GLASGOW, Ky. — Several students from Barren and surrounding counties are among 97 Kentucky sophomores selected for The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science’s Class of 2028, Western Kentucky University announced.

Jacob W. Judd of Glasgow High School is representing Barren County in the incoming class, which draws students from 36 counties across the Commonwealth for the highly competitive residential program based at WKU in Bowling Green.

The Gatton Academy allows selected students to complete their junior and senior years of high school while living on campus, earning at least 60 college credit hours and an associate degree in interdisciplinary studies.

In addition to Barren County, students from several nearby counties were also selected:

Allen County

Logan Daniels of Allen County-Scottsville High School was named to the Class of 2028.

Butler County

Mark W. Gruber of Butler County High School was selected from Morgantown.

Hardin County

Z Anderson of Elizabethtown High School and Joy Spencer of John Hardin High School were among those chosen.

Simpson County

Krish Kumar of Franklin-Simpson High School in Franklin was selected.

Warren County

Several students from Warren County schools earned spots, including Qais Abumuhfouz, Diya Yashpal Modi, and Shiloh Peterson of Greenwood High School; Wyatt Clay and Joanna Zhang of South Warren High School; Paul Dinan and Kalynn Odle of Bowling Green High School; and Evelin Watt of Warren East High School.

Applicants were evaluated on academic performance, test scores, extracurricular involvement, essays, recommendations and interviews with WKU faculty and community leaders.

Gatton Academy officials said the program continues to draw top students from across Kentucky, with the Class of 2028 marking its 21st incoming cohort.