People – The Gatton Academy News

Senior Reflection: Josh Stewart – Making Adjustments

August 17, 2015 | News, People, Senior Reflection, Students | No Comments

It’s hard to believe it has been about a few months since graduation. It’s even harder to believe that I’m not in high school anymore. As much as an adjustment moving to the Academy was, going back to “normal” life is also somewhat of a challenge. Instead of constantly thinking about the closest due dates and the nearest exams, I’m busy staving off boredom. I have to remind myself frighteningly often that I no longer have to check Blackboard or Mastering Physics every hour. I’m getting used to driving again, and I no longer freak out when I check the time and realize I’m not home at 10:30 for a curfew check. I’m learning how to cook again, even as much as it pains me to pass a Subway or Chick-fil-a on the way home. Readjusting to life at home is a nice change, but I’d be lying if I said it was easy. Learning to cook, driving around busy downtown Louisville, and enjoying the company of my family are not difficult. Coming to terms with what I have left behind is.

Gatton was home for the past two years. My own house felt like more of a second home than Gatton did. Parting ways with the Gatton family was harder than moving away from my hometown of sixteen years. The bonds and friendships forged through my junior and senior years are unlike any I have ever had or will have. Never again will I connect in the same ways with such an exemplary group of individuals as I have. Those bonds were forged through countless hours of Super Smash Bros, endless TV, movie, and video game quotes and references, some tireless nights of horribly terrific dancing, and the occasional sleepless nights spent in conversation or in preparation for a trip to Waffle House at six in the morning. I will miss living in the same building with some of the closest friends I’ve ever had.

Senior year just may have been the best year of my life thus far; 2015 was a great year to be a senior at the Gatton Academy. It has been a very exciting year. Gatton was again named the top high school in the nation, plans to expand the Academy were officially announced, and some truly awesome faculty and staff were welcomed in to the Gatton family. General Bolden, astronaut and director of NASA, dropped in to say hi to us students. Bill Nye stopped by to speak exclusively with some lucky Gatton students before giving the whole of WKU an excellent show. Jody Richards, Governor Beshear, and Mr. Gatton himself were welcomed to the Academy for an afternoon of celebration with students, staff, guests, and parents. And who could forget the generosity of Mother Nature and Skipper Bob? About two cumulative weeks of cancelled class provided some excellent opportunities for popcorn, guiltless all-nighters, and huge, precision-engineered blanket forts. The class of 2015 is, in a way, the end of an era. We are the last graduating class to have walked the halls of the current Florence Schneider Hall. Things will never quite be the same at Gatton after this year, but that surely isn’t a bad thing.

Leaving behind Gatton is a lot more complicated than just leaving Florence Schneider Hall. It’s leaving behind your fondest memories. It’s leaving behind some of the coolest people you’ve ever known, some that you’ll keep up with and stay close to for the rest of your life and some you might never see again. It’s even leaving behind a culture you’ve helped craft and come to call your own. But we leave knowing that we are thoroughly prepared to face almost any challenge that college life might throw at us, something that only a handful of high school students can say with such confidence.

With that being said, I have a few final words. To the class of 2015: thanks for the memories and the best years of my life. To the class of 2016: it’s been a privilege, and I can’t wait to read your senior reflections and hear about how awesome your senior year was. And to the upcoming class of 2017: buckle up, because you’re about to board an emotional rollercoaster of lows and highs, but it will be the best ride of your life, I guarantee it.

By Gatton Academy

Senior Reflection: Julia Gensheimer – #Memories: Reflecting on My Two Years at Gatton

June 26, 2015 | Alumni, People, Senior Reflection | No Comments

By: Julia Gensheimer

After writing a commencement speech, signing yearbooks, and making multiple #tbt collages, I’ve done a lot of reflecting on my two years at Gatton. As an avatar, I’ve enjoyed sharing my “Gatton love” with prospective students, legislators, family, friends, and random college students throughout the year. Lots of people, places, stories, and inside jokes come to mind when I think back on my two years (#dontgochasingwaterfalls). I could spend hours talking about my classes, research, and adventures abroad, but what I remember most when I think about Gatton is the community.

