WKU News

Caption: (Top Left) Nikitha Rajendran ('18, Franklin County HS), (Top Right) Sarah Yaacoub  ('19, Lafayette HS), (Bottom Left) Jacob Harris ('18, Homeschool), and (Bottom Right) Deeya Patel ('18, University Heights Academy) were all recognized by the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards competition has recognized four Gatton Academy students for their poetry entries.

Frankfort second-year student Nikitha Rajendran (Franklin County High School) is an American Voices Nominee and received a Gold Key award for her poem “Dheivam.”  Gold Key awards are given to the very best works submitted to local programs. Gold Key works are automatically considered for national–level recognition. In addition, five works, from across all categories and grades, are selected from those earning Gold Keys as the “Best-of-Show” for each local program and are nominees for the American Visions & Voices Medals.

Lexington first-year student Sarah Yaacoub (Lafayette High School) received Silver Key awards for her poems “Breaking” and “The Things We Lost” and an Honorable Mention for her poem “Deteriorate.”  Silver Key awards are stand-out works submitted to local programs that demonstrate exceptional ability.

Honorable Mentions are awarded to accomplished works submitted to local programs showing great skill and potential.

Irvine second-year student Jacob Harris (Homeschool) received an Honorable Mention award for his poem “Scattered Thoughts of a Kentucky Teen.”

Hopkinsville second-year student Deeya Patel (University Heights Academy) earned Honorable Mention awards for her poems “Almost Eighteen,” “Late Afternoon,” and “Tickets.”

“While students at The Gatton Academy are selected for admission based on their interests and abilities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, many of our students are passionate about the arts and humanities, as well,” said Dr. Lynette Breedlove, Director of The Gatton Academy.  “It is very exciting for these students to be recognized for their creative writing.  Each of these four students has a unique perspective on our world and their experience, and they contribute in important ways to our community.”

Since 1923, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards have recognized the vision, ingenuity, and talent of our nation’s youth and provided opportunities for creative teens to be celebrated. Each year, increasing numbers of teens participate in the program and become a part of our community—young artists and writers, filmmakers and photographers, poets and sculptors, video game artists and science fiction writers, along with countless educators who support and encourage the creative process.

About The Gatton Academy: Established in 2007, The Gatton Academy is Kentucky’s first two-year residential STEM school for gifted and talented high school 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 mathematical careers. The Gatton Academy has been named to The Washington Post’s list of top-performing schools with elite students for nine consecutive years and was named the number one public high school in the United States by The Daily Beast for three consecutive years – 2012, 2013 and 2014, after which the rating was retired.