For the third year in a row, the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science has been named the number one high school in the nation by The Daily Beast.
The Gatton Academy, located at WKU, ranked number one in 2012 and 2013 on the Newsweek/The Daily Beast joint list, and this year's list is entirely from The Daily Beast, an online news site.
The ranking from The Daily Beast used six indicators from school surveys to compare public high schools in the U.S, with graduation and college acceptance rates weighed most heavily.
"I'm not surprised by the success of this school because of the dedication of so many people to its success and the success of its students," Gatton Academy Director Lynette Breedlove told WKU Public Radio. "There is a great deal of thought that has gone into providing social and emotional support, as well as academic structure to help set the students up for success."
The Gatton Academy, established in 2007, is Kentucky's high school for gifted and talented juniors and seniors. Gatton Academy students enroll early as full-time WKU students to pursue their interests in advanced science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers.The Gatton Academy to poised to grow. By 2016, enrollment will increase from the current 120 students to 200. Construction will start next year on an expansion of Schneider Hall, which houses the residential program.
"Our focus is on how we maintain the level of service as we expand and continue to recruit even more students from across the state," added Dr. Breedlove.