Julia Link Roberts, Mahurin Professor of Gifted Studies at Western Kentucky University, has been elected to a four-year term on the Executive Committee of the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children (WCGTC).
“I am both honored and thrilled to be serving on the executive council,” she said. “Gifted children need and deserve all the support we can give. When we invest in gifted children, we invest in the best possible future.”
The WCGTC is a world-wide non-profit organization whose primary goal is to provide advocacy and support for gifted children. It is a diverse organization networking the globe with an active membership of educators, scholars, researchers, parents, educational institutions, affiliated federations, and others interested in the development and education of gifted and talented children of all ages.
WCGTC headquarters is at the University of Winnipeg in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. In August, Dr. Roberts will attend the World Conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Twenty-six teams of high school students from across the commonwealth will converge in Louisville this Friday to compete in the Kentucky High School Mock Trial Tournament from March 27-29 at the Jefferson County Judicial Center. The state tournament, which is usually conducted in Lexington and Frankfort, will be held in Louisville for the first time.
The media and public are invited to be present for the three-day competition. Teams will contend for the state title, with the winner going on to compete at the National High School Mock Trial Tournament in Atlanta in May.
Justice Lisabeth Hughes Abramson of the Supreme Court of Kentucky will open the state competition with remarks at 11:45 a.m. Friday, March 27, at the judicial center. The judicial center is located at 700 W. Jefferson St. in Louisville.
Seven of the schools with teams scheduled to compete are located in Louisville. They are Assumption High School, Central High School, duPont Manual High School (two teams), Eastern High School, Louisville Collegiate School, Mercy Academy and Saint Xavier High School.
Three of the teams are from Richmond – Madison Central High School/Kentucky Tech – Madison County Area Technology Center, Madison Southern High School and Model Laboratory High School.
The other teams scheduled to compete are from Boyd County High School in Ashland, Breckinridge County High School in Harned, George Rogers Clark High School in Winchester, Highlands High School in Fort Thomas, Marshall County High School in Benton, McCreary Central High School in Stearns, McLean County High School in Calhoun, Montgomery County High School in Mount Sterling (two teams), Monticello High School in Monticello, Newport Central Catholic High School in Newport, Paducah Tilghman High School in Paducah (two teams), The Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky in Bowling Green and Webster County High School in Dixon. A team from Foley Middle School in Berea will be on hand to compete in case teams drop out and leave an odd number of teams to compete. The Foley team won the state middle school championship in mock trial. Middle schools are not eligible for the national competition.
In the competition, teams will act as the prosecution and defense in the trial of Commonwealth of Kentucky v. Sandy Brumfield. The case involves an allegation of drugs on school property. Teams will participate in at least four rounds of competition, arguing the case with a different team in every round. Each team will be assigned the role of the prosecution and the defense at least once. Team members also portray other individuals in the case, including the plaintiff and witnesses. Judges score the teams in each round and the scores are totaled to determine the winner. The teams learn their scores after the last round of trials.
Judging the competition will be Court of Appeals judges, circuit and district judges, attorneys and law students.
The top 10 teams will be announced Saturday afternoon, when Supreme Court Justice Bill Cunningham will provide remarks and present awards. The top two teams will advance to the tournament championship to contend for the state title and the opportunity to compete at the National High School Mock Trial Tournament in May in Atlanta. The championship round will be held Sunday in the Court of Appeals Courtroom at the judicial center.
Highlands High School in Fort Thomas won the 2008 state championship in the mock trial tournament after competing with Louisville’s duPont Manual High School for the title.
Since its inception in 1983, more than 12,000 students, 1,500 judges and 3,000 attorneys have taken part in the Kentucky Mock Trial program. It is one of the many law-related programs for youth offered through the Administrative Office of the Courts in Frankfort.
The AOC supports the activities of nearly 4,000 court system employees, including the elected offices of justices, judges and circuit court clerks, and executes the Judicial Branch budget.
A number of programs at Western Kentucky University are designed to encourage outstanding students to excel. Through the Honors College, the Center for Gifted Studies, and the Gatton Academy for Math and Science, students are being encouraged to thrive in challenging settings. Dan Modlin of WKYU-FM spoke with educational leaders on campus about how the state and nation can better cultivate and encourage talented students. Click here to listen to the profile.