I see students sitting in the hallway at 3 AM working long hours to debug their code during junior year CS and CPS classes. I think of Kindergarten days, water balloon fights, and Ultimate games. I remember the late night conversations on wing and the obsession with Netflix. I remember the impromptu stops on third floor to see some of the most hilarious, hard-working, and compassionate people I had the privilege to call friends and chat about TV shows, Buzzfeed articles, funny YouTube videos, or new scientific theories. That’s not even mentioning the best staff a school could ask for. The Gatton staff are people who will buy you food, listen to your rants, give great life advice, and support you through every application, project, or exam.

As I reminisce on my time at Gatton, I’m sad that I am no longer a “Gatton kid”. However, as a graduate and alumnae (what?!?), I am excited to see what the future holds for my class and other members of the Gatton family. Coming to Gatton was definitely one of the best decisions of my life. Thanks to Gatton, I’ve become a better student and person. Now, as I prepare for what we like to call “real college”, I have the tools to make a successful transition. I’ve learned study skills, how to navigate a college campus, and dorm life. Most importantly, I’ve learned that experiences like Gatton are what you make of them. Take the advice of my childhood hero, Hannah Montana: “Life’s what you make it, so let’s make it rock.”

To future students, enroll in classes you are excited about. Conduct research. Join clubs. Study abroad. Learn a new language. Make friends. Seek out opportunities. Maximize your meal plans. Listen to the advice of your teachers and staff members. Work hard. Be grateful. Do your best. And while you’re doing all of that, don’t forget to have fun! Gatton isn’t a “prison for the intellectual” – it’s a home. Cherish the late nights, inside jokes, trips, dinners, activities, and people. It’s only two years. Make them the best they can be.

Without Gatton and WKU, I wouldn’t have the opportunities I have now. I’m looking forward to the years ahead and am grateful to know that I’ll always have a home at Gatton. To those who know this inside joke, we’ve experienced Gatton and now we’ll “fly away to real college”. It’s time to spread our wings and fly, guys. Thanks for the good times and I better be sure to see each and every one of you all at the reunion!

By Gatton Academy

Senior Reflection: Jenna Willett

June 15, 2015 | Alumni, Graduation, People, Students, Summer | No Comments

Gatton Academy: A home away from home. It even has a mom-away-from-mom, Beth Hawke! Never in my wildest dreams had I ever thought that I would find a community that challenged me frequently, yet felt like a place of belonging.

The first semester of my junior year was really imposing. What with difficult curriculum and adjusting to living away from home, it was no wonder that I felt homesickness a couple of months in. However, I made it through that first semester—with plentiful help from family, fellow students, and staff—and such an accomplishment bolstered my determination and love for Gatton.

After that first, arduous, never-ending semester, every other semester seemed to pass in the blink of the eye. There was still hard work to be done, but it was easier after learning how to deal with things. Usually help came in the form of communication with my peers and family. Sometimes it came from a tutor. Whatever the case, I learned that asking others for help was not shameful. On the contrary, it was very beneficial! I do not think I ever would have known the beauty of questions if not for attending Gatton.

The best thing about Gatton for me, over all the wonderful opportunities it provides, was the community. As I said before, I never was challenged as much in my life while still feeling an utter sense of belonging. Whether discussing new science phenomena or beloved book series, getting help on a math problem or a relationship issue, there was always the feeling that I was with “my people.” I will miss the friends made at Gatton more than anything, but I cannot help but be entirely grateful for those friendships. Gatton has helped me beyond belief.

By Gatton Academy

Alice in Wonderland – 2015 Prom

April 27, 2015 | News, People, Student Life, Students | No Comments

By: Lydia Buzzard

On April 18th, WKU’s sidewalks were littered in sequins and glitter—the breadcrumb trails of Gatton Academy Prom. Students and their families spread out across campus for photos before the big event at 7pm, when the Augustein Alumni Center saw a procession of dresses and tuxedos enter its doors.

