WKU News

Five Gatton Academy students traveled to Alberta, Canada to compete in the National Conservation Foundation’s International Envirothon Competition in July. They finished 11^th out of 51 teams from the U.S., Canada, and China. The focus of the competition was “Roots and Resiliency: Fostering Forest Stewardship in a Canopy of Change.” They were 3^rd in Soils testing and 4^th in Aquatics and Wildlife testing.

The team was coached by Penny Warwick, Education Coordinator and Program Technician with the Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District and President of the Kentucky Association of Conservation District Employees, along with her husband, Bobby Warwick. The team included the following students:

Matthew Clark from South Oldham High School and Crestwood (Class of 2025)

Nihal Jacob from South Oldham High School and Crestwood (Class of 2025)

Sydney Putnam from Mercer County Senior High School and Harrodsburg (Class of 2025)

Rowan Bailey from Sayre High School and Paris (Class of 2026)

Helen Rose from Henry Clay High School and Lexington (Class of 2026)

The international competition is a six-day event in which teams complete training in Aquatics, Forestry, Soil and Land Use, Wildlife, and Environmental issues with local on-site professionals. Then teams complete tests in each area. They also prepare and deliver oral presentations explaining their solution to a real-world scenario which they have analyzed. Students had the opportunity to explore several remarkable sites during the event and interact with the other teams.

Preparing for and competing in the event teaches participants many skills, in addition to the content in which they become knowledgeable. Helen Rose said, “Competing in Envirothon has been an incredible experience for me. First of all, I'm interested in advising environmental policy, and so I was able to extensively study state, national, and international policy. This helped me get a better understanding of what impact I could feasibly make in the future.” 

The Gatton Academy’s team qualified for the competition by placing first in the Kentucky Envirothon event that took place in May. Gatton Academy teams have represented the state in the international competition several times, most recently in 2023 which was also hosted in Canada.

About The Gatton Academy: Established in 2007, The Gatton Academy is Kentucky’s first residential two-year program for gifted and talented juniors and seniors. The Gatton Academy’s students enroll as juniors and are full-time WKU students pursuing their interests in advanced science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The Gatton Academy is a recipient of the 2022 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award from Insight Into Diversity Magazine and the Innovation Partnership Award from the National Consortium for Secondary STEM Schools.