Gary Ransdell, president of Western Kentucky University, talks about the school’s past and future, including several new academic initiatives. The program was taped on location at WKU. This episode of One to One originally aired in July 2008. Though it has been some time since its initial release, the episode highlights several of the innovative programs and activities taking place at WKU–one of which is the Gatton Academy.
Ransdell, a graduate of Western Kentucky University, discusses his undergraduate years in Bowling Green; his early career in academics at Indiana, Southern Methodist, and Clemson universities; and his return to Western as president. Other topics include changes in the campus, faculty, and atmosphere at WKU since his years as a student as well as his goals for the university in areas such as the recruitment of students and faculty, engaging surrounding communities, and improving the quality of life for all those within the school’s reach.
The conversation also delves into the impact of state budget cuts on higher education, how WKU’s funding is organized, and the complicated relationship between Kentucky’s institutions of higher learning and the Council on Postsecondary Education.
Finally, Ransdell details the benefits of two new academic programs at Western: the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky, which recruits and encourages gifted high school students, and the Honors College, which provides talented undergraduates with an intimate, community-based degree program. Ransdell explains how programs like these enhance the intellectual environment not only on campus, but also across the Commonwealth.
The episode can be viewed online on the KET website.
Students may begin check in at 8:00 a.m. (Central) in the lobby of Grise Hall.Signs will point students toward the building and auditorium from Schneider Hall.Parking will be available in the lot behind Schneider Hall and in Parking Structure 1.Directions to campus as well as a map are available at the links below.
Students will receive a packet of information at check-in that they will need throughout the day.Please ensure this information remains with the student.Students will be divided into two groups (A or B) that will dictate their schedule for the day.
All students and their families are welcome to join us for lunch at the Fresh Food Company in the Downing University Center.Your group will be provided tickets at check-in.
The parent session will conclude before noon.During the afternoon period, parents are welcome to wait in Grise Hall Auditorium or further explore campus on their own.
Students are asked to dress in a business-like manner for their interviews.It is important that students portray themselves in a positive and professional manner at all times on Saturday.Parents are welcome to dress casually for the day.
8:00 a.m.Registration Begins (Grise Hall)
8:30 Opening Sessions for Students and Parents (Grise Hall Auditorium)
9:00 Group A Begins Interviews (Tate Page Hall) Parent Session Begins (Grise Hall Auditorium)
9:30 Group B Takes Chemistry Placement Exam (Tate Page Hall Auditorium)
11:00 Group B Campus and Schneider Hall Tours
12:00 p.m.Lunch provided in Fresh Food Company (Downing University Center)
1:00Group B Begins Interviews (Tage Page Hall)
1:30 Group A Takes Chemistry Placement Exam (Tate Page Hall Auditorium)
3:00 Group A Campus and Schneider Hall Tours
It appears as though the Trigonometry placement exam is now available online.Students who will complete Trig/Pre-Cal during the current academic year and wish to enroll in Calculus I in the fall, must take the test.
If you have additional questions about Saturday, please do not hesitate to contact the Gatton Academy at 270-745-6565.We look forward to seeing you soon!
Allow me to begin by, once more, apologizing for any inconvenience regarding the Math Placemente Exams. WKU changed their system without informing our office of the new test. There seems to have been several difficulties with the test–particularly the absence of the Trig Exam for many.
If you have yet to take the test, please disregard the printed instructions included with your notification letter. Instead, visit the following link for revised instructions: http://www.wku.edu/Info/Admissions/placementexams.html
It is extremely important that you closely follow the instructions. You MUST use Firefox 3 as your internet browser for the test. Otherwise, the code and questions will be display incorrectly with some strange numbers. I apologize that you have become the “beta” testers for the new test.
Though some students have been able to access the optional Trig exam, many (including myself) have not. I will be speaking with the Orientation office to resolve this issue in a timely matter. I will send an email to the group when we have final word.
Again, students will need to complete the Algebra exam by Wednesday of this week.
If you have further questions, please send an email to academy@wku.edu.
Two Gatton Academy students have been selected to participate in nationally competitive summer research programs.
Sarah Pritchett, a junior from Clark County, has been accepted to the EarthWatch Institute’s Student Challenge Awards Program for a summertime research expedition. She will be working with a team of researchers to study volcanism and tectonics at the Northern Rio Grande Rift in the Sangre de Cristo, Jemez, and Sandia Mountains near Albuquerque, New Mexico. The program will last from June 14 – June 28, 2009.
