Hello everyone! My name is Belle Begley and I am a rising senior at the Gatton Academy! I am from the small town of Springfield in Washington County. To date, I have met all of two people who knew where my hometown is located without me giving more information. In Springfield, I grew up in a family of seven which included five kids and two parents. Of those five kids, I was the youngest. So, while my oldest sister is married with three kids, I am heading into my senior year of high school. Crazy, isn’t it? I would go into more detail on my family, but unfortunately, this blog post would turn into a book.

To get a little more on topic, I heard about the Gatton Academy in the fourth or fifth grade from a magazine article my dad showed me. He told me all about the school and how good of an opportunity it was. I never thought about it again until it was October of my sophomore year and my dad came to me and told me we were going to try to apply for Gatton. I received my acceptance a few months later, becoming the second student to ever attend the Academy from Washington County.

Five months after getting accepted, I packed my bags, headed to WKU and I haven’t looked back since. The rigor of Gatton is unlike anything I have experienced before. It truly is the challenge I was looking for. I have had my fair share of late nights trying to study for an exam or doing homework I forgot about, but I wouldn’t give that up for anything. Through Gatton, I have met some of my closest friends, transformed into a mature, responsible student, and truly found the perfect place for me.

I am currently completing a Gatton Academy Research Internship Grant or RIG. Through this program, I will be completing an 8-week internship in the WKU Department of Chemistry with my mentor Dr. Bangbo Yan. My research is focused on finding a metal-organic framework with the ability to reduce carbon dioxide which could lead to a renewable fuel source. I began this research during my spring semester because of my interest in chemical engineering.

During this past winter break, I had the opportunity to study biodiversity in the beautiful country Costa Rica. This experience was one of a kind. During my two week adventure, I held baby leatherback sea turtles, saw skies filled with the brightest stars, and swam in the ocean for the first time ever! I would definitely do it again in a heartbeat!

Here’s to another year of learning, happiness, and memories! Senior year better watch out!

 Belle