Avatars – Page 19 – The Gatton Academy News

2016-2017 Avatar Intro: Dylan Daugherty

August 15, 2016 | 2016-2017, Avatars, Dylan Daugherty | No Comments

Hey there! My name is Dylan Daugherty and I am an avatar for The Gatton Academy’s Class of 2017. I can remember reading these blogs when I was just starting to learning about Gatton, and it is crazy to think that I am actually writing them this year. I am from Madisonville and went to high school at Madisonville North Hopkins High School. I played drums in my school’s band and was active in several other clubs. I wanted to go to Gatton so I could take more advanced courses and start research in the subjects I liked. I was super nervous my first couple of weeks here but coming to Gatton is undoubtedly one of the greatest decisions of my life.

At the Academy, I play Frisbee with my friends at least once a day (yeah, we REALLY like Frisbee here ;)). I also play basketball on the intramural team. Last year, we won our school’s first ever basketball game. I also tried playing soccer for the first time here. I was really awful, but I still had loads of fun attempting to not kick people in the shins. I also do research here at the Academy. Last year I did Economic research on Right-to-Work laws. This summer I was accepted for a Research Internship Grants (RIG) where I studied mutual fund fees and costs. This upcoming year I will be working on a financial literacy research project. I am really excited for this next school year and hope you guys enjoy reading my blog posts!

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2016-2017 Avatar Intro: Sherafghan Khan

August 15, 2016 | 2016-2017, Avatars, Sherafghan Khan | No Comments

Hi everyone! My name is Sherafghan Khan and I am senior at The Gatton Academy. I am honored to be selected as an Avatar. Before The Gatton Academy I attended University Heights Academy in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Research has been, by far, the highlight of my Gatton experience. I started off first semester in the Genome Discovery Exploration and was completely immersed with different laboratory techniques. These techniques gave me the skills to pursue future research endeavors. In my second semester at the Academy I was involved in two different chemistry projects that broadened my interests further. All of these experiences prepared me incredibly for the upcoming summer. During summer, I was involved in a Research Internship Grant offered by Gatton for students to pursue summer research. I worked with a structural biologist at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Another important part of my Gatton experience has to be the study abroad opportunities offered to us. My winter term during junior year was filled with adventure in Costa Rica. Costa Rica was full of beautiful beaches, amazing hiking trips, and unfortunately, giant spiders. Also, receiving course credit for a biology course was a great deal. Harlaxton, England was the second study abroad I attended at The Gatton Academy. Seeing all of the historical sites in London and Grantham was beyond breathtaking. Overall, the incredible friendships I have made, amazing opportunities I have received, and a superb experience I have received through The Gatton Academy has been a dream come true. I would like to use the valuable knowledge and skills I have learned at the Academy to pursue a future career as a neurosurgeon.

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2016-2017 Avatar Intro: Tyler Smith

August 15, 2016 | 2016-2017, Avatars, Tyler Smith | No Comments

Hello, my name is Tyler Smith, and I’m a Gatton Academy senior from Lexington, Kentucky. I attended the Liberal Arts Academy at Henry Clay High School for my freshman and sophomore year, and although I was offered many great opportunities while at that school, I have enjoyed my time at Gatton much more.

During my junior year I was exposed to computer science, and now, as far as academics go, I am a math and CS oriented kid. Like many other students my age, I’m not quite sure what I want to do with my life yet, but as of right now, I am fairly certain I’ll go into some field of engineering. Aside from academics, my interests include: reading, basketball, ultimate frisbee (the staple of Gatton athletics), lacrosse, hiking, volleyball, kayaking, and canoeing. I am also an avid listener of rap music, and enjoy listening to a diverse group of styles, ranging from east coast underground to west coast realism.

I am looking forward to the upcoming year as I get some exposure into the fields of physics and discrete mathematics. It’s crazy to look back and think about how I was in the exact same situation, except for housing of course, that our very own juniors are experiencing at this moment. I remember how nervous I was, entering the whole new world that was the “Gatton Academy,” and I remember our class’s own GROWeek (although we knew it as Adventure Week) and how quickly we all seemed to get adjusted to life at the Academy. As we move forward in the year, I am excited to get to know more and more of our dauntingly large junior class. Overall, I am excited for the new year and all of the new experiences it may bring.

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2016-2017 Avatar Intro: Benjamin Luckett

August 15, 2016 | 2016-2017, Avatars, Benjamin Luckett | No Comments

Hello, I am Benjamin Luckett from the small town of Versailles in Woodford County, Kentucky. My home high school is Woodford County High School. I thoroughly enjoyed my junior year at The Gatton Academy. After I heard about the STEM+ Critical Language program offered here, I jumped at the opportunity to learn Chinese on the mandarin track. I am also part of the Chinese Flagship program that teaches the language at a very quick pace.

