PRESS RELEASE
Glasgow News 1
On Saturday, May 4, The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science graduated 89 students from across Kentucky in its 17th graduating class.
The ceremony took place at Van Meter Hall and was broadcast online for extended friends and family to enjoy. Lynette Breedlove, director of The Gatton Academy, opened the day’s ceremony by recognizing Kentucky’s legislators, Western Kentucky University administrators and faculty, Gatton Academy staff and alumni, Kentucky educators, and the friends and family members of the Class of 2024.
Julia Roberts, executive director of The Gatton Academy and director of The Center for Gifted Studies, echoed this recognition in her remarks.
“Everyone here has played a significant role in the success of The Gatton Academy,” Roberts said. “Parents and family members, you have made The Gatton Academy a reality as you have trusted Gatton’s vision and mission…. The faculty at WKU has shown dedication to excellence in teaching and research which has provided the academic preparation for Academy students to soar.” To the graduating class, Roberts remarked, “Although you are being recognized as high school graduates today, you are atypical high school graduates. Congratulations to each of you!”
The Class of 2024 represents 42 counties from across the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Seventeen members of the class were National Merit semifinalists and 81 percent of graduates participated in faculty-sponsored research during their Gatton Academy experience. Additionally, 14 graduates completed the STEM + Critical Languages sequences in either Mandarin Chinese or Russian.
Among the graduates are five students who were named Kentucky Junior Academy of Science delegates and one who received Grand Prize at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair. Seven graduates won U.S. Department of State National Security Language Initiative for Youth scholarships. Seven graduates were awarded Questbridge full scholarships to top colleges. One graduate was named a Horatio Alger Kentucky State Scholar and another was awarded The Gates Scholarship.
These seniors completed 5,516 hours of community service over two years, an average of nearly 62 hours per graduate.
The graduating class selected two student speakers: Albert Mbanfu, from Greenwood High School, and Livi Ray, from University Heights Academy.
Mbanfu reflected on the impact his peers had on his life during his time at Gatton. “The Gatton Academy is a lot of work, frustration, and humbling experiences, yet I find myself wanting to do it all again. Not because of all the challenges, but because of the graduates we are celebrating today. In front of me are the most talented, resourceful, funny, ridiculous, and of course intelligent people I have ever met. Because of every single one of you, Florence Schneider Hall is a special place to me.”
Ray imparted words of advice to her fellow graduates. “As we pursue our next chapters, remember to stand firm in your beliefs but find the balance between intelligence and compassion. Being clever or kind alone isn’t enough. Rather, it’s the harmonious integration of both qualities that leads to genuine connection and understanding in our interactions with others…. I want to encourage you to take the passion you fostered here and carry it with you throughout your life. You may enter spaces where you are underestimated. Embrace that. Remember that tenacity is something no one can take away from you. Be clever. Be kind.”
The commencement speaker was Cheryl Kirby-Stokes, Gatton’s Coordinator of Academic Opportunities who is celebrating her retirement this year. Just as during her time at Gatton, she encouraged the Class of 2024 to share their stories and ask others about theirs. “Seniors, you have one more assignment. Sometime this week, I want you to ask someone in your family to tell you a story… because when you ask your family to tell you stories, you’re telling them that you care, that you want to know about them, and you want to know about yourself through those family stories. So go ahead, tell someone you love them, ask them to tell you a story.”
