton Academy’s admission process has continued to increase over the years,” said Dr. Lynette Breedlove, Director of The Gatton Academy. “This year was no exception, as the Class of 2017 is a remarkable group. We look forward to our expansion next year and being able to admit a greater number of students. Kentucky has a wealth of exceptional students of whom the state can be proud.”

Applicants were evaluated based on ACT/SAT scores, high school grades, awards, extracurricular activities, responses to essay questions, and letters of recommendation. Last month, 108 candidates were invited to interview with community leaders from across the Commonwealth and Gatton Academy alumni.

The selected students scored an average composite of 30.82 on the ACT and 30.58 on the mathematics portion of the exam. The highest possible score is a 36.

“The Gatton Academy welcomes members of the Class of 2017, a group of outstanding young women and men with high interest in mathematics and science. They come from school districts around the Commonwealth, a testimony to the fact that The Gatton Academy extends advanced learning opportunities to young people in all Kentucky school districts,” said Dr. Julia Roberts, Executive Director of The Gatton Academy. “The Gatton Academy partners with all school districts in Kentucky, having had students from 114 counties in its first nine classes.”

Students from 39 counties represent the Class of 2017. Casey County had a student admitted to The Gatton Academy for the first time, while the following counties had a second student admitted in The Gatton Academy’s eight-year history: Edmonson, Harlan, Jackson, Perry, Russell, Todd and Trimble.

The goal of The Gatton Academy is to enable Kentucky’s exceptional young scientists and mathematicians to learn in an environment that offers advanced educational opportunities, preparing them for leadership roles in Kentucky. Moreover, The Gatton Academy assists in preparing Kentucky to compete in a knowledge-based economy by increasing the number of scientists and engineers who live and work in the state.

Students will complete their junior and senior years of high school living in Bates-Runner Hall this upcoming school year before moving back into a renovated Florence Schneider Hall. The renovation of Florence Schneider Hall will allow for The Gatton Academy to admit 100 students each year, starting with the Class of 2018. At the end of their two-year course of study, students will graduate from high school with a minimum of 60 college credit hours.

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 Siemens Competition, Intel Science Talent Search, Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program, and the Department of Defense Science, Math, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship Program. The majority of Gatton Academy students also participate in a study abroad or global learning experience in locations such as Costa Rica, Italy, Greece, England and China.

The Gatton Academy is Kentucky’s first state-supported, residential program for high school students with interests in advanced science and math careers and one of only 15 such programs in the nation. In 2012 and 2013, Newsweek named The Gatton Academy the nation’s top public high school and in 2014, The Daily Beast named The Gatton Academy the nation’s top public high school.

