Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky Selects 60 Students from 33 Counties for Class of 2011

he Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky at Western Kentucky University has selected 60 students for its Class of 2011.

The students in this year’s class span 33 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.

Applications for admission to the Gatton Academy grew by 25% this year, with over 160 students submitting materials for consideration.  Students were reviewed based on ACT/SAT scores, high school grades, awards, responses to essay questions, and letters of recommendation. In March, 95 were invited for interviews with Academy staff members and representatives from across the state. In the end, 60 dynamic applicants emerged from the review process.

The selected students scored an average of 28.6 composite on the ACT and 29.1 on the math portion of the exam. The highest possible score is a 36. The 2008 state average ACT score for graduating Kentucky high school seniors was 20.2 on the math portion of the exam and 20.9 composite.

“”The members of the Gatton Academy’s Class of 2011 have demonstrated they are ready for a greater academic challenge,” said Corey Alderdice, assistant director of admissions and public relations for the Gatton Academy. “They will bring to WKU a variety of passions and abilities.  Our goal will be to sharpen those skills as they grow and mature both academically and socially.  Their experiences will be the flagstone in their pursuit to lead our state into the twenty-first century.”

The incoming class includes students from the following counties: Anderson, Barren, Bell, Boone, Boyle, Bullitt, Campbell, Christian, Daviess, Estill, Fayette, Fleming, Franklin, Garrard, Grant, Greenup, Hardin, Harrison, Henderson, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, Marshall, Monroe, Nelson, Oldham, Pulaski, Rowan, Scott, Shelby, Simpson, Warren,  and Woodford.

To date, the Gatton Academy has admitted students from 86 of Kentucky’s 120 counties.

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 assist 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 finish their junior and senior years of high school living in 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, expects these students to continue the level of academic and personal engagement Academy students have demonstrated over the last two years. “As we enter our third year of the Academy, I am amazed and honored to work with such outstanding students.,” Gott said. “The incoming Class of 2011 once again demonstrates the incredible caliber of students from across the Commonwealth.  The depth of academic strength and emerging leadership among this group reveals that the state is making a major contribution toward meeting the demand for more professionals in the STEM fields.”

The Academy provides a rich living/learning environment designed specifically for academically talented adolescent students that features research, 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 and Intel Science Talent Search.

The Gatton Academy is Kentucky’s only state-supported, residential program for high school students with interests in science and math careers and one of fifteen such program in the nation. More information about the Gatton Academy is available online at http://www.wku.edu/academy/

Students selected for the Gatton Academy Class of 2011

From Anderson County: Torey Gilkison of Lawrenceburg, a student at Anderson County High School whose parents are Tammara Gilkison and Todd Gilkison.

From Barren County; Miller Travis of Glasgow, a student at Glasgow High School whose parents are Margarett Travis and William Travis.

From Bell County: John Belcher of Middlesboro, a student at Bell County High School whose parents are Lisa Redmon and Tommy Redmon.

From Boone County: Anthony Bates of Walton, a student at Larry A. Ryle High School whose parents are Amy Bates and Alan Bates; Anthony Bombik of Union, a student at Larry A. Ryle High School whose parents are Julie Bombik and Peter Bombik; Elizabeth Farnsworth of Burlington, a student at Cooper High School whose parents are Barbara Farnsworth and Jerome Farnsworth; Jake Moore of Crittenden, a student at Walton Verona High School whose parents are Jane Moore and Kevin Moore; Cynthia Tope of Burlington, a student at Conner High School whose parents are Carrie Tope-Klein and Dale Tope; Sean Freeman of Hebron, a student at Villa Madonna Academy whose parents are Lynn Freeman and William Freeman; PJ Kasinski of Hebron, a student at Conner High School whose parents are Patricia Kasinski and Paul Kasinski.

From Boyle County: Justine Missik of Danville, a student at Boyle County High School whose parents are Christine Missik and John Missik.

From Bullitt County: Shelby Martin of Mt. Washington, a student at Mercy Academy whose parents are Kelly Martin and Lynn Martin; Micaela Montgomery of Mt. Washington, a student at Bullitt East High School whose parents are Alina Montgomery and Mark Montgomery; Tina Stottman of Louisville, a student at North Bullitt High School whose parents are Marria Stottman and Thomas Stottman; Kelsey Wagner of Taylorsville, a student at
Bullitt East High School whose parents are Lynn Wagner and Mark Wagner.

From Campbell County: Derek Fox of Alexandria, a student at Campbell County High School whose parents are Amy Marie Fox and James Martin Fox.

From Christian County: Kyle Kelly of Hopkinsville, a student at Christian County High School whose parents are Shannon Kelly and Shawn Kelly; Jay Lee of Hopkinsville, a student at Hopkinsville High School whose parents are Namjoo Sandefer and Joseph Sandefer.

From Daviess County: Tejas Sangoi of Owensboro, a student at Daviess County High School whose parents are Nayna Sangoi and Nilesh Sangoi; Blake Welsh of Philpot, a student at Daviess County High School whose parents are Margaret Welsh and Dennis Welsh; Madeline Lauzon of Owensboro, a student at Owensboro High School whose parents are Cate Lauzon and John Lauzon.

