WKU News

Thirteen seniors from The Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky have been recognized by two separate organizations for their work in the classroom.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation recognized 11 Gatton Academy students as Commended Students. This brings the total number of Gatton Academy Students recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation to 22, as 11 students were recognized as semifinalists earlier this month. The Commonwealth of Kentucky had 207 Semifinalists representing 68 schools from the 16,200 students recognized nationally and 192 Commended Students representing 92 schools from the 37,586 students recognized nationally.

The 2014 Commended Students from The Gatton Academy are Anna Braun of Union,Lydia Buzzard of Hopkinsville, Brian Carlson of Stanford, David Chamberlain of Winchester, Bradford Hull of Crestwood, Taha Husain of Lexington, Kelly McKenna of Crestwood, James Meeks of Custer, Vir Patel of Hopkinsville, Saralinda Schell of Bowling Green and Phoebe Zimmerer of Dexter.

Commended Students placed among the top 5 percent of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2015 competition by taking the 2013 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®). These students, however, are not eligible to continue in the 2015 Scholarship competition.

The College Board recognized two additional students as National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP) award recipients. The NHRP recognizes those students who self-report an ethnicity of Hispanic or Latino and scored at or above the NHRP qualifying level on the PSAT/NMSQT® for our region.

The 2014 NHRP award recipients from The Gatton Academy are Cameron Hubbard of Louisville and Ian Canedo-Muzevic of Guthrie.

Since students take the qualifying PSAT exam in October of their junior year of high school, much of their preparation stems from learning opportunities during their freshman and sophomore years of high school. The Gatton Academy builds on those experiences to provide students with challenging academic opportunities only available in a university setting and a supportive environment designed specifically for them.

For information about The Gatton Academy, visit www.wku.edu/academy or call (270) 745-6565.

• About the National Merit Scholarship Program: Established in 1955, National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) is an independent, not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance. NMSC is exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and contributions to NMSC are tax deductible by the donor. NMSC conducts the National Merit® Scholarship Program and the National Achievement® Scholarship Program–annual competitions for recognition and college undergraduate scholarships. Since its founding, NMSC has recognized 3 million students and provided over 387,000 scholarships worth more than $1.5 billion. The honors awarded by NMSC to exceptionally able students are viewed as definitive marks of excellence. Recipients of Merit Scholarship® awards, Achievement Scholarship® awards, and corporate-sponsored Special Scholarships have increased the nation’s respect for intellectual accomplishments and have contributed significantly to its talent pool of future leaders.
• About the College Board: The College Board is a mission-driven not-for-profit organization that connects students to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the College Board was created to expand access to higher education. Today, the membership association is made up of over 6,000 of the world’s leading educational institutions and is dedicated to promoting excellence and equity in education. Each year, the College Board helps more than seven million students prepare for a successful transition to college through programs and services in college readiness and college success — including the SAT and the Advanced Placement Program. The organization also serves the education community through research and advocacy on behalf of students, educators and schools.
• About The Gatton Academy: Established in 2007, The Gatton Academy is Kentucky’s first residential high school for gifted and talented junior 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 mathematical careers. The Gatton Academy has been named the number one public high school in the United States by The Daily Beast for three consecutive years – 2012, 2013 and 2014. For information about The Gatton Academy, visit www.wku.edu/academy or call (270) 745-6565.