90 Gatton Academy graduates honored in 2023 class

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science graduated 90 students on Saturday from across Kentucky in its 16th graduating class.

The ceremony took place at Western Kentucky University’s Van Meter Hall and was broadcast online for extended friends and family.

After welcoming everyone and acknowledging all the people instrumental in supporting the students, Dr. Lynette Breedlove, Director of The Gatton Academy, reflected on the history of Gatton and the current students’ success,

“The students of The Gatton Academy have built upon the initial foundation and have excelled in their endeavors both in and out of the classroom,” said Breedlove. “They have continued to establish the path that countless classes will follow. They will leave today as ambassadors for The Gatton Academy while growing as innovators for this great Commonwealth.”

The Class of 2023 represents 45 counties from across the Commonwealth of Kentucky and includes The Gatton Academy’s thousandth graduate.

Fifteen members of the class were National Merit semifinalists and 77% of graduates participated in faculty-sponsored research during their Gatton Academy experience.

Additionally, 19 graduates completed the STEM + Critical Languages sequences in either Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, or Russian.

Among the graduates are two students who advanced to the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) and a Regeneron Science Talent Search Top 300 Teen Scientist. Graduates won U.S.

Department of State National Security Language Initiative for Youth scholarships, and one was named YMCA Greater Louisville’s Youth Achiever of the Year.

These seniors completed 3,759 hours of community service over two years, an average of 41.8 hours per graduate.

The graduating class selected two student speakers: Dane Le from Warren Central High School and Femi Obielodan from Frankfort Christian Academy.

Le shared of the changes she anticipates after graduation, the people she will miss, and advice for the future.

“There are very few things we as individuals can control, but we can control our actions and what we do right now. As many regrets as we do or don’t have, it’s too late for us to change it now,” said Le. “We have to continue looking toward the future because we have the ability to make that future ours.”

The commencement speaker was Senator David Givens, the President Pro Tempore of the Kentucky Senate and father of a 2020 Gatton Academy graduate.

The following 90 students from across the Commonwealth make up the graduating class of 2023:

