Avatars – Page 17 – The Gatton Academy News

Greece 2017: Thermopylae and Delphi

January 10, 2017 | 2016-2017, 2017 Greece, Amanda Zahn, Avatars, Study Abroad | No Comments

By: Amanda Zahn

Waking up in the small town of Kalambaka, despite it being 6:30 in the morning, was absolutely amazing. All it took was opening up the curtains and gazing upon the breathtaking rocks of the Meteora to get me out of my morning grogginess!

After breakfast at our hotel and reloading the bus, we set off on a trip through the mountains of northern Greece. This also proved to be a breathtaking sight, as the mountains were snowcapped and absolutely massive. A real sight! All eyes were glued to the passing landscape for the majority of the ride as we all listened to our tour guide, Irene, tell us tales and stories from both Greek mythology and history.

Our first stop of the day was at Thermopylae, the site of one of the major battles between the Greeks and the Persians. We got to see where the fight actually occurred, as well as visit the information center nearby to watch a video explaining the battle. We learned about the armor and weaponry used by both sides, and observed the maneuvers utilized during the battle. After spending some time in the visitor center, we visited the monuments dedicated to the Spartans and the Thespians who refused to retreat despite their impending certain death, and loaded back onto the bus to continue our journey south towards Delphi.

Right before arriving in Delphi, we made a surprise stop at the ski town of Arachova. Our bus driver (Zafiris) did a phenomenal job of maneuvering through the extremely narrow main street of the small mountainside town, and we then ventured off for an hour in small groups to explore the town and local shops. Although it was quite cold, everyone enjoyed getting off the bus for a little and getting to see the mountainous landscape from outside the bus.

Finally, we arrived in Delphi at our new hotel, unloaded the bus, and walked as a group to dinner. After our meal, small groups split off once again to explore, do a little bit of shopping, or play cards in the hotel lobby. Now, exhausted from such a busy day, we are all off to bed to rest up for another day of adventure!

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Greece 2017: Meteora

January 9, 2017 | 2016-2017, 2017 Greece, Avatars, Emma Reed, Study Abroad | No Comments

By: Emma Reed

Today we left the bustling city of Athens and headed north to the small town of Kalambaka. We loaded up the bus and were on the road by 8am. We watched as the light industry of Athens gave way to the snow covered olive trees and vineyards of the Grecian countryside. Eventually, the snow picked up and many of us were reminded of winters at home. Many of us were excited to listen to the stories our guide told us about the Persian wars and the myth behind marathons. Others of us were excited to catch up on sleep.

After an adventurous drive through the snow and a stop at a cute restaurant, we finally arrived at our hotel, the looming rocks of Meteora in the skyline. We waited as our driver took off to check out the mountain before we made the trek ourselves. After having declared it safe, our group started our journey into the beautiful peaks. I found the history behind the peaks particularly intriguing. The monks began to climb these peaks over 1300 years ago. They sought a place to be closer to god and found that unclimbable mountains did the trick. It was beautiful to see these lovely churches and houses, precariously perched on the high peaks. As the bus climbed further and further up the high rocks, we stopped at the convent of St. Stephen. As the wind whistled around us we trekked into the larger of the monasteries.

Eventually we came down these hills to the small town of Kalambaka. After a warm dinner, many of us ventured out into the cold to a small bakery down the street while others of us perused the small souvenir shops along the main drag. All in all it was a great day full of beautiful views, tasty treats, and enriching stories.

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2017 Greece Study Abroad – Acropolis and Parthenon

January 6, 2017 | 2016-2017, 2017 Greece, Amber Carroll, Avatars, Study Abroad | No Comments

By: Amber Carroll

To say that our Greece experience has been unforgettable would be an understatement. After leaving on January 4th, missing our flight in Germany, and arriving to Greece on January 6th, we were already off to a very memorable start, but it didn’t just end there.

This morning we started our day with a wakeup call at 8:00 am. At 9:30 we left for a short tour of Greece. While on this tour we visited the stadium that held the first modern Olympic Games, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers, and the Running Man sculpture.

We then headed off to the Acropolis. By this point, everyone was beyond ready and anxious to see the Acropolis; this was the point in the trip I was personally looking forward to. The Acropolis was visible at every point we visited on the driving tour, so being able to walk among the ruins and majestic monuments instead of merely just looking from afar was exhilarating. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life.

Peering out from atop the hill, the city of Athens seemed endless from every view. You could even see the Aegean Sea. My particular favorite view was of the Parthenon. Finally, visiting something you have seen in textbooks your entire life is indescribable and even more amazing in person.