Students selected for The Gatton Academy Class of 2017

• Anderson County: Levi Wilson, son of Veronica and Jubal Ramsey, from Lawrenceburg.
• Barren County: Tithe Ahmed, daughter of Muina Sultana and Aziz Ahmed, from Cave City.
• Boone County: Ethan Abate, son of Jeffrey and Elizabeth Abate, from Florence; Reese Danzer, son of Dr. Steve Danzer and Keri Kaeding, from Crittenden; Jessica Williams, daughter of Scott and Allison Williams, from Florence;Amanda Zahn, daughter of Steve and Andrea Zahn, from Walton.
• Breathitt County: Andrew Wills II, son of Andrew and Rhonda Wills, from Jackson.
• Bullitt County: Caity Forgey, daughter of Ryan and Emily Forgey, from Shepherdsville.
• Campbell County: Parker Graff, son of David and Carolyn Graff, from Alexandria;Emma Reed, daughter of Mark and Charlotte Reed, from Fort Thomas; Gabrielle Witt, daughter of David and Pam Witt, from Alexandria.
• Carter County: Jacob McDavid, son of William and Susan McDavid, from Grayson.
• Casey County: Ashley Johnson, daughter of Michael Johnson and Robin Brown, from Liberty.
• Christian County: Sherafghan Khan, son of Rizwan and Huma Khan, from Hopkinsville; Jonathan Kinnard, son of Steven and Vicki Kinnard, from Hopkinsville.
• Daviess County: Patricia Thompson, daughter of Albert and Molly Thompson, from Owensboro.
• Edmonson County: Makenzie Daniels, daughter of Matthew and Lysette Daniels, from Smiths Grove.
• Estill County: John Caleb Stickney, son of Jack and Teresa Stickney, from Irvine.
• Fayette County: Tyler Smith, son of Mike and Trish Smith, from Lexington; Elizabeth Yates, daughter of Mark and Suzetta Yates, from Lexington.
• Franklin County: Cordelia Jones, daughter of Trevor Jones and Kate McDougall, from Frankfort.
• Gallatin County: Olivia Urso, daughter of Tim Urbanski and Anne Sohacki, from Sparta.
• Greenup County: Ayush Prasad, son of Aparna and Yogendra Prasad, from Flatwoods; Mia Weaver, daughter of Samuel Weaver and Amy Poteet, from Ashland.
• Hardin County: Samuel Newton, son of Mark and Lana Newton, from Elizabethtown;Taylor Senay, daughter of Mike and Jeanie Senay, from Elizabethtown.
• Harlan County: William Mason Miller, son of Will and Stacey Miller, from Harlan.
• Hopkins County: Zechariah Daugherty, son of Tondra and Debra Daugherty, from Madisonville.
• Jackson County: Lea Rhiannon Connor, daughter of Eric Spencer and Erin Connor, from McKee and Berea Independent Schools.
• Jefferson County: Katie Alexander, daughter of Craig and Stacey Alexander, from Louisville; Katherine Brown, daughter of Peter and Beth Brown, from Louisville; Eileen Price, daughter of Rob and Ellen Price, from Louisville; Sara Saeed,daughter of Osman Saeed and Samia Ali, from Louisville.
• Knox County: Cherish Gray, daughter of James and Donna Gail Miller, from Barbourville.
• Marion County: Matthew Courtwright, son of David and Jennifer Courtwright, from Campbellsville.
• Marshall County: Taylor Young, son of Jason and Stacey Young, from Benton.
• McCracken County: Robert Bosh, son of Frank and Jennifer Bosh, from Paducah.
• Meade County: James Matthew Biddle, son of Mitch and Mary Biddle, from Vine Grove and Elizabethtown Independent Schools.
• Mercer County: Ruth Hughes, daughter of Andrew and Karen Hughes, from Harrodsburg.
• Nelson County: Caroline Boone, daughter of John and Camille Boone, from Bardstown; Clara Pozgay, daughter of Walter and Margaret Pozgay, from Bloomfield.
• Oldham County: Alexander Banaszak, son of Terry and Colleen Banaszak, from Crestwood; Maria Clark, daughter of Robert and Rebecca Clark, from Crestwood;Aaron Kirtland, son of Robert and Beccy Kirtland, from Crestwood; Logan Parker, son of Jason and Heather Parker, from LaGrange.
• Perry County: Alexa Davidson, daughter of John Davidson and Lisa Townes, from Hazard.
• Pulaski County: Mark Carrender, son of Harold and Virgilia Carrender, from Somerset; Austin Murrer, son of Erick and Sherri Murrer, from Nancy.
• Rowan County: Honor Hare, daughter of Timothy and Janelle Hare, from Morehead.
• Russell County: Haley Dicken, daughter of Eric Dicken and Kim Dicken, from Russell Springs.
• Todd County: Julia Johnson, daughter of Bill and Delinda Johnson, from Elkton.
• Trigg County: Matthew Broadbent, son of Jeff and Tammy Broadbent, from Cerulean.
• Trimble County: Jenna Rowlett, daughter of Douglas and Missy Rowlett, from Bedford.
• Warren County: Vishnu Karthik Boyareddygari, son of Suneel and Prasanthi Boyareddygari, from Bowling Green; Veronica Johnson, daughter of Daren Johnson and Trish Beresford, from Bowling Green; Evan Kessler, son of Bruce and Heather Kessler, from Bowling Green; Longji Li, son of Jianfu Wang and Jiping Zhang, from Bowling Green; Elaine Losekamp, daughter of Craig and Michelle Losekamp, from Bowling Green.
• Whitley County: Katherine Ashley, daughter of Don and Diane Ashley, from Corbin.
• Woodford County: Benjamin Luckett, son of Danny and Wendy Luckett, from Versailles.