Avatars – Page 18 – The Gatton Academy News

First Week of Classes

August 29, 2016 | 2016-2017, Avatars, Tricia Thompson | No Comments

By: Tricia Thompson

First week of classes: 0, Academy students: 160. The first week of classes is over, and from the looks of things, everyone’s having a great week. From syllabus days (that cover much more than just the syllabus sometimes) to starting new subjects, and from first trickles of homework to initial club meetings, the first week of classes is always a hectic, stressful, but exciting time. Many of the juniors have now written their first lines of code; many others are learning new alphabets or quizzing over chapter 1. While classwork tends not to be as heavy right at the beginning of the semester, the feel of our school has changed to just what it is: a school. While there will always be people playing ping-pong and foosball, study groups and homework sessions have also started to take root in the common spaces. A dumpling party and presentations about Chinese culture organized by some of the STEM+Chinese seniors melded with groups figuring out their first calculus homework this past Wednesday. This weekend brings the cherished chance to sleep in and catch up on homework while also allowing for laundry, a bowling and laser tag trip, a movie night, and other free time activities.

While GROWeek is always an exciting adventure, there’s something to be said for the freedom that comes with not having scheduled sessions with your whole class every day. The seniors are working to get back into the swing of things while the juniors are taking their first steps on their own. We’re all looking forward to the coming semester with the nervous, but excited, anticipation. After all, it’s already off to a great start.

By Gatton Academy

Hands Up for the Weekend

August 22, 2016 | 2016-2017, Avatars, Emma Reed | No Comments

By: Emma Reed

Saturday began as most Saturdays at the Academy do, a quiet sleepiness blanketing the Academy. The only difference was that this week instead of recovering from classes, we were exhausted from the endless tasks of GROWeek (Gatton Residential Orientation Week). The juniors were ready for some sleep after a week of constant information including Beth’s famous handbook talk, a research fair, and many other events. For the seniors, the sleep was more in preparation of the college apps and the challenging classes of the coming semester.

Around noon the Academy began to awake and by three, the vibrant sounds of laughter and fun were floating down the hall. Despite the rain, some ventured out to the mall and other shopping destinations. As evening grew near, the camaraderie only grew stronger with music and ping pong in the fourth floor commons, conversations throughout the building, and the ever present piano in the lobby. As we closed the day with the ever popular karaoke, I thought back to my own adventure week (GROWeek).

It’s hard not to have fun in a place like this. I remember the endless lectures of adventure week that left little time for free time. I remember as the weekend came, we finally got the chance to explore the world around us. While the first weekend is a rush to finish errands and prepare for the returning seniors, I have enjoyed watching each junior grow into their freedom even in this short time. I can only hope that I get the pleasure to watch as the semester goes on.

By Gatton Academy

2016-2017 Avatar Intro: Logan Parker

August 19, 2016 | 2016-2017, Avatars, Logan Parker | No Comments

Hello, my name is Logan Parker. Before Gatton, I went to Oldham County High School. I’m from LaGrange, Kentucky, which is just north of Louisville. Back home, I spent most of my time running with my cross country team or participating in various clubs. Outside of running, I’ve been able to travel the world, research in areas I’m interested in, and expand my interest for Chinese and studying abroad. I’ve been able to travel to Costa Rice, China, and England. Going to Costa Rica was my first time leaving the country; it was even the first time I flew in a plane. These trips sparked my interest in going abroad so much that I joined a group on campus called SAGL (Study Abroad and Global Learning) student reps. Our job is to provide advising and outreach to students on studying abroad. I’m in STEM+ Chinese; my interest in Chinese peaked after going to China. I joined a club called Project Pengyou, which is a group dedicated to strengthening US-China relations and people-to-people connections. I patriciate in other various clubs, including Key club, Y-club, and GALE (Gatton Academy Leaders in Education). Over the summer I received a RIG (Research Internship Grant) and did research in chemical engineering.

I remember moving into Bates as a junior like it was yesterday. So much time has passed and I’ve had experiences that before Gatton, would not have been possible. This year, I’m looking forward to meeting all the new people that have moved in and the possible experiences ahead. The community that is formed at the Academy is like no other, and I’m excited to be an avatar this year.

By Gatton Academy

2016-2016 Avatar Intro: Veronica Johnson

August 19, 2016 | 2016-2017, Avatars, Veronica Johnson | No Comments

Hey guys! I am Veronica Johnson, and I am a senior this year. I have lived in Bowing Green my whole life, and I attended Bowling Green High School for my freshman and sophomore years of high school. Coming to Gatton from Warren County is a unique experience because I was already familiar with campus when I came, I still get to spend a lot of time with my family, and I can easily visit my home school to participate in clubs and see my friends. I have really broad interests, so I kind of want to be a doctor or do medical research, but I also kind of want to be an environmental scientist, and I might just pack up and move to Costa Rica and spend all day running around catching butterflies (I did butterfly research when I studied abroad during winter term and I loved it).

