Providence Catholic High School Principal, Mr. Paul Houston, announced Elizabeth Kulpinski as the Class of 2023 Valedictorian and Marissa Massaro as Salutatorian. “The Celtic community is very proud of Ellie and Marissa, who are both academically gifted students. These young women are strong leaders among their peers at Providence Catholic and have contributed greatly to the Celtic family. They have very bright futures in and out of the classroom, and we look forward to seeing all they accomplish,” offered Houston. 

Elizabeth Kulpinski is the daughter of Merita and Todd Kulpinski. She attended Cardinal Joseph Bernardin Catholic School and her home parish is St. Stephen Deacon and Martyr. She will be studying mechanical engineering at the University of Notre Dame. 

While at Providence Catholic, Ellie participated in Augustinian Youth Ministry and Habitat for Humanity. She served as a Sacristan and Kairos leader. Ellie is a member and officer of the National Honor Society and is a three-year member of Student Council, serving this year as Secretary. Ellie is a four-year member of the Volleyball team, serving this year as Captain.  She has been named Volleyball All-Conference and All-Tournament at Rich East Tournament. She has earned academic honors including Algebra 1 Honors, Biology Honors, Chemistry Honors, English 2 Honors, AP United States History, Geometry Honors, AP Statistics, Precalculus Honors, Catholic Social Teaching, AP English Language and Composition, AP Scholar with Honor, Illinois State Scholar, National Merit Commended Student, GCAC Scholar Athlete: Volleyball, AP Calculus BC, AP English Literature & Composition, AP Physics C, AP Spanish Language and Augustinian Scholar. 

“Providence Catholic pushed me academically while also allowing me to develop strong life skills,” says Kulpinski. “My teachers have given me support both inside and outside of class and were always there to help, whether it was with a question on homework, a recommendation for a scholarship, or a personal topic. Creating communities in each of my classes showed me how to collaborate with others rather than compete for the best grades. I have also been able to participate in a multitude of activities to help me find my interests. Aside from academic and extracurricular opportunities, Providence has introduced me to great people and fostered my social skills for college and beyond. My advice to freshmen is to remember the bigger picture. Often, every little thing that happens can feel huge, especially failures. Remembering that these individual things are not as important as they may feel in the moment helps you to overcome any obstacle.” 

Marissa Massaro is the daughter of Mike and Lea Massaro. She attended Oak Prairie Junior High School and her home parish is St. Bernard’s in Homer Glen. She will be studying Business Analytics at the University of Notre Dame. 

While at Providence Catholic, Marissa participated in Augustinian Youth Ministry and IALAC 2.0. She served as a Sacristan and Student Ambassador. Marissa is a member of National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society. She is a four-year member of Student Council, serving this year as President. 

Marissa is also a member of the Girls Lacrosse Team and a 4-year member of Varsity Cheerleading where she has been named National Cheerleaders Association All-American and Cheerleading MVP, also serving this year as Captain. She has earned academic honors including AP Scholar, Illinois State Scholar, GCAC Scholar Athlete: Cheerleading & Lacrosse and Augustinian Scholar. 

“Through constant academic rigor, teacher and counselor support, and service/spirituality opportunities, Providence Catholic has been preparing me for college since the first day of freshman year,” says Massaro. “The counselors guided me through the admissions process, helping me to achieve my goal and be admitted to my dream school. I am confident that the guidance I have received will make my transition to college comfortable, and I will always have the Providence family as a resource to come back to. My advice for incoming students is go into high school with an open mind and try new things. Don’t be afraid to join a sport or club you are not familiar with. Getting involved is what makes high school fun, and allows you to meet new friends and mentors to guide your journey.”