All in all, we had a very eventful, tiring, and unforgettable day. I have high expectations for the rest of the trip—besides having to wake up at 6:30 tomorrow morning. Wish us luck!

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Fall Break Wrap Up 2016

October 10, 2016 | Avatars, Tricia Thompson | No Comments

By: Tricia Thompson

Fall break has drawn to a close. Sunday consisted of the steady influx of students coming back to the dorm from their various escapades. The Thursday through Sunday break brought all sorts of adventures for different students, from some just heading home to catch up on some much needed sleep, getting ahead on upcoming assignments, or working on college applications or tours. Some visits even brought unexpected encounters of other Gatton students. I, for example, ran into another of the seniors while touring colleges in Boston.

Regardless of how actual break time was spent, it’s always a nice relief to return to a fully cleaned dorm room. Fall break is the first experience for the juniors with break-length check outs, from unplugging all appliances and actually washing those sheets to removing all perishable food from the room. Thus, the dorm on a Sunday night after fall break was a mix, not of cleaning, as many Sundays are, but of presidential debate watching, catching up with classmates, studying for tests this week, and unpacking from the break.

As the semester gets back into the swing of things, I think all the students were glad for the change of pace they found with the break.

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Fall Break 2016

October 9, 2016 | 2016-2017, Amanda Zahn, Avatars | No Comments

By: Amanda Zahn

This past Tuesday night (or Wednesday morning for some of us who procrastinated a bit), students began packing for not just a closed weekend, but for fall break. The university cancelled all classes on Thursday and Friday so that students would have the chance to go home and visit with their families and enjoy a couple days off from class. Some would say fall break comes at just the right time, marking the half way point during the semester. Some argue a better couple of days could have been picked, as the next week is a week of midterms for the majority of classes. All would agree, though, the break is much needed by this time in the semester, so it was looked forward to with much anticipation across the board.

As student’s final classes let out on Wednesday, Academy student’s began the process of checking out of the building. When leaving for extended breaks, the Academy enforces a different checkout policy than usual, requiring rooms be cleaned a little more stringently than as required weekly. So, rather than just packing for home, students also set about cleaning their rooms (which, like the break, was probably much needed for some!). By 7 pm, the building was void of all students, each having left for their own fall break adventures.

Academy students did many things with their break from their typical schedule. Many stayed at home, simply enjoying spending time with family and friends from their hometowns as well as catching up on things such as their studies, sleep, and Netflix. Some, however, took this time to go on a few college visits, with seniors getting the chance to tour the schools that they are currently working on applying to. Overall, fall break was a chance for everyone to catch up on a few things that had been pushed aside during the thus far busy weeks at the Academy this school year. Sunday afternoon students began returning to the building, ready to take on the next few weeks of this semester!

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2016 College Visits

October 3, 2016 | 2016-2017, Avatars, Emma Reed | No Comments

By: Emma Reed

Tis the season…for college visits. From small liberal arts schools to huge state universities. Gatton gets visits from near and far.

We had visits from returning favorites such as Washington University and Vanderbilt. These institutions are popular for Gatton students. Wash U’s high medical acceptance rate makes it a personal favorite of medical-school-bound graduates and Vandy’s close proximity and research facilities make it another top pick for Gatton alumni.

Alongside the recurring favorites, we also had visits from lesser-known universities including Sewanee: University of the South and a trio visit from Carleton, Middlebury, and Macalester Colleges. I personally enjoyed learning about the traditions of Sewanee. Including the fact that they dress for class. As someone who loves PJ’s a little too much, I found this fascinating.

As well as returning favorites, we also got to see some new faces. We met the new representative from Northeastern University. As a flexible university with a belief in hands-on learning, this is another favorite for Gatton students looking for a New England education.

We also got a visit from MIT. Gatton has never received a visit from MIT in the past. We were excited this year to open our doors to Dan and Theresa Nolet, both graduates of MIT. It was fun to hear their stories of the “hacks” that took place as well as their lives after college.

It is always a pleasure to see so many faces in the Gatton lobby. While we can’t apply to all of them (some have tried), I know that I really appreciate these colleges taking time to come and visit. It’s fun to learn about the traditions and opportunities that these school have to offer us.

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Ping Pong at Gatton

October 3, 2016 | 2016-2017, Avatars, Benjamin Luckett | No Comments

By: Ben Luckett

The new Florence Schneider Hall has a lot of great areas that Bates Runner Hall never could offer this year’s seniors. We now have an amazing fourth floor common area that houses one of the most important pieces of furniture in the Academy: the ping pong table. Last year in Bates, all we had for a ping pong area was a small room on first floor that barely could fit the table.