From Estill County: Ben Neal of Irvine, a student at Model Laboratory School whose parents are Melissa R. Neal and Jamie D. Neal.

From Fayette County: Michael Bowie of Lexington, a student at Paul L. Dunbar High School whose parents are Susan Bowie and William Bowie; Corban Coffman of Lexington, a student at Henry Clay High School whose parents are Megan Coffman and Bryan Coffman.

From Fleming County: Josh Jackson of Flemingsburg, a student at Fleming County High School whose parents are Amy Hamilton and William Jackson.

From Franklin County: Suzanne Van Arsdall of Frankfort, a student at Franklin County High School whose parents are Melinda Van Arsdall and Bill Van Arsdall.

From Garrard County: Krysta Waldrop of Lancaster, a student at Garrard County High School whose parents are Angela Slack and Floyd Waldrop.

From Grant County: Courtney Vance of Williamstown, a student at Williamstown High School whose parent is Jane Cornn.

From Greenup County: McKenzie Grant of Russell, a student at Russell High School whose parents are Susan McKenzie and James McKenzie; Sarah Tariq of Ashland, a student at Russell High School whose parents are Amina Tariq and Mubashar Tariq.

From Hardin County: Brittney Howard of Radcliff, a student at North Hardin High School whose parents are Debra Howard and Percy Howard; Courtney Howard of Radcliff, a student at North Hardin High School whose parents are Debra Howard and Percy Howard; Zach Laux of Elizabethtown, a student at Central Hardin High School whose parents are Rebecca Laux and Charles Laux; Josh Robinson of Elizabethtown, a student at Central Hardin High School whose parents are Cathy Robinson and Michael Robinson; Natalie Schieber of Elizabethtown, a student at Elizabethtown High School whose parents are Cathy Schieber and Dan Schieber; Jonathan Serpico of Elizabethtown, a student at Elizabethtown High School whose parents are Pamela Serpico and Ralph Serpico; Camille Turner of Radcliff, a student at North Hardin High School whose parents are Carmen Turner and Gregory Turner.

From Harrison County: Ellie Fisher of Cynthiana, a student at Harrison County High School whose parents are Nioka Fisher and Michael Fisher.

From Henderson County: Leah Hayden of Corydon, a student at Henderson County High School whose parents are Julie Hayden and Lawrence Hayden; Tyler Parke of Henderson, a student at Reitz Memorial High School whose parents are Lisa Parke and Robert Parke.

From Knox County: Andrew Martin of Barbourville, a student at Lynn Camp High School whose parents are Dana Martin and Michael Radcliff.

From Laurel County: Henry Eberhardt of London, a student at North Laurel High School whose parents are Karen Eberhardt and Bill Eberhardt.

From Lawrence County: Jessica Thornsberry of Louisa, a student at Lawrence County High School whose parents are Jennifer Thornsberry and Joseph Thornsberry.

From Marshall County: Michael Phillips of Benton, a student at Marshall County High School whose parents are Rhea Ann Phillips and James Phillips.

From Monroe County: Shelby Stephens of Tompkinsville, a student at Monroe County High School whose parents are Loralee Stephens and Wesley Stephens.

From Nelson County: Taylor Harbin of Fairfield, a student at Nelson County High School whose parents are Michelle Harbin and Stephen Harbin.

From Oldham County: Chandler Santos of LaGrange, a student at Oldham County High School whose parents are Venita Santos and Salvador Santos; Tyler Scaff of LaGrange, a student at Oldham County High School whose parents are Carole Scaff and Walt Scaff; and Ben Venable, a student at Oldham County High School whose parents are  Laurie and James Venable.

From Pulaski County: Nowelle Altman of Somerset, a student at Somerset High School whose parents are Lisa Altman and Joe Altman; Clarice Esch of Somerset, a student at Southwestern High School whose parents are Carol M. Esch and Joseph Esch.

From Rowan County: Ben Howard of Morehead, a student at Rowan County Senior High School whose parents are Cindy Howard and Steven Edward Howard.

From Scott County: Kia Allen of Georgetown, a student at Scott County High School whose parents are Angela Allen and Frank Allen.

From Shelby County: Katie Goebel of Simpsonville, a student at Shelby County High School whose parents are Kristine Krueger and Jens Goebel.

From Simpson County: Andrew Kenady of Woodburn, a student at Greenwood High School whose parents are Rachel Kenady and Kevin Kenady.

From Warren County: Kevin Andrew of Bowling Green, a student at Greenwood High School whose parents are Karla Andrew and Keith Andrew; Claci Ayers of Bowling Green, a student at Warren Central High School whose parents are Elizabeth Ayers and Steve Ayers; Sarah Schrader of Bowling Green, a student at Greenwood High School whose parents are Michelle Schrader and Steven Schrader; Josh Song of Bowling Green, a student at Bowling Green High School whose parents are Hwan Joo Song and Ki Seon Song.

From Woodford County: Logan Pauley of Versailles, a student at Woodford County High School whose parents are Hendrika Pauley and Leon Pauley.

For information, contact Corey Alderdice at (270) 745-2971.