2015-2016 – Page 4 – The Gatton Academy News

Move In Day

August 24, 2015 | 2015-2016, Avatars, Rebecca Wood | No Comments

By: Rebecca Wood

It was Day Zero of Adventure Week, but none of the bags weighed zero pounds. Blessed with a sunny move in/out day for the first time in our involvement at Gatton, the senior community leaders heroically transported suitcases, fridges, and textbook boxes from parents’ cars to students’ rooms. The seniors’ exclamations of “I love my baby juniors already!” inaugurated the vibe that will last throughout the year.

As the juniors said their goodbyes to parents and their typical high school lives, they were greeted into a community of acceptance and support. Through the first meeting of Adventure Week and the acquaintance of juniors with their Accountabilibuddies (that’s a Beth term), the Academy commenced its 2015-2016 school year as a tightly woven family.

By Gatton Academy

Just Wing-ing It

August 24, 2015 | 2015-2016, Avatars, Lauren Pedersen | No Comments

By: Lauren Pedersen

The ethereal beings that dwell on academy “wings” are unique to the community that is The Gatton Academy. They are rarely spotted outside their natural habitat and are only seen outside due to class, social interaction, meals, or research endeavors. Within their domain, residential counselors, or RC’s (here at Gatton, we love our acronyms) are absolutely essential to their survival. Each RC ensures that students have clean rooms, a somewhat stable mental health, and a supply of Walmart and Kroger runs. Staple elements of wing culture include playing ultimate Frisbee (rain or shine), video games, an unhealthy obsession with climbing random objects, carbs, and Netflix. Wing culture can be partially accredited to the work of community developers (CD’s), who give each wing a unique theme and guarantee that even the strongest of hermits will occasionally drop their introverted tendencies.

Overall, wings are thriving environments that support lasting friendships and provide help with any problem a student could possibly have. After all, here at Gatton, we are just winging it.

By Gatton Academy

Adventure Week: Research Fair

August 24, 2015 | 2015-2016, Avatars, Jenna Ellis | No Comments

By: Jenna Ellis

Day 1 of adventure week: the start of countless info meetings, first group lunch dates, and, my personal favorite, the introduction of faculty-led research. Today, Derick introduced the juniors to faculty-led research with a brief meeting, and then held the research fair with various WKU professors.

Professors gathered while the juniors had their session with Derick to set up their research information posters, computer demos, and other tactile tools to present their work. While research topics are increasingly specific for a given mentor, professors’ broad interests ranged from applied mathematics and physics all the way to geography and manufacturing engineering sciences. When it came time for juniors to make their way to each professor, I noticed a mixture of confused and excited looks coming from each student. While they likely had little to no experience with a lot of the very detailed work these great professors were discussing, many obviously found a small spark of interest. The adventure week research fair is a great way for students to get a head start on considering a research project, and it often has a large influence on the project a student will pursue at any given time during their Academy career.

Seeing the juniors showing their personalities and explicit STEM interests was very exciting, and honestly a great way to hype students up for their very first semester. I can’t wait to see all the great connections and relationships my juniors will make with their research mentors and all the amazing work they will accomplish!

By Gatton Academy

Sports at The Academy

August 24, 2015 | 2015-2016, Avatars, Niven Achenjang | No Comments

By: Niven Achenjang

The Gatton Academy is well known for its academics and while people are not surprised to hear talk of its challenging courses, research opportunities, or study abroad trips, there is little talk of the Gatton community, and, more specifically, of sports at the Academy.

Attending the Academy are athletes of many walks. We have students who run, play tennis, play Frisbee, play basketball, fence, or enjoy one of a host of other sporting events. Most mornings, you can find us leaving the hall and running around campus or out towards town. Most evenings, we head towards Preston to play Frisbee, work out, or play basketball. I speak specifically of these because they are what I do; however, it does not take much asking around to find someone who plays one of the other aforementioned sports.

Regarding sports, there is always the question of sports outside of Gatton. In coming to Gatton, many of us had to choose to leave an athletic team at our home school. While we cannot compete with them anymore competitively, it is always ok to meet up with our previous team and play a pick-up game together non-competitively.

If someone is a hardcore competitor and is not satisfied with relaxed games, then they can compete in WKU’s intramural sports. For example, we had both soccer and basketball teams last year, and we will have both again this year. Being on an intramural team allows students to see how they compare with people older them, and motivates them to get better. Despite being an academic school, our intramural teams can do fairly well; our soccer team last year only lost one game.

