Gatton Academy Selects 95 Students for Class of 2026
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WKU) — The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky has selected 95 Kentucky sophomores for the Class of 2026, marking The Gatton Academy’s 19th incoming class.
“The Class of 2026 is made up of remarkable young people interested in pursuing STEM careers and who are looking for advanced academic opportunities,” said the Director of The Gatton Academy, Dr. Lynette Breedlove. “These outstanding students have been engaged in their communities and sought opportunities to grow and help others.”
Applicants were evaluated based on ACT/SAT scores, high school grades, awards and accomplishments, extracurricular activities, responses to essay and short answer questions, and recommendation forms. In addition to these criteria, candidates were invited to interview with WKU faculty members, community leaders from across the Commonwealth, and Gatton Academy alumni.
Students from 40 counties make up the Class of 2026. Among the students accepted include either the fourth or fifth students accepted in The Gatton Academy’s 16-year history from the following counties: Garrard, Metcalfe, and Bourbon. Overall, The Gatton Academy has had students attend from 117 of Kentucky’s 120 counties.
The mission of The Gatton Academy is to provide a residential program on the campus of Western Kentucky University for bright, highly motivated Kentucky high school students who have demonstrated interests in pursuing advanced careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Students enhance their creativity, curiosity, reasoning ability, and self-discipline through the companionship of peers, university courses, faculty-led research, and study abroad, preparing them for leadership roles in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Moreover, The Gatton Academy assists in preparing Kentucky to compete in a knowledge-based economy by increasing the number of scientists and engineers with ties to the state.
“It is a pleasure to welcome these students to The Gatton Academy,” stated Dr. Julia Roberts, Executive Director of The Gatton Academy and Mahurin Professor of Gifted Education. “The young people in Gatton’s Class of 2026 represent Kentucky in many ways, carrying out the goal of The Gatton Academy to enable Kentucky’s exceptional young scientists and mathematicians to learn in an environment that offers advanced educational opportunities and develop as future leaders for the Commonwealth.”
Students will complete their junior and senior years of high school living in Florence Schneider Hall. At the end of their two-year course of study, students will graduate from high school with a minimum of 60 college credit hours and an Associate Degree of Interdisciplinary Studies from Western Kentucky University.
The Gatton Academy provides a rich living and learning environment designed specifically for academically talented adolescent students that features clubs, organizations, and community service. Additionally, students are able to participate in advanced research with WKU faculty members. Research conducted during students’ time at The Gatton Academy has been honored in the nationally competitive Regeneron Science Talent Search, Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair, and published in scientific journals. Study abroad opportunities allow students to participate in global learning experiences in locations such as Costa Rica and England.
The Gatton Academy is Kentucky’s first state-supported, two-year residential program for high school students with interests in advanced science and math careers and is one of only 15 such programs in the nation. The Gatton Academy is a recipient of the 2022 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award from Insight Into Diversity Magazine and the Innovation Partnership Award from the National Consortium for Secondary STEM Schools.
Students selected for The Gatton Academy’s Class of 2026:
(Students are organized by county of residence, with their sending school in parenthesis.)
Barren County
Justin Colgate (Caverna High School) – Brian Thuotte, Amanda Colgate of Cave City
Antonio Reyna (Barren County High School) – Enrique Reyna, Jenifer Reyna of Cave City
Boone County
Aryan Chinthala (Larry A. Ryle High School) – Anand Chinthala and Amaravathi of Union
Eric Hebenstiel (Randall K. Cooper High School) – Katrin Hebenstiel of Union and Bjoern Hebenstiel of Ft. Mitchell