Inside the ballroom one could find Alice in Wonderland themed decorations: chess pieces, colorful bouquets, and empty souvenir bottles tagged “Drink Me,” tastefully adorned our dining tables. After voting for prom king, queen, prince, and princess, we sat down to dinner.

Dancing began at 8:15 with a lively, electric opening move by Academy junior Graham Reynolds. From that point forward, any exams, projects, or presentations plaguing us were nowhere to be found; it was a welcome evening of forgetting. Bass lines and catchy choruses united two classes and their guests as a single mob of teenagers fighting midnight.

At 10:30, this year’s prom royalty was crowned. D.J. Price and Eura Shin were named prom prince and princess, respectively. Meredith Bickett took home the prom queen sash, and Morgan Blair was named prom king, a promotion from his previous title as 2014’s prom prince.

One of the most memorable moments of the night was the last. The final song of prom was Billy Joel’s “Piano Man.” With the opening harmonica riff, the dancing mob calmed, formed a circle on the dance floor, wrapped arms around each other, and swayed with the music, shouting the lyrics as loudly as we could. Of the Academy students in that circle, some of us were ending our Gatton careers while others were just beginning, but those futures would have to wait. For now, we had each other and a song that we all knew, and that was more than enough.

By Gatton Academy

Gatton Academy Adventure Week: Seniors Return!

August 24, 2014 | News, Student Life, Students | 1 Comment

Rena Ryumae & Jack Wassom

In the pouring rain, the seniors finally moved into Schneider hall to start off the year. An unlucky few came into the building dripping wet, as they tried to get their belongings up to their rooms. After getting settled in, some meeting their roommates for the first time, we were soon rushed to the 4th floor common area to meet with Beth. At our “re-orientation” meeting, we were saw her renowned naming display as she went around the room and rattled off every student’s first and last name.

Due to the on-and-off rain, many wings decided to order take out food from an assortment of places. Nevertheless, a few students braved the rain and ended up at the Mellow Mushroom where there was an hour plus wait. Their patience and “courage” was well worth it as Mellow was celebrating their 40th anniversary with great food specials. In addition to the great food, there was even a guitar player, who walked around the restaurant, grabbing knifes and using them as guitar slides! The food and entertainment made for a great dinner with new friends.

To end the busy day, students met with their residential counselors for their first official wing meeting. From rules to laughs, we were able to get to know our floor better. For some, this meant the beginning of some great inside jokes and for others it meant the sharing of silly disaster stories. Following the meeting, some of us went on to watch comedy while others went straight to bed. So whether it was late night laughs or bone chilling rain, senior move in day was great!

By Gatton Academy

Alumni Spotlight: Wayne Schmitt (Class of 2013, Montgomery County)

April 15, 2014 | 5Q, Alumni, News | 1 Comment

Can you describe your experience at the Gatton Academy?
That is kind of difficult to put into words because there are so many things about Gatton that are almost indescribable. I was challenged in ways that I had never been before. I was able to do research and have an early look at what college might be like. However, I think most of all, it provided such an incredible and open community, one necessary for the thriving of gifted students from across the state. We were able to look at each other’s accomplishments and struggles and see that we were all in this together. We were there for each other, during the good and the bad. These two years were created from the group effort of over 120 students and staff members. I made so many great friends, many of whom I miss so much. Given the opportunity, I would give them a place to stay here in Philadelphia in a heartbeat. If I had to go back, I would definitely do it again.

How have your experiences at the Gatton Academy helped you in your adult life?
Although I can say that my experiences here at the University of Pennsylvania have been much different and more challenging than at Gatton, I definitely can say that it gave me a good foundation for higher education. Gatton also gave me many opportunities to show how involved I was in and out of the classroom. It also was an opportunity to live and work with a more diverse population of students. Everyone from Gatton came from a different background, and Gatton provided us with a safe place to express our ideas and opinions. Also, I think that the Gatton Academy allowed me to be more fully responsible for myself; no longer were my parents telling me to clean my room or wake up in the morning. This definitely prepared me for the all the self-responsibility I now have in college.