It is important to mention that there is no fixed “norm” for sports at the Academy. More than likely, there will always be people who play basketball, Frisbee, or soccer, but you do not have to play any of those (except maybe Frisbee), and you can play something else. There are a lot of students at the Academy so chances are that you can find someone with similar athletic interests. If you cannot, then you can probably find a WKU student who shares your love of your favorite sport. Getting a game of any sport started is as simple as asking around to see if anyone wants to play it, and then actually going to play it.

By Gatton Academy

Adjusting to College

August 21, 2015 | 2015-2016, Annie B. Wetzel, Avatars | No Comments

By: Annie B. Wetzel

We grow up hearing that college is a lot different than school through twelfth grade and there will be a huge increase in responsibility. This isn’t far from the truth. You aren’t in class seven hours a day. While some classes are similar in size to high school classrooms, there are lecture courses with over 200 students. The professors won’t remind you to study or turn in assignments. They won’t typically give you a study guide consisting of the actual test questions. There is no requirement to give you a good grade.

At The Gatton Academy, we are high school students enrolled in university courses. We are required to adjust to the new and different environment. I started at the Academy with some worry about being successful in a college class. After the first few weeks, I learned the campus and got into a good routine with my study habits and organization. My uncertainties subsided and a certain confidence ensued.

There are a few things I would recommend to ensure that there is as easy a transition as possible into college classes for new students. Print out your syllabi and read them carefully. It is useful to go into your courses aware of the expectations and scheduled topics of study. Get ahead. Read the chapter or handout required before class. You will have an easier time understanding the lecture and when recalling information while preparing for tests. Be aware of deadlines. These deadlines can be for assignments, forms, etc. Make sure you turn in work in a timely manner. High school teachers are usually more lenient with late work than professors. Ask for help. If you have a question or are struggling with a course, ask the tutors or a senior. They will be more than willing to help. Do not wait until last minute to try your best. You will be a lot less anxious when finals week rolls around to not have to receive an A to increase your grade. Digging yourself a hole in the beginning from not studying or managing your courses well enough will only stress you out more has the time you have to improve runs out.

In the end, college isn’t all about academics. It is a time to figure out who you are and what you stand for. The Academy is only two years, so make sure you take every opportunity and make every moment matter.

By Gatton Academy

Avatar Intro: Seth Marksberry

August 19, 2015 | 2015-2016, Avatars, Seth Marksberry | 1 Comment

Here we are again starting another year of growth and challenges at the Gatton Academy. When I entered last year, I, like most at the time, knew little of what trials were to await me upon passing through the threshold of this new world. An aspiring aerospace engineer, I had arrived from a school more focused on football than physics with the goal to advance my knowledge and save the world. Though the progress of the second goal is debatable, a very good case could be made that I succeeded in my pursuit of furthering my academic ability and experience.

We were told we would be forced to work and think at a pace and level never before demanded from us in school thus far, but most of us didn’t take that to heart until we were dropped into our first real college classes. I can still remember the first paper I ever had to write for one of my professors, the first piece of calculus homework, every first you can think of and several you can’t. The academics were why we had all come, and we certainly got what we asked for, some of us more than we bargained for. Talk about deer in the headlights.

Most of us made it through, forming bonds along the way and learning far more than what our professors dictated to us. We learned about friendship and how to live in a community of like-minded individuals (and several not so like-minded). I personally learned that I was both smarter than and not as smart as I thought I was. We also learned that the definition of smart is somewhat arbitrary and ultimately pointless.

Now that I begin my second year at the academy, what should I be thinking about? There are so many aspects I could turn my attention to. There’s the classes getting harder, but they are also ultimately more exciting. Instead of being led, this year I am leading. The interesting part to me is that I really don’t know what I should be looking forward to or exactly how this year is going to go. Just like last year.

There will be late nights, long days, rough starts, and bittersweet endings to be sure. I’m sure the academy will teach me just as many tough lessons this year as it did in the last. It would be naïve to think that it will be a smooth ride all the way through. There will be lows for every high the year brings. With the looming specter of college applications reminding me that I will not be here next year, though, I can say one thing for certain about this upcoming year.

I will be drinking in every moment.

By Gatton Academy

Avatar Intro: Saadia Akhtar

August 19, 2015 | 2015-2016, Avatars, Saadia Akhtar | No Comments

I’m Saadia Akhtar and I am a senior at the Gatton Academy. I am passionate about Biology, History, and Foreign Affairs. My junior year at the Academy was a quite a journey. For the first time in my life, I actually struggled in a class. I also got my first B, and had to learn how to cope with that. I came out of shell as well; I wasn’t afraid to be a typical nerd and try hard in class. The best thing, however, about my junior year was the friends I made and the community I became a part of.