Nicholas Sugimoto (Larry A. Ryle High School) – Monika Sugimoto, Shinichiro Sugimoto of Walton
Avery Trenkamp (Boone County High School) – Alicia Trenkamp, Tony Trenkamp of Petersburg
Bourbon County
Rowan Bailey (Sayre High School) – C. Scott Bailey and Stasia Bembenek Bailey of Paris
Breckinridge County
Katie Morgan (Grayson County High School) – Dave and Missy Morgan of Leitchfield
Bullitt County
Rue Brown (Bullitt East High School) – Katie Vansteen of Mt. Washington
Alexander “Lex” Patterson (Bullitt Advanced Math and Science Program) – Adam and Amanda Patterson of Mt. Washington
Austin Wooden (Bullitt Advanced Math and Science Program/North Bullitt High School/Riverview Opportunity Center) – Chad and Amanda Wooden of Louisville
Calloway County
Amber Wu (Calloway County High School) – Juyoung Song and Mingyang Wu of Murray
Campbell County
Flynn Cook (Highlands High School) – Melissa Price and Tim Cook of Fort Thomas
Christian County
Adelaide Ogilvy (Hopkinsville High School) – Amanda Hill and Ryan Ogilvy of Hopkinsville
Crittenden County
Macie Conger (Crittenden County High School) – Michael and Marcie Conger of Marion
Daviess County
Logan Robinson (Daviess County High School) – Matthew and Kelly Robinson of Owensboro
Edmonson County
Brayden Johnson (Edmonson County High School) – Brad and Jodi Johnson of Bee Spring
Fayette County
Helen Rose (Henry Clay High School) – Jennifer R. Wies and Jeff West of Lexington
Ash Sheehan (Frederick Douglass High School) – Dan Sheehan, Liz Sheehan of Lexington
Becca Wills (Henry Clay High School) – Amy and Jeff Wills of Lexington
Garrard County
Natalie Ryan Clark (Garrard County High School) – Jared and Amanda Clark of Lancaster
Graves County
Rexley Ferguson (Graves County High School) – Joel and Teresa Ferguson of Wingo
Grayson County
Morgan Glasscock (Grayson County High School) – Kenny and Diana Glasscock of Leitchfield
Hardin County
Alaina Arrollo (John Hardin High School) – Natasha Kondrasiewicz and Shawn Bowers of Elizabethtown
Latisha Atkinson (North Hardin High School) – Claudiann Atkinson of Vine Grove
Riley Browder (North Hardin High School) – Miller and Shannon Browder of Rineyville
Eli King (Thomas Nelson High School) – Niki and Adam King of Elizabethtown
Serenity Tate (John Hardin High School) – Scott and Amanda Tate, Shannon Tate of Elizabethtown
Cameron Wood (Central Hardin High School) – Tyler Wood and Amanda Kennedy of Cecilia
Hart County
Talia Ellis (Hart County High School) – Marcus and Lindsay Ellis of Munfordville
Tyler Robert Harper (Hart County High School) – Ashley Elizabeth Harper, John Robert Harper of Munfordville
Henry County
Sophia K. Thomas (Sacred Heart Academy) – Julie and Jose Thomas of Pendelton
Hopkins County
Lucy Gast (Madisonville North Hopkins High School) – Christi and Bruce Gast of Madisonville
Virginia Nance Woehler (Madisonville North Hopkins High School) – Rachel and Eric Nance Woehler of Madisonville
EJ Williams (Madisonville North Hopkins High School) – Charity and Kevin Williams of Manitou
Jefferson County
Partha Krishiv Dukka (duPont Manual High School) – Bindu and Satya Kalyan Dukka of Louisville
Lori Fitzgerald (Fern Creek High School) – Amanda and Adam Goins of Louisville
Himani Gangumolu (Ballard High School) – Ravi and Anu Gangumolu of Louisville
Vedant Garg (duPont Manual High School) – Geetika Garg, Sameer Garg of Louisville
Vidhi Grover (duPont Manual High School) – Sumit Grover and Shweta Mutneja of Louisville
Daniel Quinn Hall (duPont Manual High School) – Mary Shea Hall, Robert Travis Hall of Louisville
Rowan Hall (duPont Manual High School) – Mary Shea Hall, Robert Travis Hall of Louisville
Sanam N. Krishnani (Sacred Heart Academy) – Naresh and Shweta Krishnani of Louisville
Benjamin Lee (duPont Manual High School) – Steven Lee, Ella Lee, and Kelly Parks of Louisville
Prthu Naik (duPont Manual High School) – Vinayak Naik and Smita Narasapur of Louisville
Peicen Yu (Atherton High School) – Feilan Chen and Jianchao Yu of Louisville
Kenton County
Roby Hardesty (Dixie Heights High School) – Ryan Hardesty and Janine Hardesty of Edgewood
Elaine Zeiser (Simon Kenton High School) – Michael Zeiser and Bridget McClure of Crittenden
LaRue County
Grace Fulkerson (LaRue County High School) – Kenneth and Julia Fulkerson of Hodgenville
Laurel County
Areej Ali (North Laurel High School) – Hafiz Sroya, Adeela Bashir of London
Zaid Salim (North Laurel High School) – Mazhar and Nida Salim of London