I have always been really involved in choir and I didn’t want to lose that when I came to Gatton, so I have been enrolled in a choir class every semester and plan to continue that when I go to real college. I get to go back to my home high school and sing with the choirs there. I have always loved singing with my friends, so I created a female A Cappella group at Gatton and we sang at Acapalooza, which is an A Cappella concert for high school and college groups in the Bowling Green area. I love that I have been able to stay involved with the clubs/hobbies that I am truly interested in.

I also spend a lot of my free time at my church, and one of the best things about living on campus is that I get to be friends with college students and get to know people who are not Gatton students. Contrary to popular belief, most WKU students don’t care that much that you are a Gatton student and most of them are more curious than hateful about it. After their initial surprise that you are a couple of years younger than they are, they are cool with it. I really enjoy being involved with both Gatton and WKU groups because I get to meet so many people!

If you see me at school or in public, introduce yourself to me because I love meeting new people and I would love to talk to you about Gatton!

By Gatton Academy

2016-2017 Avatar Intro: Tricia Thompson

August 16, 2016 | 2016-2017, Avatars, Tricia Thompson | No Comments

Senior year. New classes, new professors, new juniors, and new responsibilities as an Avatar. I guess I should probably introduce myself. I’m Tricia Thompson, a senior from Owensboro Catholic High School. Coming from Owensboro last year, I still remember move in day. The hectic scramble, the Community Leaders swarming the car, the struggle of making sure no one made a fool of themselves using meal plans for the first time; now, I’m seeing it from the other side. I’ll be the senior watching juniors follow in my footsteps in astronomy and mechanical engineering. I’ll be able to see my enjoyment of writing computer code, something I learned to like, at least, mirrored in the junior class. Maybe I’ll even see my journey of the awkward one who was mostly known as “the smart kid” to someone known for their sarcasm and willingness to eat at any time of the day.

This year brings with it the first year in the renovated Schneider Hall (we’ll see how long the new paint smell lasts), new challenges, a bigger class than ever before, and the passing on of traditions from our senior class on down the line. This year is looking very bright, and I think we all look forward to the coming semester (though maybe exams less so).

By Gatton Academy

2016-2017 Avatar Intro: Katie Ashley

August 16, 2016 | 2016-2017, Avatars, Katie Ashley | No Comments

Hey y’all! I am Katie Ashley, and I will be an Avatar this year. I am from Corbin, home of THE original Kentucky Fried Chicken and Cumberland Falls. Those are our only claims to fame, therefore I have to mention them. Corbin is a rural town in Southeastern Kentucky which is where I get my southern accent and excessive use of the word “y’all” from. Prior to coming to Gatton, I attended Corbin High School.

My academic interests are chemistry and biology. Other things I enjoy include traveling, reading, and food. I have completed two study abroad trips with the Academy, Harlaxton and Italy, and I have also been abroad with The Center for Gifted Studies. The Italy and Harlaxton trips have been extremely memorable and two highlights of my junior year. When in Italy, I got the chance to visit Venice. I remember waking up before every other student fighting the jet lag to wander around the bright canals of Venice. I know that without Gatton I might not have gotten to experience Venice and I definitely wouldn’t have the opportunity to experience it with my great friends.

Also while at Gatton I have experienced Harlaxton Manor in England. Harlaxton was an amazing trip that combined one of my favorite subjects, English Literature, with an amazing manor house in the English countryside. My favorite experience from Harlaxton has to be sitting in the gardens at dusk drinking tea with my roommate.

All my travels have taught me a lot about the world around me. I am so excited that I get to share the wonderful world of Gatton with all of you readers.

By Gatton Academy

2016-2017 Avatar Intro: Emma Reed

August 16, 2016 | 2016-2017, Avatars, Emma Reed | No Comments

Whenever I post a picture to social media about Gatton I use the hashtag #tggadventure. This stands for The Great Gatton Adventure. It’s true to call our time here at Gatton an adventure. From figuring out how to grocery shop for the first time to surviving the infamous CPS, we experience plenty of ups and downs here. Despite every down, I wouldn’t trade this place for the world. As someone who went to a large high school, the community at Gatton was a big adjustment. Living in a place full of unique and enigmatic people. It was great to meet people who wanted to know your name and life story.

Speaking of life stories **wink wink**, my name is Emma Reed. I attended Highlands High School in Fort Thomas, Kentucky. At Gatton, I have taken the infinite possibilities motto very seriously. From participating in Speech and Debate and Yearbook, to traveling abroad in Italy, I have filled my days with a variety of activities both academic and nonacademic alike. I also fill my days with STEM+ Chinese and other academic classes. In my first semester, I discovered that I like computer science and now am developing a game that encourages young girls to pursue coding. I also enjoy biology and medicine. For me Gatton is a place to explore my passions to the greatest extent. I am excited to share with you about the goings on at Gatton as we kick off what is sure to be the best year yet.

By Gatton Academy

2016-2017 Avatar Intro: Amber Carroll

August 16, 2016 | 2016-2017, Amber Carroll, Avatars | No Comments

If you would have asked me what my name was a year ago, I would have answered “Amber.” To be honest, if you would have asked me this same question even last month, my answer would have been the same. I, now, however, am occasionally referred to as “Sparky” due to a mishap in Harlaxton with an electrical outlet and an Emergency Room visit. The outlets in England are no joke, let me tell you.

