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wood, rebecca 21By: Rebecca Wood

Our stories are written in languages incomprehensible to most. We speak in the traditional: Spanish, French, Japanese; the critical: Russian, Chinese, Arabic; and the computational: Java and Mathematica. Our syntax is flawless; we know the importance of the semicolon. At The Gatton Academy, our eyes have been opened to subjects like physics, computer science, and chemistry. While we studied and programmed, we developed more than just technical skills; we became masters of storytelling.

At its simplest form, Gatton is a high school. Its students take a set curriculum of classes to gain enough credits to be able to graduate. That is what we all did – what all high-school graduates accomplish. But what did you do that is qualified for a chapter in your book?

Did you venture down to the Barren River to go on a hike with four of your best friends, or did you race the trains while running at the track?

Did you stay up all night discussing the meaning of life, then trek to Waffle House as soon as the sun rose?

Did you manage to sprint up College Street only to then realize the soreness that tomorrow will bring?

Did you master the London Tube and get to see the Olympic Village, or did you spend €30 on gelato in Italy?

Did you and your friends carry a watermelon across town, only to drop it on the floor of a dorm room?

Did you throw dance parties to bond with your wing, or did you watch all of the NCAA tournament in a common space?

Did you spend hours in a staff member’s office simply because you were friends?

My book, There and Back Again: A Gatton Tale, is divided into many chapters – my favorite being “Home at Harlaxton.” London became my residence: a place where I could see shows on the West End, sip (expensive) tea at the Villandry, and view collections of art at the National Portrait Gallery and the Tate Modern. I saw my dream cars, and I drooled in Harrod’s. We made our way to Harlaxton Manor House, where days were filled with bus rides and hikes and nights were spent studying for the next day’s quiz with my three roommates (and best friends). The last night included playing soccer with the security guard, dancing with my family of friends, and going for a brief run.

I thought the benefit of Gatton was that, at the end, I would have been challenged in high school so I could graduate to have a head start in “real college.” The true Gatton Advantage lies with the memories we are able to make by living in a community with the most remarkable students that Kentucky hosts. We were shaped by the new experiences we encountered together – our first difficult classes, abroad adventures, and points-of-freaking-out. Each one of us was able to become more open with what we liked and who we were. For this reason more than any other, I am thankful for the Gatton Academy. This community – our community – taught me to shamelessly pursue what I cared about and to tirelessly search for what was important to me. Because of my studies here, I have learned incredible things about French, English, math, and computer science. Because of Schneider and Bates Runner Halls, I have found wonderful friends in people from hundreds of miles away. Because of the opportunities afforded to me, I have seen cultures from all around the world. Because of Gatton, my story will be one worth telling.

Wood, Rebecca 1By:  Rebecca Wood

The first preview day of the 2015-2016 school year was held on Saturday, September 12. Prospective students and their families were welcomed into an information session led by the Gatton staff. Here, the basic premise of the Gatton Academy and its community was explained.

Next was time for the tours. After splitting up the eighty people into three separate tour groups, the Gatton students led the prospective students and parents from the Bell Tower and DSU, into Bates Runner Hall to see bedrooms and common spaces, past the in-progress renovation of Florence Schneider Hall, up to Odgen College, and back down to Grise.

The next portion of the day was centered around panels. In the Grise Auditorium, the parents were encouraged to ask questions to a group of four Academy Avatars as well as four Gatton Academy parents. Generally, the questions concerned how parents could help their children get ready for or apply to Gatton, how they know their children are ready for Gatton, and the challenges the parents and their children would face at Gatton. The students were in a classroom with a different four Avatars. These questions were involving study abroad experiences, classwork, favorite parts of Gatton.

The next preview day is Saturday, October 17.

Move In Day

August 24, 2015 | 2015-2016, Avatars, Rebecca Wood | No Comments

Wood, Rebecca 1By:  Rebecca Wood

It was Day Zero of Adventure Week, but none of the bags weighed zero pounds. Blessed with a sunny move in/out day for the first time in our involvement at Gatton, the senior community leaders heroically transported suitcases, fridges, and textbook boxes from parents’ cars to students’ rooms. The seniors’ exclamations of “I love my baby juniors already!” inaugurated the vibe that will last throughout the year.

As the juniors said their goodbyes to parents and their typical high school lives, they were greeted into a community of acceptance and support. Through the first meeting of Adventure Week and the acquaintance of juniors with their Accountabilibuddies (that’s a Beth term), the Academy commenced its 2015-2016 school year as a tightly woven family.

Avatar Intro: Rebecca Wood

August 19, 2015 | 2015-2016, Avatars, Rebecca Wood | No Comments

Wood, Rebecca 1Neatly packaged bags, clothes baskets filled to the brim, the familiar sight of textbook boxes – although the building is different, the setting is all too familiar. As I return to the Gatton Academy, a community of acceptance and fun times, I realize the impact that this program has had on my life.

The decision to come to Gatton was a burdensome task. My brother had graduated in the Class of 2013. I didn’t think I wanted to attend an entirely STEM school, nor did I want to abandon my sports, friends, or dog. I reluctantly applied and was granted an interview. After a four-hour drive from Maysville to Bowling Green, I arrived on the beautiful Western Kentucky University campus, and even saw a white squirrel! Through speaking with student volunteers, staff, and other applicants, I realized that this ‘nerdy’ school might be a place I could call home.

Even though the transition of giving up racing cross country and track, as well as playing soccer, driving a car, and seeing my home friends regularly was unpleasant, I soon grasped how positively significant Gatton would be on my life. The people, the community, the dorm life. The late night runs, the volleyball games, the dance parties. The research, the (finally!) challenging courses, the professors. With every passing day, the Academy became even more of a wonderland. The early tears turned into 2 a.m. laughs, and homesickness to “Mom, I think I’ll stay this weekend, too.”

I can honestly say that this year was the first in which I was sincerely looking forward to going back to school. I am enthusiastic to share what I have learned over the past two semesters with my ‘baby juniors’ and to strengthen the bonds I have made with fellow students, instructors, and staff. I am excited to study Mathematics, French, and Environmental Science, along with pursuing Biophysics research. It is going to be a great year, because with this community, how could it not?