[Corey’s Comments] There’s Always Academy News to Celebrate, Follow it Via the ‘Gatton to Go’ Mobile App

by Corey Alderdice

It’s been a crazy busy week at the Gatton Academy.

Monday marked the official deadline for our Class of 2012 applicants.  Along the way, we have begun to receive word about some exciting scholarship opportunities for which our Class of 2010 students have been named semifinalists.  Summer plans are coming together with a combination of research opportunities and internships.  And lest we forget, Academy students got to meet and pick the brain of WKU alumnus and NASA astronaut Terry Wilcutt.

It would be one thing if this was a once-in-a-blue-moon kind of week.  At our “atypical high school,” though, it’s just like any other week.  Perhaps one of the greatest aspects of the academic and student life at the Academy is that it is the most vibrant learning community available.  Both in and out of class, Academy students have the distinct privilege of engaging in awesome learning experiences.

As Assistant Director for Admissions and Public Relations, I joke with friends that I have the easiest job out of all of the staff members at the Academy.  Our students week after week do great things.  All I have to do is let people know how great they are.  The stories on the website, tweets, and Facebook postings write themselves.  They really do.

In prepping to write this piece after posting stories, video blogs, and photo albums of the week’s events, I realized something special.  Since launching version 2.0 of the Academy website last January, we’ve posted just over 200 news stories, 5Q, video blogs, photo albums, Randon Wanderings, and other features.  Since the start of the new school year, it’s been our goal to share the best of academic and student life at the Gatton Academy via the website.  As we traveled around Greece during Winter Term, many of you followed us along the way.

I can’t say enough kind words to my Academy Avatars, our Residential Counselors, and other students and staff members who have contributed their thoughts, words, and photos to our posts.

The fact that prospective students, current students, parents, alumni, and hosts of other folks from throughout the country follow our news each day, means this is an exciting place to be.  For those who aren’t in Schneider Hall day in and day out, the website and our social media outlets are almost as good as living in Schneider Hall.  We’re closing in on 800 fans of our Facebook page.  That’s not too shabby.

Keeping up with all this information can be a bit of a challenge even for our most avid follower.  That’s why I’m happy to share with you the release of the Gatton to Go mobile phone app.   The app is available now as a free download available for both the iPhone (through iTunes) and Google Android OS phone (through Android Market).

The app combines our news, Twitter, Vimeo, YouTube, Flickr, and Eventbrite feeds.  Additionally, you catch up on posts from the WKU News Blog and tweets from The Center for Gifted Studies.  Rather than combing several sites, the Gatton to Go app combines all this great information into one package.

If a school had a website fifteen years ago, they were pretty cutting edge.  Just as our goal for students is to be innovators and creative thinkers, we try to mirror that belief in our work every day at the Academy.

This is just the start.  We’re coming up on some of the biggest news of the year.  Look for some great stories next week focusing on student acheivement and the WKU Undergraduate Research Conference.  In a matter of days, we’ll announce the students who are receiving interview for the Class of 2012 followed by the candidates for admission.  Before you know it, graduation and summer opportunities will be on the horizon.

Every day there’s lots to celebrate.  Our students, parents, and staff make these great things happen.

Like I say, I have the distinct privilege of getting to share it with you.

Android, apps, Corey Alderdice, Gatton to Go, iPhone, mobile apps, mobile phone