Stephanie Burba , a senior from Larue County, has been admitted to the U.S. Department of Energy’s summertime Pre-Service Teacher program. As a member of the program, Stephanie will be doing research at the Argonne National Laboratory near Chicago, IL from June 1 – August 7, 2009. The Pre-Service Teacher program is for those who have already decided on a teaching career in one of the STEM areas. Stephanie will work side-by-side with scientists and engineers on projects related to the Argonne National Laboratory’s research programs, and she will benefit from the mentorship of a Master Teacher who is already teaching in K-12 education and who is familiar with the research work.
As part of its mission to provide exceptional learning opportunities, the Gatton Academy encourages students to participate in high-level, sponsored research during the academic year and summer. Research opportunities afford students unique learning opportunities outside of the traditional classroom.
For additional information, contact Derick Strode, Coordinator: Research, Internships, and Scholarships, at 270.745.6565.
The Gatton Academy is pleased to announce 92 students have been selected to interview for the second phase of admission to the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky. Notification letters were mailed to students on Monday, March 2. Members of the selection committee have concluded these talented individuals possess both the character and academic strength to be successful at the Gatton Academy. Students will participate in interviews on March 21, 2009.
Registration will begin at 8:00 a.m. (Central) in the Grise Hall Auditorium. All candidates and their families will meet for the opening session at 8:30 a.m. in the Grise Hall Auditorium. Students will participate in a personal interview with Gatton Academy, WKU, Kentucky education, and business leaders throughout the day. Students will also take a chemistry placement exam. Parents will attend informational sessions led by Gatton Academy staff members. Lunch will be provided at the Fresh Food Company in the Downing University Center at no charge to students and their family members. Sessions will conclude around 4 p.m.
The Gatton Academy requests that students dress in business attire. Parents are welcome to dress comfortably for the day.
Students confirming their intent to interview should RSVP online at http://gatton2011.eventbrite.com no later than Monday, March 16, 2009. Students must enter the password provided in the notification letter to access registration. The Gatton Academy kindly ask that students register all members of their party.
The Gatton Academy admissions team will conduct an interview by phone for students unable to attend due to previous engagements or other substantial conflicts; however, students are strongly encouraged to be present for interviews if at all possible.
Students interviewing for admission must also take the online WKU Math Placement Exam no later than Friday, March 13, 2009. Detailed instructions were included in the notification letter. For clarification on these instructions, please telephone Corey Alderdice at 270-745-2971.
The Gatton Academy looks forward to the days ahead and the infinite possibilities that await both Kentucky and these emerging young minds.
Elaine Flynn (Pendleton County) is a junior at the Gatton Academy.
by Elaine Flynn
Kentucky is derived from an Iroquoian word, “Ken-tah-ten,” which means “land of tomorrow.” Yet, as a state are we striving to keep that as our goal? Are we giving the future generations the right tools to keep us moving toward tomorrow? From the outside, it may seem like Kentucky isn’t keeping to its name, but Kentucky is doing a lot. As a state, Kentucky is working on creating a bright future.
To create this bright future, Kentucky has figured out an equation, and has started to solve it. What’s the equation? It’s really a simple one. Let’s say K+u=f, where K is Kentucky as a state, u is students, and f is future. Now if we want a bright future (bf), then we must multiply all parts of the equation by b. So, b(K+u)=b(f). By distributing, bK+bu=bf, or in words, a bright Kentucky and a bright you equals a bright future. But how do we get b in real life? We already have K+u=f, but to get b? Another simple problem, we create ways.
As we celebrate Gifted Education Week in Kentucky, I look at what opportunities the state has created for its students. We have numerous weekends and summer experiences for those who just want to learn and are willing to take time out of their breaks. Our colleges have honor programs that really mean something to the students, ANDwe have an academy for juniors and seniors who are gifted in mathematics or science. What other state has all this? Very few, indeed. We are blessed. Kentucky is really trying to live up to its name.
As a student at Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science, I see firsthand what some of the state’s money is going toward. It’s helping the youth that will eventually turn around and give back to the community. We are all so thankful to the state for the funding so that we can reach our potentials. Before the academy, most of us sat in classes just because we had to by law. We could easily have moved on to higher courses, yet due to availability of those courses we could not. Now we get the challenge while also preparing more for the future.