Nishchal Yogesh Anekere*, Conner High School, Boone County
Ananthakrishna Emilie Aditya Angal*, North Oldham High School, Oldham County
Aathman Bhavaraju*, Western Hills High School, Franklin County
Chezney Suzanne Boothe*, Hazard High School, Perry County
Ivy Jane Bowers*, Lawrence County High School, Lawrence County
Thorin Bowman*, Bardstown High School, Nelson County
Madisyn Brooke Braden, Graves County High School, Graves County
Drake Anniston Calhoon*, Calloway County High School, Calloway County
Amir Note Mustafa Campbell*, St. Francis High School, Scott County
Scarlett Jian Zhi Marie Compton*, Belfry High School, Pike County
Justin Brooks Constant, Jr., Green County High School, Green County
Elijah David Cossel, Frankfort High School, Franklin County
Anna Beatrice Crimmins*, Beechwood High School, Kenton County
Elliott Parker Crouch, Walton Verona High School, Boone County
Emily Grace Davis*, Harrison County High School, Harrison County
Rasesh Mihir Desai*, Eastern High School, Jefferson County
Dimple Pragna Doppalapudi, Western Hills High School, Franklin County
Katie Lynn Dudgeon*, Grayson County High School, Grayson County
Sierra Irene Durkee*, Greenwood High School, Warren County
Gabe Edward Fortier*, LaRue County High School, LaRue County
Pranav Gangumolu*, duPont Manual High School, Jefferson County
Oliver Coralina Ghrist, Oldham County High School, Oldham County
Jiali Denese Liang Graham*, Model Laboratory School, Clark County
Hayden Haden, Nort Oldham High School, Oldham County
Desmond Keith Harris, Ballard High School, Jefferson County
Henry Joseph Helmers*, Danville High School, Boyle County
Matthew Phelps Hendrix*, Daviess County High School, Daviess County
Ericka Nicole Hoppes*, Marion County High School, Marion County
Addison Haze Hoskins*, Harrison County High School, Harrison County
Siheon Im, South Warren High School, Warren County
Brody Landrum Johnson*, Edmonson County High School, Edmonson County
Abby Grace Jones*, South Warren High School, Warren County
Hadley Hagan Jones*, Central Hardin High School, Hardin County
Lila Kerry Jones*, Owensboro High School, Daviess County
Hakeem Kalik, Daviess County High School, Daviess County
Dunil Dinusara Kasturiratna, Campbell County High School, Campbell County
Chris Dongwook Kim*, Greenwood High School, Warren County
Sean Stephan Korner, duPont Manual High School, Jefferson County
Hannah Elisabeth Laney*, Paul G. Blazer High School, Boyd County
Dana Nguyen Le*, Warren Central High School, Warren County
Elena Siobhan Ley, Randall K. Cooper High School, Boone County
Flora Lin*, Glasgow High School, Barren County
Caden James Lucas*, Breckinridge County High School, Breckinridge County
Gavin Vincent Mattingly, Doss High School, Jefferson County
Holly Grace McClure*, Russell County High School, Russell County
Brennan Adam McElfresh*, East Jessamine High School, Jessamine County
Marietta Magdalena McGaha, Berea Community High School, Madison County
Isabella JoLee McIntosh, Campbell County High School, Campbell County
Jordan Maxwell Mehnert, Carter G. Woodson Academy, Fayette County
Quinn Wagner Miller*, Hopkinsville High School, Christian County
Alex Minter*, Bowling Green High School, Warren County
Lee Monroe, Spencer County High School, Spencer County
Saibra Sheila Mallory Moore, Lawrence County High School, Lawrence County
Diego Moreno, Elizabethtown High School, Hardin County
Lauren Michelle Morris*, Frederick Douglass High School, Fayette County
Aubrey Mae Morse, Graves County High School, Graves County
Divya Sai Naidugari*, Randall K. Cooper High School, Boone County
Brian Thanh An Nguyen, South Warren High School, Warren County
Gabriel Ayden Nowaskie, Bardstown High School, Hardin County
Olufemi Omokhoje Obielodan*, Frankfort Christian Academy, Franklin County
Natasha Otieno*, Shelby County High School, Shelby County
Jarrett James Packwood, Atherton High School, Jefferson County
Kareena Ashesh Pansuria*, South Warren High School, Warren County
Neel Patel, LaRue County High School, LaRue County
Kellen Maxwell Patterson*, South Warren High School, Warren County
John Carter Patton, Great Crossing High School, Scott County
Joaquin Santiago Cabral Pauig, Corbin High School, Laurel County
Shelby Ann Peak*, Union County High School, Union County
Maria Katherine Pfeifer*, Owensboro Catholic High School, Daviess County
Reagan Jo Phelps, Bardstown High School, Nelson County
Blair Noelle Verne Pickle, Rockcastle County High School, Rockcastle County
Abigail Raianne Nicole Portmann, BAVEL Virtual School, Warren County
Naman Rao, South Laurel High School, Laurel County
Trinity Grace Ray*, Livingston Central High School, Livingston County
Jonathon Patrick Reilly*, Central Hardin High School, Hardin County
Zach Benedict Romero, Lafayette High School, Fayette County
Ellen Patricia Sego, Central Hardin High School, Hardin County
Samuel Calvin Sherrard, East Carter County High School, Carter County
Xavier Kenneth Simpson, Hancock County High School, Hancock County
Albert Dale Terry, Carlisle County High School, Carlisle County
Nihar Tulapati, Western Hills High School, Franklin County
Mia Grace MeiLi West*, Lawrence County High School, Lawrence County
Carolina Grace Wheeler*, Greenwood High School, Allen County
Sophia Wielawski*, Allen County Scottsville High School, Barren County
Kenyan Maurice Wood*, Caverna High School, Hart County
Mason Tyler Wooldridge*, Western Hills High School, Franklin County
Marissa Xia, South Warren High School, Warren County
Eric Xing*, South Warren High School, Warren County
Kaden Mathew Yonts, Logan County High School, Logan County

*Community Scholars footnote: These graduates are recognized for completing two semesters of research with a research outcome that is presented to a professional audience after being accepted through a vetted process OR four semesters of participation in STEM+, and documenting 60 hours of service.

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