Second Henry County student accepted into prestigious Gatton Academy

At last week’s Henry County School Board meeting, superintendent Dr. Jim Masters recognized Henry County High School sophomore Michael Thompson for his acceptance into the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science on the campus of Western Kentucky University.

An attendee of the iLead Academy, Thompson will join fellow HCHS sophomore, Bruno Castañeda, as Gatton Academy students selected to enroll in the residential program at WKU for high schoolers who have demonstrated interest in pursuing advanced careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

“Truly a very competitive program,” Dr. Masters said of the Gatton Academy. “The best of the best.”

Each year, the Gatton Academy admits about 95 Kentucky sophomores, based on standardized test scores, their GPA, responses to essay questions, personal interviews, extracurricular activities and recommendations.

“The students will actively live on campus, and they will take college courses, of course,” said Masters in his recognition of the two students.

Instead of spending their junior and senior years in traditional high schools, students who enroll in the Gatton Academy live in a uniquely dedicated Gatton Academy residence hall. The students also can engage in faculty-led research on campus and study abroad if they choose.

While taking courses offered by WKU, their classmates are fellow Gatton Academy students and WKU undergraduate students. At the end of two years, Gatton Academy students will have earned between 60 and 72 college credit hours in addition to completing high school. Academy graduates may choose to stay at WKU or transfer to other universities to complete their bachelor’s degrees.

Currently, Thompson is enrolled in the computer programming pathway at iLead Academy. He is a very strong programmer and math student, according to Jenna Gray, the director of iLead. After Gatton, Thompson plans to apply at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and major in game design, while minoring in computer science and psychology.

Castañeda came to Henry County from Lima, Peru, in the fall of 2021 as a freshman at HCHS. The Local profiled him and his Gatton Academy selection last week.