Out of the variety of clubs Gatton offers, I am a part of GALE (Gatton Academy Leadership in Education) and SPAC (Sierpinski Performing Arts Club). With GALE, we spent an afternoon a week playing games with and teaching a group of fourth and fifth graders at a local elementary school, while SPAC is a preforming arts club. So far the only study abroad trip I have attended was the spring break excursion to China with many of the other STEM+Chinese students. I thought it was an amazing educational and cultural experience and am looking forward to going on another study abroad trip as a senior. I am an Avatar this year and will work the preview days and happily talk to anyone interested in The Gatton Academy. One of my favorite things about my junior year was the nightly frisbee games. The Academy has really allowed me to explore more possibilities than I had considered. Upon entering, I thought programming was not an interest of mine, but after java and CPS, I see that it is very useful and a good use of time.

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2016-2017 Avatar Intro: Jonathan Kinnard

August 15, 2016 | 2016-2017, Avatars, Jonathan Kinnard | No Comments

By: Jonathan Kinnard (Hopkinsville, Ky/University Heights Academy)

I was one of those rare kids that heard about Gatton way back in middle school and knew without a doubt that I needed to go to this nerdy wonderland. My mother, a school secretary at the time, and my father, a retired veteran, were both fond of the idea. So I applied and received that glorious acceptance letter in the mail. Orientation, Moving in, and learning the campus were all a blur.

Starting at Gatton, I think, is like eating jello for the first time. You’re a little amazed and a little unsure of what you are doing. Nevertheless, the first day of class went on without a hitch. I actually showed up to the wrong class twice. The second time there was a Gatton student in the class to tell me that I was in the wrong building. “All academics, all the time” was the motto I thought I would adopt. This past year slapped me in the face, grabbed me by the shoulders, and screamed in my ears that I was wrong. I presented on research I did at WKU’s Engineering Manufacturing Commercialization Center. Next was Italy in the winter. Then there was the RIG (Research Internship Grant) during the summer. Study abroad in England was last on the list before my senior year started. I’ve gotten lost in Rome, London, and Bowling Green all within a year. I can’t imagine what the next year will bring me, all thanks to The Gatton Academy.

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2016 Gatton Move-In Day

August 15, 2016 | 2016-2017, Avatars, Emma Reed | No Comments

By: Emma Reed

The decorations were set and the commons rooms were spotless for probably the last time this year. All thirty senior leaders were sitting on the wall outside of Florence Schneider Hall eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new juniors. We had already received a lecture about not swarming the car, but our excitement overtook us as the first car pulled up. Within minutes the student’s stuff was in their room and ready to be unpacked. As more cars pulled up we treated them much the same way, eagerly greeting each one wanting to find wing-mates and friends alike.

With the exception of waiting for lunch, most of us kept this enthusiasm about our new friends for the whole day. Soon as we could blink, every student was moved into Florence Schneider Hall. Then the magic began as we watched the juniors turn their blank walls into expressions of themselves. From the nerdy but beloved posters and the traditional signatures from friends back home to even the unique goose, we watched in awe at the creativity and imagination.

After a crash course on being a Gatton resident for the juniors and well-earned nap for the seniors, the bustle began with floor meetings, meal swipe tutorials, and more bonding. It’s finally beginning to feel like home again. With chatter and laughter in every room and a potential friend around the corner, Florence Schneider has become as much of a home as Bates Runner was to us. I for one can’t wait for the adventures all of us have in store.

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Harlaxton 2016: Flights Home

August 7, 2016 | 2016 Harlaxton, 2016-2017, Avatars, Katie Ashley, Study Abroad | No Comments

By: Katie Ashley

Our final day in England began with a departure time from the manor at 9:30. Many of us spent our final hours doing last-minute packing, while others had one last cup of tea in the refectory. We had a two-and-a-half hour drive to London, and we arrived at London Heathrow Airport around noon. We checked in, dropped off our bags, and made it through security in time to have about 30 minutes in the airport to grab lunch. We boarded our plane around 2:30 and had a smooth eight and half hour flight. We landed in Atlanta a little after 7:30 and arrived at the gate to our connecting flight with twenty minutes to spare. Our last flight boarded around 8:30, and we arrived in Louisville at 10:30 eager to see our families.

This trip did prove to be exhausting, but I, and I’m sure all of the other students, had an exceptional time. The Harlaxton trip was unlike any other study abroad experience I have been on, and I wish we could have extended the trip for a few more weeks. From hiking through the Moors to walking through the streets of Oxford, we have had a truly amazing trip. As we left the airport Friday night, we all said our “goodbyes” with an excitement of getting to move back into Florence Schneider Hall in just one week.

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Harlaxton 2016: Finals and Packing

August 5, 2016 | 2016 Harlaxton, 2016-2017, Amanda Zahn, Avatars, Study Abroad | No Comments

By: Amanda Zahn

And just like that, we are packing to go home.