We have the chance now to excel past the point that we could have reached without this opportunity. National recognized universities are finding out more about us and they are excited! We have the chance to become the brighter side of tomorrow! Without this academy, we wouldn’t have been given this great jump toward our future. Without Kentucky, the academy wouldn’t be. It’s just so amazing how we get this opportunity. Other states have academies, but none have an academy where students are taking ALL college courses and getting the same experience as us. Kentucky has solved for b.
Kentucky wants its future to be bright. The legislature is taking many steps that are needed for this future and are working hard so that the students can perform and excel in all they do Without the activities and gifts Kentucky gives to its students, we wouldn’t see a “land of tomorrow” that is bright, but a dull tomorrow. Thank you, Kentucky!
Maggie Matheny has never been daunted by breaking away from the pack.
When all of the kids in kindergarten said they wanted to be basketball stars and ballerinas, Matheny had a different idea: archaeologist.
At 17, while most of her cohorts are focused on Friday nights, Matheny is looking forward to a career as a genetic engineer. Oh, and she wants to work on a cure for cancer.
Matheny found an ideal venue for her love of science and lofty ambitions at The Carol Martin Gatton Academy for Mathematics and Science.
The Gatton Academy is a residential academic program based at Western Kentucky University made up of 60 high school juniors and seniors from across the state. There is no cost to those admitted to the program.
Matheny, who would be a junior at Boyle County High School this year, had to complete a rigorous application process that takes into account standardized test scores, grades, an interest in pursuing a math or science career, essays and interviews.
She will graduate with a minimum of 60 college credit hours and a spot at Western Kentucky should she decide to continue on there.
It did not take Matheny long to realize that academic expectations had been raised. Her schedule includes chemistry, biology, calculus, astronomy and English.
“In a regular high school setting you may have one hour of homework, but here you have three,” she said. “It is a challenge, but I like that.”
Maggie takes 18 hours of mostly college level courses at Western, where she is sometimes the only Gatton student among much older classmates.
“At first it was strange and a little intimidating to be around people who may be three of four years older,” she said. “But it did not take me long to get used to that and feel like I belonged there. I am there for the same classes they are and for the most part I am just like any Western student.”
Maggie’s mother, Barb Matheny, said that the difficulty of having a child leave for school two years earlier than most is tempered by her daughter’s attitude.
“A lot of people wonder how I could let her do it, but after looking at the program I think how can I not,” Barb said. “It is really preparing her so well for the future. The opportunities and the doors that are opening are tremendous.”
Before Maggie could test the waters on her own in Bowling Green, she first had to come to grips with leaving familiar surroundings in Boyle County. That included forgoing her role on the swim team, where she was on the cusp of breaking school records.
“It was difficult to imagine at first, leaving my friends and band and especially swimming,” she said. “But I was going to be leaving in two years anyway, and I really like where I am. It is going to be worth it.”
Despite some skepticism about the social scene in such a highly competitive academic environment, Maggie has made fast friends at the academy.
“You think that the students might be kind of nerdy, but most of the people I have met are very well-rounded. You get to meet people from many different backgrounds, and there is a lot more individuality among the students here.”
The residential aspect of the program requires some extra vigilance on the part of administrators, which Maggie said provided a level of comfort for her and her parents.
“We live in a dorm that is only for the academy and there is an emphasis on security. It is stricter than a normal college dorm. We have a curfew, there are no boys allowed on girls halls and vice versa. Overall it is really nice. We have our own computer lab and a rec room.”
Barb agrees that the staff of the program works hard to ensure that students are in an age appropriate living environment and that parents have peace of mind.
“I obviously wanted to feel like she would be safe, and I think they really go the extra mile to make sure that happens. They realize that they are dealing with minors and provide plenty of counselors and tutors for the students.”
Barb, a teacher at Woodlawn Elementary, said that the Boyle County school community has also been extremely supportive of one of their best and brightest, even helping pay for her first semester books.
For Maggie, the liberties that a college-like atmosphere provides continue to excite.
“It is challenging, but you have a lot of the freedom to study what I like. I get to take an astronomy class. You get to do actual research. I can accomplish things here that I might never have had the chance to even try otherwise.”
been elected to a four-year term on the Executive Committee of the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children (WCGTC).