Before I came to the Academy, I thought most people would be super awkward nerds who would always be studying. However, I was happily mistaken. There were a wide variety of people at the Academy- athletes, band kids, quiet kids, loud kids, etc. Everyone got along with each other and supported each other. After spending three weeks in England with most of my class, I became even closer with them. Now I look forward to finishing my high school career with all the friends I made and with the support of the Gatton community and staff.

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Avatar Intro: Rebecca Wood

August 19, 2015 | 2015-2016, Avatars, Rebecca Wood | No Comments

Neatly packaged bags, clothes baskets filled to the brim, the familiar sight of textbook boxes – although the building is different, the setting is all too familiar. As I return to the Gatton Academy, a community of acceptance and fun times, I realize the impact that this program has had on my life.

The decision to come to Gatton was a burdensome task. My brother had graduated in the Class of 2013. I didn’t think I wanted to attend an entirely STEM school, nor did I want to abandon my sports, friends, or dog. I reluctantly applied and was granted an interview. After a four-hour drive from Maysville to Bowling Green, I arrived on the beautiful Western Kentucky University campus, and even saw a white squirrel! Through speaking with student volunteers, staff, and other applicants, I realized that this ‘nerdy’ school might be a place I could call home.

Even though the transition of giving up racing cross country and track, as well as playing soccer, driving a car, and seeing my home friends regularly was unpleasant, I soon grasped how positively significant Gatton would be on my life. The people, the community, the dorm life. The late night runs, the volleyball games, the dance parties. The research, the (finally!) challenging courses, the professors. With every passing day, the Academy became even more of a wonderland. The early tears turned into 2 a.m. laughs, and homesickness to “Mom, I think I’ll stay this weekend, too.”

I can honestly say that this year was the first in which I was sincerely looking forward to going back to school. I am enthusiastic to share what I have learned over the past two semesters with my ‘baby juniors’ and to strengthen the bonds I have made with fellow students, instructors, and staff. I am excited to study Mathematics, French, and Environmental Science, along with pursuing Biophysics research. It is going to be a great year, because with this community, how could it not?

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Avatar Intro: Michael Belcher

August 18, 2015 | 2015-2016, Avatars, Michael Belcher | No Comments

Belcher, Michael 1 Hello, my name is Michael Belcher and I am a senior from Glasgow, KY. I attended Barren County High School for my freshman and sophomore years. This year I have the honor to be an Avatar for the Academy and figured I should just start off by telling you a bit about myself.

Academically, I love and am best at Mathematics and Computer Science. I enjoy reading, playing sports, and video games. From being able to become heavily involved in Math research on campus to traveling to Harlaxton Manor in England over the summer I had the best year of my life. I am super excited about my senior year at the Academy and all that comes with it. This year I hope that our class can be the role models and helpers that the juniors will want and need. My goal for my senior year is to have a productive year and hopefully pass on the tradition of community and excellence to the junior class. Feel free to ask me any questions or talk to me about anything at any time.

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Avatar Intro: Lauren Pedersen

August 18, 2015 | 2015-2016, Avatars, Lauren Pedersen | No Comments

Pop quiz. Which of the following do you agree with?

You are a certain type of person, and there is not much that can be done to really change that.
No matter what kind of person you are, you can always change substantially.
You can do things differently, but the important parts of who you are can’t really be changed.
You can always change basic things about the kind of person you are.

Statements 2 and 4 reflect the growth mindset which purports that a person’s qualities can be improved upon through effort and perseverance. On the other hand, statements 1 and 3 embody the idea of the fixed mindset, or the belief that a person’s qualities are permanent and resistant to change.

I know for many seniors the preceding statements produce fits of unwanted adventure week PTSD centering on reading the book “Mindset” (I cringed as I made this reference). However, reminiscing upon my first year at Gatton, I have found surprising truth in the growth mindset. Upon arriving at The Gatton Academy, I believed in the growth mindset, but I didn’t think it would directly affect me. Other people could change, but I was different. I was as stable as the oxygen we breathe. But just as oxygen changes when it forms chemical bonds, the bonds I formed with my classmates transformed me. Perhaps it was the 2 AM code debugging, the Netflix movie marathons, and the numerous kindergarten days that facilitated this change. Gatton has allowed me to venture down an endless path of self-exploration. At my home school, in Knox County, I was known as “that smart kid”. However, in an environment where each student reflects these qualities, it enabled me to shape myself into so much more. I have become an extroverted introvert, an avatar, a pilot, a procrastinator of laundry, a researcher, and a SCUBA diver.

I am eager to continue my journey of self-exploration through my senior year. I hope to teach my juniors how to maximize their meal plans, navigate campus like a true college student, and take advantage of not only the academic opportunities that Gatton has to offer but the social aspects as well.

By Gatton Academy

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Category: 2015-2016