I am from Logan County, home of the cougars. Back at my home high school, I played varsity volleyball and basketball, and I also played club volleyball for a team named BRAVO out of Bowling Green. I, of course, also participated in the usual clubs like BETA, Student Council, and FCCLA. While at Gatton, however, I have been exposed to opportunities not available at my home high school. I participated in Genome, which includes Bioinformatics, my first year as an Academy student. This was one of the best decisions of my life. This experience introduced me to my Research Internship Grant (RIG) professor, Dr. King. I completed a RIG this past summer with Dr. King researching E. coli. Research in an actual college lab has been a large part of my experience here at Gatton that I never would have had the opportunity to pursue at Logan County.

Besides research, study abroad has also been another huge part of my experience here at the Academy. I was able to travel to not only England as I mentioned before, but also to Costa Rica, both of which are not offered at my home high school. In all actuality, my home high school does not offer any study abroad. I am blessed to have received these opportunities at Gatton.

In the coming months, I plan to continue my research with Dr. King, if possible. I also plan to go on the trip with Gatton to Greece this coming up winter. I love traveling and The Gatton Academy has given me the opportunity to fulfill my dream of doing so. Not only has The Gatton Academy went above and beyond with study abroad opportunities, they have been above and beyond with every aspect involved. Going to school here is truly a dream come true.

By Gatton Academy

2016-2017 Avatar Intro: Amanda Zahn

August 15, 2016 | 2016-2017, Amanda Zahn, Avatars | No Comments

When I was in the 7^th grade, a family friend introduced me to the idea of spending the last two years of my high school career living and studying at The Gatton Academy. Immediately I was fixated on the idea. Just about five years later, here I am transitioning into my senior year at Gatton with the same enthusiasm I held upon first learning about this amazing opportunity.

My name is Amanda Zahn, and I come to Gatton from Ryle High School in Boone County. At my sending school I played for the women’s soccer team for three years, as well as acted as an assistant coach for the middle school girls’ team. In the off season I spent my time playing for a club soccer team so, as you can probably tell, soccer has really been my life outside of the academic setting. Here at Gatton, I haven’t been able to devote as much time to soccer, but I’ve actually enjoyed taking a step back from it and having the time to really look into other interests of mine. However, this past spring I did play on Gatton’s intramural co-ed team which was a great way to revisit the sport I enjoy.

Surprisingly, soccer is not what I’m most passionate about. My real passion is travel. My freshman year of high school, I participated in my school’s German exchange program, spending about a month living with a host family in Wermelskirchen, Germany. Ever since, I have been obsessed with seeing the world and travelling. This is one area Gatton has provided me opportunities that a traditional high school could not. In just one year at Gatton, I was able to spend about a week and a half of my winter break travelling across Italy as well as spend three weeks studying in England this past summer. Both experiences were what I would call once-in-a-lifetime, and have encouraged me (though I didn’t need much encouragement) to sign up to spend another week and a half of my winter break travelling with the Academy, but this time to Greece!

Since I can’t spend my life leisurely travelling the world, I’ve decided I want to be a pharmacist. The field not only interests me on the conceptual side, but also on the social side. I am a people person at heart, and I have found that pharmacology is a great way to incorporate my love of people and social interaction into a STEM career. This past semester I did some research involving potential chemotherapeutic drugs on campus with a professor, and it really convinced me that a degree in pharmacy is really what I want to pursue.

I’m excited to continue blogging this upcoming year and sharing with you all what life at Gatton is like. This opportunity has been invaluable to me thus far, and I can’t wait to see what this year will bring!

By Gatton Academy

2016-2017 Avatar Intro: Sara Saeed

August 15, 2016 | 2016-2017, Avatars, Sara Saeed | No Comments

Our first move-in day at Schneider Hall brought back memories of walking into Bates Runner Hall for the first time a year ago. This time around, we had more space to explore and were greeted by familiar faces. It didn’t take long to get comfortable with the building, as the new renovations and 101 newcomers have made us hopeful and excited for the year to get going.

I am a senior from Louisville and attended duPont Manual High School. Since coming to Gatton, I have been taking classes and pursuing research in finance and computer science, topics I wouldn’t otherwise be able to explore until college. Outside of STEM, I enjoy studying economics, politics, and languages. I speak Arabic at home and self-study Spanish. Additionally, I have been able to collaborate with professors at the WKU Department of Economics. In the past year at the Academy, I have had the opportunity to travel to Italy, study abroad in England, and complete a summer research project with the WKU Department of Computer Science.

Although my junior year was packed with new academic endeavors, I still had plenty of time to form friendships at the Academy. Being able to knock on a friend’s door at midnight for help on a calculus problem or a chemistry concept is one of my favorite parts of being at a residential high school. Living with your friends creates the strong sense of unity here at the Academy. I am eager to start senior year, serve as an avatar, and get to know our 101 new juniors!

By Gatton Academy

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