Tinley Teen Becomes 3rd Generation Valedictorian At Marist

CHICAGO — A Tinley Park teen and Marist High School senior who last year landed a perfect score on the ACT has added another accolade, capping her high school career as the school's Class of 2025 valedictorian.

Celia Lindokken, a District 146 alum, carries on a remarkable family legacy as a third-generation female valedictorian. Her mother, Margy (Ortigara) Lindokken, graduated at the top of her class from Providence High School in 1984, and her maternal grandmother, Cecilia (Tribbia) Ortigara, was the valedictorian of St. Louis Academy on 116th and State Street in 1945.

Celia’s achievement is not only a testament to her own hard work, but also a continuation of a proud tradition of academic excellence, the school said in a release.

“I was excited; it feels like a culmination of my years here," Celia said, reflecting on the moment she learned of the designation.

During her time at Marist, Celia was involved in a wide array of academic and extracurricular activities, including Marist band, jazz band, math team, National Honor Society and the Italian National Honor Society. Her favorite classes were AP chemistry and Italian.

"Italian is such a small class and we’ve been together for four years, so we really feel like a family," she said. "Chemistry is just really interesting to me."

Celia earned a perfect ACT score of 36 and was recognized by the mayor of Tinley Park for this achievement. She also received the prestigious Michael Sullivan Family Foundation “Senior Year Scholarship for Excellence in Mathematics,” covering full tuition and fees for her senior year. This fall, Celia will attend the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she plans to study food science.

“I’ve really enjoyed my years at Marist and look forward to the future feeling well-prepared from my time here, with the dedication of both my classmates and teachers to get me here,” she said.

At the top of their class, Celia is joined by Mokena's Nathen Toth as salutatorian. Nathan is a graduate of Cardinal Joseph Bernardin School in Orland Hills.

"My initial reaction to being salutatorian was a complete surprise," Nathen told the school. "I knew I was in the running, but when Mrs. Dunneback called me down to her office, I was not expecting that to be the news."

Nathen’s academic excellence is matched by his leadership and athletic accomplishments, the school said. He is the president of the Spanish National Honor Society, serves on the National Honor Society board, is a member of the math team, and a student ambassador officer. Athletically, he has been a four-year member of the boys’ volleyball team and a three-year varsity player. In 2024, Nathen played a key role in leading the team to an IHSA State Championship and was named State Finals MVP. He was also honored as a High School First Team All-American.

His favorite class was AP chemistry, and in the fall he will attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Although MIT students do not declare a major until sophomore year, Nathen plans to study either computer engineering or investment banking/finance.

“Marist has been amazing these past four years. I have no doubt that I am well-prepared for college and beyond,” he said.