Pong was important to me last year as I would use it as a cool off after studying. It was a good break, but it was hard to ever find another student to play a match against. Our new space allows both players to step as far away from the table as they wish and still have excess room. Also there is a large group of ping pong players this year. Many students are very talented at ping pong and will play heated matches for fourth floor audiences.

This year I have used ping pong as a cool off just like last year, but now I can always find someone to play against. If there is not an avid ping pong enthusiast on fourth floor at any given time, they are just a text away. A sure time to find a lot of ping pong players on fourth is about 9:30 every school night. At about this time, a group of students surrounding the table will have formed along with a long list of people who have called “next game”.

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Campus Recitals at The Gatton Academy

September 29, 2016 | 2016-2017, Avatars, Jonathan Kinnard | No Comments

By: Jonathan Kinnard

In the midst of classes, food, and other essentials of a Gatton student’s life there is a strange plethora of campus opportunities that usually go without notice. One such example is campus recitals. WKU has a strong music department with concentrated talent, so it would seem natural that concerts are held on an almost weekly basis, but unless a flyer is put up in the building, it can be difficult for anyone to ever hear about smaller recitals or short concerts that are done on a weekday.

Well, times have changed here at The Gatton Academy, and students are quickly realizing the faculty, student, and seasonal recitals are within reach each week. Larger, annual events like the Prism Concert are obvious favorites, while smaller performances done by individual WKU music groups are a more convenient way for Gatton students to explore the musical variety WKU has to offer. This variety may include the WKU symphonic band, jazz band, steel drum band, wind ensemble, and many more. There are even Gatton students that are involved in these groups.

Most performances are free and now quickly advertised through the grapevine here at Gatton. Just this Sunday (9/25) there was a wonderful Faculty Chamber Recital at the Fine Arts Center, just a minute’s walk from Florence Schneider Hall. On Friday (9/30) there is a concert in Van Meter Hall with the University Band. All this, in just one week!

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A Busy Week at The Gatton Academy

September 29, 2016 | 2016-2017, Avatars, Sherafghan Khan | No Comments

By: Sherafghan Khan

“Should I study for my tests?”

“What if I watched an episode of the Office?”

Questions like these are what many seniors, including myself, are asking every day. Even though we have almost completed four years of high school, many of us are still not professionals at managing our time proficiently. We have heard from multiple sources that there is a deadly disease that spreads among seniors: senioritis.

With four tests, a paper, and a research meeting last week, I definitely had to manage my time. It felt as if as soon as I was done with one test, I would have to study all day for the next. But honestly, the feeling I felt on Friday when I completed my final test was one of pure joy. A group of friends and I took the bus to the mall and the movies and just had a good, relaxing time. It was a break, a break from a tiresome week of monotonous tests and quizzes. That is what I love about Gatton, how after a long week of tests, you can just have a good time with some of the nicest people ever.

Also, last Friday I had the treat of attending a lecture by my Neuroscience professor and a WKU art professor on combining the arts with neuroscience. She showed us many of her pieces, including a giant neuron cloud located in Snell Hall. Not only did I receive bonus points for attending, but I had a wonderful time.

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Studying Abroad in Costa Rica

September 29, 2016 | 2016-2017, Avatars, Study Abroad, Veronica Johnson | No Comments

By Veronica Johnson

On my Interview Day, the Gatton staff and some current students lead a panel about coursework and Study Abroad at the Academy. At this point, I already knew that I wanted to go to Gatton, but this was the icing on the cake. I applied to the Costa Rica trip because I thought that I would enjoy traveling around and taking a Biodiversity course. That was the understatement of a lifetime.

I had the time of my life in Costa Rica. Every location housed a new set of thrills. At the Goldring-Gund Field Station, I got to hold baby leatherback sea turtles as soon as they hatched from their nest and release them into the ocean in the hopes that they will grow to maturity and return to the same beach to make their own nest.

At Cloudbridge Nature Reserve, I got to do research on butterfly diversity. I loved spending my days wandering the rainforest looking for butterflies. The beauty of these butterflies is unparalleled by those we have in Kentucky. At Poor Man’s Paradise, I got to go snorkeling where I saw whole schools of fish swimming together, tiny jellyfish, and even a sea turtle. We would step outside our cabins only to see a family of Capuchin monkeys swinging through the trees.

I became passionate about the environment and very interested in studying Biodiversity and Environment. Studying abroad in Costa Rica probably changed the course of my life because it gave me the opportunity to find something that I love doing. It opened my eyes to the possibility of a career that I had never considered before.

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