By Julia Gensheimer

On Friday, November 21, more than 20 Gatton students anxiously waited in line at the Great Escape 12 Theatre to see the first part of the final film of The Hunger Games trilogy. With popcorn, Sour Patch Kids, and Icees in hand, we took our seats, mentally prepping ourselves for the film. MockingJay, Part 1 picks up where Catching Fire left off, with our heroes underground in District 13. The games are over, but the violence has just begun. This film is high-action as the rebellion catches fire across the districts with Katniss as the rebel leader, or the Mockingjay. Emotions are high throughout the film – especially for viewers who read the book in seventh grade and completely forgot the plot line (me). I cried seven times. The film was filled with stellar performances by Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Donald Sutherland, Elizabeth Banks, and fan-favorite, Woody Harrelson.

Out of the three Hungers Games films, this clearly took on a darker tone. “It was really moving,” said senior Anna Mayo. “It was interesting to see the film franchise move in the direction that wasn’t centered on The Hunger Games. It was easy to see parallels between modern day revolutions and the film.” Many Gatton students reported feelings of high emotion and increased heart rate. We all left the theatre recapping our favorite scenes and lines. The overall reaction from Gatton students was that the film was actually better than the first part of the book. It was a vivid and intense Hollywood rendition—much better than many of us imagined the rebellion scenes when we read it at a younger age. With the final scene, we were left with an emotional cliff hanger that had us all wondering what would happen next. Then the screen went black and we remembered that this was only Part 1. Sadly, we were left hanging—anxious and emotional, and counting down the days to Mockingjay, Part 2.

Jenna Willett

The Academy is in its fifth week of classes and that means fifth week assessment for the students. What exactly is the fifth week assessment? To answer this query, April Gaskey, Coordinator of Academic Services, says, “The fifth week assessment is used by WKU to assess and identify students in 100 level courses that may need improvement. The Academy uses this assessment time to acquire grade information for all students in all courses. It is really a great way for us to identify the handful of students who are struggling, some of whom would never admit it, and get them the help they need on the front end.”

The fifth week is also an opportune time for professors to give exams or quizzes, which means the first taste of exam stress for some Academy students. It may be a strenuous time, but it is far from being a “pass or fail” moment for the students. If a student is struggling during fifth week assessment, that does not mean they cannot make it at the Academy. What it really means is that they need a little help and, thankfully, the Academy is fit to do just that. Tutors, study hours, office hours with professors, study plans, and weekly meetings with April are available to keep students on track to success.

If you are a parent reading this and wondering how your son or daughter is faring during this time, know that there are people willing to lend them a helping hand. Students here are doing fine and adjusting well to the work load. Learning to ask for and accept help is part of learning to be successful. Fifth week is just another week here at the Academy.

Julia Gensheimer

While the seniors went home, relaxed at the academy, or took the ACT this past weekend, the junior class spent Saturday and half of Sunday at Camp Loucon in Leitchfield, KY, for the annual leadership retreat. At the retreat, students participated in ice breakers, attended staff-led sessions on everything from relationships to self-discovery, and bonded with their classmates during campfires and starry night hikes. It was a great opportunity to get away from schoolwork and have fun.

The first activity involved writing personal qualities on a notecard and taping them up around the room. Juniors said that it was a good opportunity to make connections to others in a more comfortable atmosphere. Girl talks with Beth and April, and guy talks with Pokey made up the next session, all running over the allotted time. The third session introduced the Chair Theory, explaining that the legs of your chair are your core values and the pillows on your chair are your current interests. Students said that this helped them learn more about themselves. The retreat closed out with the famous Relationships 101 talk and a final message about creating a life mission and vision.

The junior class came back to the academy tired, but with plenty of inside jokes and stories to tell. Tidbits of conversations on Sunday night included stories of swimming across the lake, canoeing, pranks, and stargazing. Beth Hawke summarized the retreat well: “The junior leadership retreat accomplished two goals. Students were able to form stronger bonds with each other while also examining their visions, missions, and purposes for not only their Gatton careers but for their next five years.” An inspirational and fun trip made for a great weekend!

Kelly McKenna

Now that we are in the fourth week of classes, students are busy balancing classes, clubs, homework, socializing, and in some cases, research. Gatton Academy students are encouraged to participate in undergraduate research with professors on campus. Research is a common aspect of Academy life and although 82 percent of the senior class participated in an independent research project last year, research is not mandatory. Some seniors, such as Paul Hudson and Tyler Meeks, decided not to participate in research their junior year. They are starting research this semester along with many juniors.