Since the Academy what have you been up to?
I have been studying at the University of Pennsylvania, trying to balance school with my work study and extracurricular organizations. I hope to get involved in ecology research in next fall. Before classes started, I took part in an amazing pre-orientation program called PennGreen where I learned a lot about sustainability practices and environmental health, while also making new friends in the process. With clubs and extracurricular activities, I am involved in the Freshmen Fuerza, a Latino cultural group for freshmen, Penn Environmental Group, and some of the LGBT groups on campus.

What do you aspire to achieve in the next ten years?
I hope to go to grad school for biology and to become a research biologist/ecologist. I want the work that I do to have a positive impact on the conservation of animals, ecosystems, and the environment as a whole. On the side, I hope to have made at least a few short films along the way to show my love of film and filmmaking. I have no specific plan in mind, but of course there is still plenty of time for that.

What was your favorite memory from your time at the Gatton Academy?
There are so many great memories from Gatton, it is so difficult to pick just one. I definitely enjoyed the 4+ hour one-on-ones with my RC talking about everything from religion and philosophy to “Why does Avril Lavigne sing Radiohead at the top of her lungs?” There were definitely the beautiful days, sitting out on the Colonnade steps, and eating “Pizza Tacos” (i.e. Pizza from DaVinci’s + 2 Tacos from Izzi’s made into a delicious sandwich). However, some of my favorite memories were formed during the week before classes started my senior year. Being able to spend time with the other community developers and Avatars was such a wonderful experience without the stress from classes.

We would like to thank Wayne for taking time out of his busy schedule to be interviewed.

By Gatton Academy

What Dreams Are Made Of

January 16, 2014 | International, News, Students | No Comments

[fblike] Samantha Dinga

Italy 2014: Take 1 – My personal Italy experience didn’t go exactly as expected. On New Year’s Day, I met the Gatton group at the Nashville airport bright and early only to find that my passport had expired one month before our departure date. That put a bit of a damper on things. So I sent my friends off with hugs and promises that I’d meet them there, and waited for my mother to come and take me to Atlanta’s regional Passport offices. After three days of scrambling and watching as tons of beautiful pictures were posted, with the help of my lovely mother, I finally had a shiny new passport in my hands.

Italy 2014: Take 2, City 1 – After long flights from Atlanta to Paris and finally to Venice, I finally met Tim in Venice’s airport, and we took a train (sadly no Venetian canals for me) to meet our group in Florence. I was met at the hotel at around 9 pm by a group of my friends, with hugs, and a lot of complaining that I had to unpack quickly because they had waited to eat dinner for me. We walked outside to see Florence still lit up for the Christmas season, passing the beautiful and massive il Duomo just a few blocks from our hotel. We spent the next few days seeing beautiful sculptures such as the statue of David, being toured around Dante’s hometown, singing together in cathedrals with wonderful acoustics, and posing like the tourists we were in front of Pisa.

Italy 2014: Take 2, City 3 – We bussed from Venice to Rome, and proceeded to all become Lizzie Maguire, frolicking around Rome knowing that this is in fact what dreams are made of. We found what we consider to be the best gelato in all of Italy, and ate what was probably the best meal of my life in a small hole-in-the-wall restaurant. Seriously, I don’t know what was in the lasagna, but it was probably magic. We spent our time in Rome going through all of the major destinations, such as the Coliseum, which had a habit of popping out of nowhere as we bussed from tour to tour despite its size. We saw the Trevi Fountain (which was even more than Lizzie Maguire made me believe), visited the ruins of Pompeii, and went down to the Vatican City and the Sistine Chapel, where some of us even got to return and be blessed by Pope Francis himself!