Lincoln County
Kendall Smith (Lincoln County High School) – Tim and Paula Playforth Smith of Stanford
Logan County
Lauren Coursey (Russellville High School) – Lee and Amanda Coursey of Russellville
Madison County
Chris Gachagua (Model Laboratory School) of Richmond
Youngwoo Kim (Model Laboratory School) – Jiyeon Park, Seungho Kim of Richmond
Lydia Willmes (Berea Community High School) – Will and Jess Willmes of Richmond
Marshall County
Sam Martin (Marshall County High School) – Beth Kerrick, Chris Kerrick, Josh Martin, Doreen Liu of Benton
Ava Smith (Mayfield High School) – Emilee Dillingham of Benton
Addison Roberts (Marshall County High School) – Brian and Lori Roberts of Gilbertsville
McCracken County
Maxwell Tolar (Paducah Tilghman High School) – Rheanel Tolar, Blair Tolar of Paducah
Metcalfe County
Ande Slinker (Barren County High School) – Todd and Leea Martin Slinker of Horse Cave
Oldham County
Mitchell Marcum (Oldham County High School) – Tanya Marcum, Gregory Marcum of La Grange
Alrose Noronha (South Oldham High School) – Alston and Roseline Noronha of Crestwood
Logan Potts (Oldham County High School) – Joesph and Lisa Potts of La Grange
Perry County
Chancey Hurley (Perry County Central High School) – Jessie Hurley, April Moore of Chavies
Noah Jent (Perry County Central High School) – Heather Costello of Sassafras
Rowan County
Ryan Yang (Rowan County Senior High School) – Ming Zheng of Morehead
Scott County
Sophie Norsworthy (Scott County High School) – Jeffery Norsworthy, Amy Norsworthy Sanders of Georgetown
Landon Patton (Scott County High School) – John Patton and Shanna Patton of Georgetown
Andrea Shaw (Great Crossing High School) – Chris and Whitney Shaw of Georgetown
Shelby County
Dominic R. Sileo (Henry County High School/ILEAD Academy) – Dan and Michele Sileo of Shelbyville
Simpson County
Adriana Williams (Franklin Simpson High School) – Megumi Williams of Franklin
Spencer County
Isiah E. Byrd (Spencer County High School) – Kathryn and Garrett Bowling of Fisherville
Jacob Cano Mauricio (Spencer County High School) – Gabriel and Brittney Cano Mauricio of Taylorsville
Anabelle Thompson (Spencer County High School) – Arrell and Dee Thompson of Taylorsville
Todd County
Bryan Michael Zimmerman (Todd County Central High School) – Bryan and Elizabeth Zimmerman of Trenton
Warren County
Hosamulhaq Brula (South Warren High School) – Huma Qadir and Abdul Qadir Brula of Bowling Green
Trisha Chhabra (Bowling Green High School) – Shalini Chhabra, Sandeep Chhabra of Bowling Green
Sena Er (Bowling Green High School) – Aynur and Ali Er of Bowling Green
Harper Ferrell (Bowling Green High School) – Becky Valentine and Tammy Ferrell of Bowling Green
Keaton Garrison (South Warren High School) – Dennis and Rachel Garrison of Bowling Green
Korrin Green (South Warren High School) – Kimball and Kimberly Green of Bowling Green
Robert Holley (Bowling Green High School) – R. Wolf Holley and Tiffany Holley of Bowling Green
Leo Martinez (Warren East High School) – Leo and Amber Martinez of Bowling Green
Amogh Patnaik (South Warren High School) – Sujit Patnaik and Ritu Parija of Bowling Green
Enmanuel Ramirez (Greenwood High School) – Mabel Monteagudo of Bowling Green
Neha Reddy (Bowling Green High School) – Chandrasekhar and Dr. Karuna Reddy of Bowling Green
Kaylee Rouse (Homeschool) – Ryan and Tiffany Rouse of Bowling Green
Quin Suchy (South Warren High School) – Don Suchy and Kirstin Suchy of Bowling Green
Maggie Sun (South Warren High School) – Alyssa Cao and David Sun of Bowling Green
Whitley County
Kambree Bunch (Whitley County High School) – Krystal Miracle and Joshua Bunch of Williamsburg
Cameron Collett (Whitley County High School) – Samantha and Chris Collett of Williamsburg
Kara Fuson (Corbin High School) – Adam and Amanda Fuson of Corbin
Woodford County
Maya Akwi Atanga (Woodford County High School) – Fonyam and Shana Atanga of Versailles
About The Gatton Academy: Established in 2007, The Gatton Academy is Kentucky’s first residential two-year program for gifted and talented juniors and seniors. The Gatton Academy’s students enroll as juniors and are full-time WKU students pursuing their interests in advanced science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The Gatton Academy is a recipient of the 2022 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award from Insight Into Diversity Magazine and the Innovation Partnership Award from the National Consortium for Secondary STEM Schools.
