PCHS Junior Jimmy Piko Scores Perfect 36 on the ACT

Jimmy Piko, a junior at Providence Catholic High School (PCHS) in New Lenox, achieved a perfect score of 36 on the ACT test, an accomplishment attained by less than half of one percent of the 1.3 million students who take the ACT each year.

Piko, the son of Jim and Susan Piko of Orland Park, plans to major in Mechanical Engineering and minor in Business. He believes that Providence Catholic has thoroughly prepared him for this challenge. “The challenging curriculum at PCHS has succeeded in teaching me not only the material, but also good study habits and the merits of hard work,” said Piko. “This will greatly benefit me in college because the workload at PCHS is very similar to that of a university, and as a result, the notoriously difficult transition from high school to college will not overwhelm me.”

At Providence, Piko is active in Augustinian Youth Ministry, Habitat for Humanity, IALAC 2.0, and National Honor Society. He also serves as a Sacristan and participates in Varsity Soccer and Intramural Sand Volleyball. He has consistently earned a place on the High Honor Roll each semester, along with several awards, including Student of the Month in December 2023 (Social Science Department/AP U.S. Government) and National Honor Society President.

“I would like to thank my parents for teaching me discipline,” said Piko. “I’d also like to thank all my teachers, but especially Ms. Gura and Mrs. Begeske.”

Piko reflects on how spirituality has influenced his life at PCHS. “The constant exposure to prayer and the community aspect of the all-school masses have made me feel welcome and included in the PCHS community,” he said. “The spiritual activities at PCHS have allowed me to meet new people and make an impact in the school and the community. The Augustinian values of Truth, Unity, and Love are the foundation for everything we did and are crucial to my success and who I am.”