Italy 2014: A Summation – There is no question about why the world raves about the magnificent art in Italy. Even the hallways and ceilings were breathtaking, not to mention the exhibits themselves. The food is worth every hour we flew, and I am convinced that I will be disappointed at every meal I eat for the next few weeks as a result. Outside of all of our touring, I met a lot of great people as I travelled. Though I’ve lived with everyone on the trip for (at least) a semester, I believe that I’ve forged friendships that are tied forever by the bonds that only 10 Euro gelato, Tim Talks about our dreams themselves, storytelling during Mafia card games, countless rounds of our favorite Spaghetti-Western card game “Bang!”, and dozens of verses of “the ants go marching…” can create. Italy was beautiful, as are all of the great people I had the privilege to travel with. This was in fact what dreams are made of.

By Gatton Academy

Class of 2013 Survey

January 13, 2014 | Alumni | No Comments

By Gatton Academy

Alumni Spotlight: Katie Brown

September 12, 2013 | Alumni, News | No Comments

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Can you describe your experience at the Gatton Academy?
The Academy made my last two years of high school more meaningful; it challenged me academically while introducing me to a unique social environment. Being thrown into the Academy together meant that everyone already had something in common to bond over. I made some of the best friends of my life, kick-started my education with 78 college credits, and participated in research, all thanks to the Academy.

How have your experiences at the Gatton Academy helped you in your adult life?
The Academy accented my driven personality making me aware of the new academic opportunities. I loved the research I did through the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at the University of Michigan the summer after I graduated, but I continue to interact with people who don’t even know that REU’s exist. The Academy introduced me to lots of research and scholarship opportunities that most college students don’t know about. Once I started my post-Academy undergraduate education my resume allowed me to obtain any research position that I was interested in. These research experiences and my drive to seek out opportunities contributed to me getting my dream job.

Since the Academy, what have you been up to?
After graduating from the Academy I interned at the University of Michigan in the Space Physics Research Lab analyzing upper atmospheric winds before starting at the Georgia Institute of Technology in the fall of 2010. I spent my spring semester abroad at Georgia Tech-Lorraine and the fall interning at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab analyzing the properties of thermal waves on Saturn. Returning to Georgia Tech, I pursued some great research which allowed me to work with micro air vehicles in disturbed wind fields and lead an inflatable wing design team. I graduated with my degree in Aerospace Engineering in May 2013 and spent a month traveling around Europe before moving to Seattle to start my job at Boeing.
Currently, with my job as a Flight Test Engineer, I have been on several flights testing autopilot and related communication systems on various Boeing aircraft. Lately, I have been preparing test plans for Boeing’s newest airplane the 787-9 stretched Dreamliner. Getting to fly on planes as a part of my job is a dream come true, an example of what a flight test engineer does can be seen here: http://www.boeing.com/Features/2011/04/bca_747-8F_roller_coaster_04_11_11.html

What do you aspire to achieve in the next ten years?
I hope to finish my private pilot’s license within the next couple months and start my Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering through Boeing by next fall. My current profession is extremely rewarding and I have a current fascination with the possibility of becoming a flight test pilot. Ultimately, I would like to become an astronaut, fingers crossed on making that happen in the next 10 years.

What was your favorite memory from your time at the Gatton Academy?
Most of my favorite Academy memories come from everyday experiences: running to curfew, crashing on the yellow couch after class, Gretchen and I almost killing ourselves rearranging our room dozens of times, tie dying on the hall, realizing coffee is my 8am savior, and the excitement that came from reuniting after a closed weekend or vacation.

We would like to thank Katie for taking time out of her busy schedule to be interviewed.

