Former Palos South Student Earns Bronze Medal In Competitive National Italian Exam

PALOS PARK, IL — Marist junior Kristina Ivanova, a Palos South alum, scored a bronze medal in a prestigious national Italian proficiency exam.

Ivanova was among five Marist High School students who earned medals in the 2025 National Italian Exam, a competitive, nationwide assessment of Italian language proficiency sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of Italian.

The other winners were Marist junior Tessa Schultz, a graduate of Simmons Middle School, earned a bronze medal, and Annie Tortorello, a senior and graduate of St. Catherine of Alexandria, won a silver.

Marist senior Celia Lindokkey, a graduate of Central Middle School in Evergreen Park, earned the top gold award. Senior Jayda Cantu, a Kerr Middle School alum, earned a silver medal.

“We are incredibly proud of our students’ achievements on the National Italian Exam,” said Alessia Zulato, Italian teacher and chair of the World Languages Department at Marist. “Their success highlights the value of learning world languages and the strength of our Italian program. These RedHawks have shown remarkable dedication and academic excellence.”