Russellville High School Sophomore Phillip Wilkerson has been notified of his acceptance into two schools for those who have shown academic excellence and potential.

One is the Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics, which is housed at Morehead State University in Morehead, Ky. The Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics is a dual-credit residential high school for academically exceptional Kentucky students. 

The goal of the Craft Academy is to meet the unique educational needs of academically gifted and talented high school juniors and aeniors in the Commonwealth. A college-level curriculum will allow students to finish high school while also completing up to two years of university coursework. 

Phillip has also been notified that he has been invited to participate in the Gatton Academy, which is a similar program at Western Kentucky University! The Gatton Academy has repeatedly been named the top academic high school in the nation.

Russellville Schools Public Relations Director Penni Nugent says, “Getting accepted into one of these prestigious schools is an amazing honor, but being invited to both Gatton and the Craft Academy is truly remarkable! What a great predicament in which to be!”

He is the son of Steve and Donna Wilkerson of Russellville.

A former PR Director for the city schools, Donna Wilkerson says, “Both are residential, dual credit public high schools at which students finish their junior and senior years of high school while completing approximately 60 hours of college credit, as well as engaging in research in their selected STEM field.

“Although Phillip has worked very hard for this, it could never have happened without the support and guidance of the faculty and staff at Russellville High School, especially Bethanie Hargett-Slack, Tracy Malone Naylor, Lauren Fynboe, Scott Blackerby, Eve Meyer, Kimberly McDaniel, Jennifer Wells Rogers, and so many others. We have also had wonderful support from our church family, including youth pastor Steven Cross, pastor Calvin Naylor, and my Sunday school teacher, Dora Miles.

“The only downside of having two such awesome opportunities is that he will now have to make a decision between the two programs. He has until March 11 to do so.”