One way to get involved in research early at the Academy is through the Genome Discovery and Exploration Program. This allows students to jump into research through a guided program that doubles as a class, providing a hands-on biology research experience. Through the Genome Program, students isolate bacteriophages and look for possible uses of them in the medical field. Juniors not involved in the Genome Program have also found research opportunities around campus in a variety of fields, including chemistry, computer science, psychology, mathematics, physics, and biology.

This past summer, many seniors participated in The Gatton Academy Research Internship Grant which allowed them to work on a project with a research mentor. While some students stayed close to home for the summer, students like Andrew Brown and Leeza Khenner traveled quite a way to conduct their research. Brown worked in Los Alamos, New Mexico and Khenner studied in Perm, Russia. The Research Internship Grant prepares students to participate in the Siemens Competition, a prestigious math and science competition for high school students. Almost 20 seniors and one junior are putting the final touches on their reports as they prepare for the September 30th deadline.

Along with entering research into competitions, students may also present their research at regional, state, and national conferences. Dana Biechele-Speziale, Gus Madsen, and Whitney Heard presented their work recently at the 42nd Annual Conference of the North American Thermal Analysis Society in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Other students traveled to Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Ashburn, Virginia to present their research this summer.

Josh Stewart

Recently, the Gatton Academy was named America’s top high school by The Daily Beast for the third year in a row. This astounding accomplishment was made possible by the hard work and commitment of each and every Gatton Academy student and staff member. It is thrilling to receive such a high commendation yet again.

For the students of Gatton, though, national rankings aren’t necessarily our top priority. For us, rankings come less as a goal we set to achieve, but more as a result of each person’s hard work and diligence. Dr. Lynette Breedlove, the Director here at Gatton, says, “It’s a bonus.” For us, this is a reward for the countless hours of studying and research each student participates in. It is a reward for the work and dedication each staff member invests in every student. It is a validation of the excellence we strive for each and every day.

One of the major contributing factors to which we can attribute our success is the outstanding support system we have as students. “It’s important to be student-centered,” says Dr. Breedlove. “The focus is on providing opportunities and support for students. The environment and partnership we have with WKU provides an opportunity for students to thrive and reach their optimal level of challenge. For very talented kids, you need to provide a supportive structure. It is important to maintain a good balance of providing for emotional needs and academic challenge.” We are not only attending college two years early as juniors and seniors in high school, we are doing things such as undergraduate research and studying abroad. Out of the 66 students in the class of 2015, 85% have studied abroad. We have Siemens Competition semi-finalists; we have numerous Goldwater recipients; we have National Merit Scholars. The talent displayed throughout the student body is simply astounding.

And of course, this is also a very prestigious honor. Dr. Breedlove says, “It’s exciting and I’m thrilled for the staff and the students because I think it increases available opportunities.” This ranking helps students in their search for internships, competitive scholarships, and colleges. Our applications stand out because those reviewing the applications know what Gatton Academy students have achieved and are capable of accomplishing. They know that we have what it takes to make Gatton Academy the number one public high school in the United States. It gives us a competitive edge. It is an example of how we can do anything we set our minds to, because how many students can say that they go to the number one high school in America? The answer is 128 of Kentucky’s best and brightest.

Tyler Meeks

Although we had a two-week longer break than our friends and schoolmates back home, it is finally time for the students of the Gatton Academy to return to class. Adventure Week is over, and now everyone is unwrapping their textbooks, finding their classrooms, and printing out their syllabi, eager to both begin and continue their education.

In the beginning, classes seem to be just as easy as they were in high school. The first day consists of meeting the teacher, going over the syllabus, and perhaps covering some new material. But after day one, it’s apparent that classes will be much more challenging than anticipated. The Algebra I that was covered in the first day of Calculus will soon be replaced with learning derivatives, limits, integrals, etc. At times, it can feel overwhelming, and there have been students who were unable to handle the pressure. All it takes to overcome these mixed emotions is a little hard work, perseverance, and utilization of one’s available resources.

Take, for instance, Computer Science I: a required class for all incoming juniors. The first day of CS I is spent talking about what is expected from the students, academic honesty, and a ten-minute introduction to a program called Picobot. When the CS lab was introduced the next day, junior Joshua Ray realized how hard the course might actually be. “At first, it was difficult to understand the concept,” Josh stated. “But once I figured out the structure, everything started to come together. Picobot is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.”