The following 89 students from across the Commonwealth make up the graduating class of 2024:
Presley Rae-Ann Neagle*, Barren County High School, Barren County
Caleb Neitzel, Barren County High School, Barren County
Zachary A. VanderMolen*, Glasgow High School, Barren County
Tobi Akangbe*, South Warren High School, Warren County
Savanna Jo Arnold*, Spencer County High School, Nelson County
Elena Beth Baggett*, Greenwood High School, Warren County
EB Barrett*, Marshall County High School, Marshall County
Daniel Berry*, South Warren High School, Warren County
Elizabeth Burgan*, Daviess County High School, Daviess County
Mykah Carden*, Russellville High School, Muhlenberg County
Landon Carlton*, Rockcastle County High School, Rockcastle County
Ansh A. Chhabra*, Bowling Green High School, Warren County
Thomas Clark*, Madisonville North Hopkins High School, Hopkins County
Gianna Claros*, duPont Manual High School, Jefferson County
Tyler Clifton*, Corbin High School, Knox County
Kal-El Cline*, Warren East High School, Warren County
Corey D. Coleman, Rockcastle County High School, Madison County
Evan Conge*, Berea Community High School, Madison County
Juma Conn*, Model Laboratory School, Madison County
Brycen Scott Daniels*, Bavel Virtual School, Edmonson County
Massia Diomande, John Hardin High School, Hardin County
Allison J. Dixon*, Central Hardin High School, Hardin County
Tristan Dunn, Trinity High School, Jefferson County
René East*, Warren East High School, Warren County
Grace Engelhardt*, Simon Kenton High School, Kenton County
Devin J. Frazier, Rowan County High School, Rowan County
Nolan French, Hancock County High School, Hancock County
Amelie Fuentes, Atherton High School, Jefferson County
Ariti Tasnia Gani*, Bowling Green High School, Warren County
Sophie Gnadinger*, South Oldham High School, Oldham County
Braydon Gross, Somerset High School, Pulaski County
Mason Hartlage*, Highlands Latin School, Jefferson County
Ansley Marie Hoagland, Franklin-Simpson High School, Simpson County
Jacob Houk*, Rockcastle County High School, Knox County
Gunny Howard, Owensboro Innovation Academy, Daviess County
Cat Hranicky, Paul L. Dunbar High School, Fayette County
Henry E. Hurley*, Danville High School, Boyle County
Dain Im, South Warren High School, Warren County
Alexa Jameson-Limpp, Spencer County High School, Spencer County
Lukas Johnson, South Laurel High School, Laurel County
Michaela Kenady, Home School, Simpson County
Nikhil D. Kumar*, duPont Manual High School, Jefferson County
Jacob Ladwig*, Owensboro High School, Daviess County
Ashlynn Linet*, duPont Manual High School, Jefferson County
Lillian Long*, Ballard High School, Jefferson County
Daniela Lopez Llorens*, Hopkinsville High School, Christian County
Evie Maddox*, McCracken County High School, McCracken County
Sarah Maloney, Franklin-Simpson High School, Simpson County
Albert-Presley Mbanfu*, Greenwood High School, Simpson County
Ben McMahan, Spencer County High School, Spencer County
Chayce Paresh Semmler Merchant, Owen County High School, Owen County
Cameron B. Miller*, Central Hardin High School, Hardin County
Sara Nath*, Larry A. Ryle High School, Boone County
Mara Jade Neace*, Model Laboratory School, Jackson County
George Nguyen*, Warren Central High School, Warren County
Amy Pan*, Bowling Green High School, Warren County
Elizabeth Parker*, Boyle County High School, Washington County
Om Hasmukh Patel*, Breckinridge County High School, Breckinridge County
Braeden Patrick, Southwestern High School, Pulaski County
Addie Leigh Patterson*, Woodford County High School, Woodford County
Laurel Patterson*, North Oldham High School, Oldham County
Roseanna Danielle Peterson*, Marion County High School, Marion County
Lincoln J. Potts*, Oldham County High School, Oldham County
Parmeshvar Prakash*, duPont Manual High School, Jefferson County
Gabe Ramey, George Rogers Clark High School, Clark County
Christian Rara, Russell County High School, Russell County
Livi Ray*, University Heights Academy, Christian County
Ellie Roppel-Wolf, Henderson County High School, Henderson County
Angela Ahmie Kim Rutherford*, Hopkinsville High School, Christian County
Jacob Sanders, John Hardin High School, Hardin County
Braydon Scott*, John Hardin High School, Hardin County
Bailey M. Seadler*, John Hardin High School, Hardin County
Jocelyn Seadler*, John Hardin High School, Hardin County
Sofia Danielle Sileo*, Henry County High School, Shelby County
Hunter Cole Smith*, West Jessamine High School, Jessamine County
Atiana Spivey*, Monroe County High School, Monroe County
Tori Stein*, Shelby County High School, Shelby County
Melanie K. Stewart, Oldham County High School, Oldham County
Jacob J. Thomas*, St. Xavier High School, Jefferson County
Jayne Mary Thompson*, Spencer County High School, Spencer County
Suchita Tipirneni*, Ballard High School, Jefferson County
Hayden VanHook*, Pulaski County High School, Pulaski County
Gracie Veith*, South Warren High School, Warren County
Ethan Bower Vietze, Mason County High School, Mason County
Macey Ryan Weaver*, Marshall County High School, Lyon County
Vivianna Weaver*, Garrard County High School, Garrard County
Levi Willgruber, Greenwood High School, Warren County
Jordan Wonka, North Oldham High School, Oldham County
Lyla Rose Marie Wood*, Edmonson County High School, Edmonson County
*Community Scholars footnote: These graduates are recognized for completing two semesters of research with a research outcome that is presented to a professional audience after being accepted through a vetted process OR four semesters of participation in STEM+, AND documenting 60 hours of service.
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