It’s unbelievable that our final day in England has come. These three weeks have truly flown by, leaving the majority of us exhausted and in a daze. We all pushed through though for our final day in the classroom. We showed up to class anxious to take our final examination, which covered the English poetry we had been studying these past few days of class.

Before our exam began, we took some time to have an open discussion about our trip and our opinions on the program as a whole. Personally, I really liked this, as the discussion also involved lots of reminiscing on the past few weeks. After our discussion, which was cut short at the one hour mark, we set to taking our exam.

Overall, the final was what I expected. As far as finals go, I thought it wasn’t as stressful as some of those taken on WKU’s campus, probably because we had all been immersed in the course for the duration of the trip. After the final, I for one was relieved. I think I can speak for everyone when I say it was such a wonderful feeling knowing we had the rest of the day to enjoy ourselves without the pressure of an impending quiz to study for or an essay to write.

Most of my classmates spent the rest of the day exploring the manor one last time, playing volleyball, or touring the gatehouse. After dinner, many people split off to pack and relax, and some played hide-and-go-seek on the property. With the extended curfew, a small group of students decided to take a midnight walk down the mile long driveway to view the façade of the manor house and look at the stars. Words cannot describe the view in the moonlight, and I feel that it was quite the experience spending our last night at Harlaxton like this. Truly it is something you have to experience yourself, as is the rest of this study abroad experience.

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Harlaxton 2016: Last Day of Class

August 4, 2016 | 2016 Harlaxton, 2016-2017, Avatars, Study Abroad, Tricia Thompson | No Comments

By: Tricia Thompson

The last day of class. Surreal to say the least. I think I speak for all of us when I say it feels like we landed in London only yesterday, yet it also feels like we’ve been here forever. Everyone woke up this morning with that slight sense of confusion about where the time had gone. Class this morning held our last quiz—poetry terms—and a discussion on the things we DIDN’T see in England during our trip; bumper stickers, lawnmowers, pickup trucks, railroad crossings, nacho cheese, and fast food, especially Taco Bell, were all among the things noticed as being absent from our lives for the past three weeks. The rest of class was spent preparing for the final exam over poetry tomorrow, and afterwards, everyone rushed off to lunch.

The afternoon was spent as downtime, with various groups using the sports hall, playing board games or Frisbee, watching movies, doing photoshoots on the grounds, or preparing for the final tomorrow. A major hit of the afternoon was the college store, which opened for the first and only time during our stay, allowing students to buy sweatshirts, T-shirts, postcards, and more. An incredible flautist group also staying at the manor held a concert that was open to all the Gatton students, so it became the hit of the evening before everyone buckled down to study. We all tried to make the most of some of our last bits of free time before having to start the bittersweet process of packing tomorrow. Our time may be winding down, but it is an experience we will never forget.

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Harlaxton 2016: D.H. Lawrence Field Trip

August 3, 2016 | 2016 Harlaxton, 2016-2017, Avatars, Study Abroad, Tyler Smith | No Comments

By: Tyler Smith

This morning we departed from the Harlaxton Manor to travel to Eastwood, England to visit the birthplace of D.H. Lawrence. Lawrence is a realistic fiction writer from the early 1900’s who writes about the darker, more scandalous side of life. Growing up in the coal-mining town of Eastwood, he was provided with a great amount of inspiration from the rugged and distinct characters he was surrounded by. His mother was an intelligent house-wife, very intent on educating her children, and his father was a common coal-miner, hard-working and simple in lifestyle.

It was an amazing experience to see the town D.H. Lawrence grew up in as it gave me a lot of insight on what went into the novels he wrote. Like many other novelists, D.H. Lawrence wrote about what he knew, and for him, it was the life of coal-miners. One of his novels, Sons and Lovers (a novel I recently acquired and have enjoyed), is simply an autobiographical story about himself and his family with a slight fictional twist. Another piece of his work, this time a short story titled “The Odour of Chrysanthemums,” details the real story of his uncle’s death in a coal mining accident and the response of his aunt, again, with a slight fictional twist. Lawrence combined his real world experiences and dark yet engaging writing to create a number of different captivating novels and short stories, which I myself have come to greatly enjoy.

I learned all of this information about Lawrence from the museum located at Lawrence’s birthplace, and aside from taking in all this knowledge, I was also able to purchase a copy of Lawrence’s novel Lady Chatterley’s Lover, for a mere two and a half pounds, and look upon the beautiful country side that surrounded the small community of houses. It was an amazing trip, and one of my favorite we’ve taken while in England. I am glad I was able to learn so much about an author that is quickly becoming one of my favorites, and I’m glad the academy chose this as one of the stops. I believe next year’s students will enjoy this trip as much as I did.

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