This opinion was shared by many other juniors. “The Java syntax was really confusing,” said junior Luke Miles. “And Picobot was also kind of obscure, but a couple of my senior friends, Cam Hubbard and Brian Carlson, were able to help me figure out how to do everything.”

Academy students have a wealth of resources available to help them succeed. Professors have office hours where they are free to meet with students and answer questions. Mandatory study hours help foster good studying skills and allow students to meet with tutors for some outside help. Students can also rely on each other for assistance. So, as we all get back in the saddle again, remember that working hard from the very beginning, pushing through when it seems impossible, and taking advantage of the resources that are available are key to being a successful Gatton student.

[fblike] Gretchen Walch

At the end of my junior year I recall the excitement our class had about meeting, befriending, and mentoring the in-coming juniors, class of 2015. We called them “our juniors” and in the words of senior Samantha Dinga, we wanted “to be their seniors!” It is safe to say that nearly all of the seniors wanted to be community leaders and the competition for these official positions was tight. To our excitement, now that everyone is moved in the seniors have 72 new friends—the juniors.

Any day of the week someone sitting on the fourth floor common area of the Gatton Academy can hear the voices rising from third floor commons. During the morning and afternoon there might be questions to seniors about CS homework or the tip tap of the keyboard writing a lab report. Throughout the evening it is full of laughter and the joined voices of juniors and seniors, discussing their favorite actors, meeting about yearbook, anime, or chatting about some of the professors we enjoy or the “nerdy” topics we “fan-girl over.”

Today I went on third floor and asked the juniors and seniors there what they thought about the relationship between the classes. Good news: the consensus is that we like each other.

[fblike] Aaron Brzowski

Preflight Check: Initiated.
Class of 2015 Accounted For: True.
Community Leaders Present: True.
Challenge Course Prepared: True.
Absence of uncertainty: False.
Preflight Check: Completed.
Launch.

It began as a day of uneasy feelings and a semi-willingness to learn to trust your fellow student. Eyes open, heads roll over to see the time. Some heads roll back over and eyes shut again to gain just a few more precious minutes of rest. Groggy-eyed and slightly irritated, the Class of 2015 and their senior Community Leaders piled onto buses and embarked into the unknown. The words “team building” by this point had been tossed around by Administration as much as an Ultimate Frisbee in the Colonnades, but no one knew that this exercise would strengthen not only the students as a unit, but also the students as an individuals. Activities ranged from small group activities to entire school activities spanning the clearing in the woods of the WKU Challenge Course. As an observer and leader, the element of the experience I most enjoyed witnessing (and occasionally participating in) was the personal bonds being created between classmates. One look and one could see the elation in a student’s eyes when someone responded in kind to a proclaimed thought such as: “Dr. Who is my favorite show!” or “I’ve played League of Legends for years!” Student will value these bonds through their Academy (and post Academy) experiences. Experiencing the woods with your peers is definitely beneficial as an activity to boost interconnected working, but what I feel is most beneficial is self-rediscovery when surrounded by accepting, intelligent, like-minded individuals.

[fblike] Gretchen Walch

Looking back on three weeks abroad in the United Kingdom it would be cliché to say the time flew by, and to be honest, it would be far from the truth. Thanks to Professor Rutledge, the class structure immersed us in English literature. He is both modern and classic; he was able to connect with us encouraging us to question the origins of the fictional works we read. The trip seemed to last an entire semester, because each field trip we took felt as if we tumbled down the rabbit hole into one of our stories. The class came to realize that authors write what they know, and we were able to walk, ramble (the English term for hiking), eat, relax, and play in the footsteps of the authors we studied.

Out of class, we explored in our free time or chatted on the planes, trains, taxis and coaches between destinations. It could be argued that each student made a new friend on this trip by bonding over amazing fish n’ chips, “fan-girling” over a shared interest, such as Harry Potter sites, or just sharing a nice conversation on a long train ride or over a game of Snooker (a British game similar to pool). Furthermore, everyone—staff, students and professors—could connect as we shared in the splendor of ancient architecture and the beauty of the rolling English countryside. As we rambled through the moors or on public footpaths; gawked at Big Ben, Salisbury Cathedral, 11th century homes, and Harlaxton Manor; and shopped in Oxford and Bath, we could not have been more thankful to have someone to share this experience with. We will not only remember the sites, but the people who saw them with us.