By Gatton Academy

Academy Alumni Spotlight: Chris Obermeyer

September 5, 2013 | Alumni, News | No Comments

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Can you describe your experience at the Gatton Academy?
My experiences at the Academy were the most enlightening times of my entire life. When I was there I was deeply struggling with who I was as an individual and learning to come to terms with things that I could not change. I had no clue what I really wanted to do for the rest of my life, but I knew that I had a strong ability in math and science. The person that walked through the door on the first day of orientation was almost entirely different from the person that graduated from WKU only 3 years later. My experience at the Academy was filled with laughter, good memories, and amazing friends that I will never forget. While we certainly had our hard times, my peers became the family that supported me through thick and thin. They were there and loved me even as I struggled with loving myself. They opened my eyes in ways that I can’t even begin to calculate or put into words. Many of them don’t know the impacts they had on me or the courage that I found in them. When I look back I know that I was in the right place with the right people. The experience was beautiful and one that has forever shaped my future.

How have your experiences at the Gatton Academy helped you in your adult life?
Wow, that’s a crazy loaded question. It was at Gatton that I learned how to trust others and love others. I will never forget the talks that Andrew Gott and I had about love and how it must be the most perfect thing in the Universe. Many of those talks shaped my worldview and have enabled me to become the person I am today. Seeing the love that Tim showed each of us and his family taught me what it meant to be a loving individual, an amazing dad and a wonderful husband. In my classes I was pushed more than I ever had been in my entire life. I learned that it’s okay to struggle and it’s sometimes necessary to ask for help. My classes prepared me for graduate school and teaching in high poverty urban schools.

Since the Academy, what have you been up to?
I’ve been busy since I graduated from the Academy in 2009. I finished my B.S. in Biology and Religious Studies at WKU in 2010. That fall I moved to Washington, DC to begin my Ph.D in Biological Sciences at the George Washington University. After a short time there I found myself unhappy but completely in love with teaching(I was a TA there). I applied for DC Teaching Fellows and started teaching the following summer. I received full teaching credentials to teach Secondary Biology. At my school I have been rated a highly effective teacher and have held many additional positions both at the school and district level. Last year I organized the first(or one of the first) LGBTQ Pride Day’s in a public high school. It was the first for the District of Columbia. The Mayor attended along with 25+ LGBTQ organizations and 70+ volunteers. The events are spreading this year as I seek to put the initiative in more schools throughout the region with the support of many non-profits and the District of Columbia’s Public Schools. I expect to be appointed to the Mayor’s Advisory Board for GLBT Affairs in the next couple of weeks. Soon I will be responsible for helping to implement the District’s new anti-bullying policy and will be serving on several panels to help make the community aware of the issues that students face on a regular basis. A few weeks ago I finished my M.Ed at American University focusing on Education Policy and Leadership.

What do you aspire to achieve in the next ten years?
This is probably the most difficult question to answer. Right now I’m looking to either find a non-profit to be a fiscal sponsor for my high school programs or to start my own non-profit. I don’t have any intentions of leaving the classroom but am strongly committed to creating change for LGBTQ students in schools across the country starting with DC. I’ve toyed with the idea of running for council in the next ten years but for now I’m not sure. I do know that I want to continue to change lives by having an impact on the kids that walk through my door everyday. The professors at WKU and the staff at the Academy instilled in me the importance of doing what makes you happy and helps others. The rest will take care of itself.

What was your favorite memory from your time at the Gatton Academy?
There are so many favorite memories that I have from the Academy. I could talk about trying to figure out how many marshmallows I could fit in my mouth with Katie Riley, Kaitlin Hartley or Manny Cortez while playing “I’m A Chubby Bunny”. Maybe it was playing frisbee out by FAC and having the time of my life with Luke Akridge and so many others. Perhaps it was the ski trips where I ended up just playing in the snow because I had no ability to stand up when on a slippery surface. It might be eating so much corn on the cob that I got sick just so we could make a corn pyramid to put on the conveyer belt at DUC. There are so many beautiful memories that I had at the Academy it has become impossible to pinpoint which was my favorite. I think my favorite memory from my time at the Academy is happening right now as I reminisce on how perfect the whole experience was. I was a caterpillar in a cocoon that had a transformation to undergo. The Academy was my cocoon and I have come out stronger, better, and ready to take on the world.

We would like to thank Chris for taking time out of his schedule to be interviewed.

By Gatton Academy

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