The following includes a list of the valedictorians and salutatorians from Andrean High School, Bishop Noll Institute and Marquette Catholic High School. Each of these top academic achievers responded to a questionnaire about themselves and their future plans. Congratulations to all 2026 high school graduates and may their future be filled with blessings!
Graduation ceremonies are scheduled for: Andrean High School (May 29), Bishop Noll Institute (June 4) and Marquette High School (June 10).
ANDREAN HIGH SCHOOL
Valedictorian Abi Kubiak
Parish: Christ Lutheran Church, Hammond
Parents: Dave and Dara Kubiak, Hammond
What dreams do you want to pursue after graduation?: I plan to go on to become a music therapist. I hope to work with all ages in order to help others with the healing power of music.
What is your proudest accomplishment to date?: My proudest accomplishment to date is the progress I have made in my musical journey. From being accepted into a Jacobs School of Music summer camp, to winning the Stickley Piano Competition, and being accepted into college, my overall journey in music from where I began to now is what I am most proud of.
Ideally, how do you see yourself in 10 years? In 20 years?: In the future, I hope to use music both in my professional life but also in my personal life. I hope to be a practicing music therapist, as well as a church organist or accompanist. I want to have a life where I can share my gifts and talents with others as well as use them to glorify God.
How will your faith be a part of your future?: Faith will be part of my future in my service to the church. I am currently the organist and choir accompanist at my church, and I hope to continue to share my gifts with others and praise the Lord for the rest of my life.
Salutatorian Daniel Shea
Parish: St. Mary, Crown Point
Parents: Daniel Shea and Deborah Callaghan-Shea, Crown Point
What dreams do you want to pursue after graduation?: I am going to be doing electrical engineering in college, and really want to work on something that will change the world. We are getting more and more technically involved in life and I want to make my mark. I really would like to try rock climbing as well. I’ve always found it really interesting, and I’m hoping to have scaled a mountain before I finish college.
What is your proudest accomplishment to date?: My work as the lighting technician for the theater department was one of my proudest accomplishments. I enjoyed designing and programming every light for each show. It gave me an outlet for creativity I have never had before. I really do hope to do more of it in college, as it is so much fun.
Ideally, how do you see yourself in 10 years? In 20 years?: In 10 years, I hope I have started making a name for myself and have a good job. I also hope I will have climbed a mountain by then. Hopefully, I will have fun in college. In 20 years, I hope I have moved up in my job and have a family.
How will your faith be a part of your future?: I will always try my best to keep God in my life. I will do my best to live in my faith. I will rely on God when things get tough because with God, there is nothing I should worry about.
BISHOP NOLL INSTITUTE
Valedictorian Noah Hahn
Parish: Our Lady of Grace, Highland
Parents: Harumi Terabayashi and Paul Hahn, Highland
What dreams do you want to pursue after graduation?: After graduation, I will attend the Kelley School of Business at IU. I want to study entrepreneurship so I can own a business in the future.
What is your proudest accomplishment to date?: This year, I built an electric car. I had to design and fabricate just about all of it from scratch. Right now, it’s fully running and only needs a body, which I’m working on producing.
Ideally, how do you see yourself in 10 years? In 20 years?: In 10 years, I’d like to be finishing up my time with work. I’m planning to use my business degrees to spend some time in c-suite jobs so I can save some money to buy cars and get a foundation to start my company. As long as my interests don’t change, I want a car company in the next 20 years. Hopefully I’ll successfully build a recognizable and profitable brand.
How will your faith be a part of your future?: I want to incorporate faith into my business. While I don’t want to have a specifically Catholic business and be exclusive, I admire Catholic values to serve the community and work for the common good. I feel like I have a commitment to pursue excellence in my work to do good for my customers.
Salutatorian Sara Seleb
Parish: St. John Bosco, Hammond
Parents: Beverly and Brian Seleb, Hammond
What dreams do you want to pursue after graduation?: My goal is to become a marine biologist, and so I’m going to IU Bloomington to study biology and work on getting scuba diving certified.
What is your proudest accomplishment to date?: My proudest accomplishment is either getting 200 service hours over my four years at Noll or starting an Environmental Club at BNI. Our goal is to start a garden, and we have over 60 members already. I’m very proud that I get to leave a lasting legacy at my school.
Ideally, how do you see yourself in 10 years? In 20 years?: In 10 years, I’m planning to be finished with school, and studying what I love. I’m hoping to have moved toward a coast in order to live near the ocean and immerse myself into marine biology. In 20 years, I hope to have a stable job, a family, and the ability to travel as often as I want.
How will your faith be a part of your future?: My faith is a large part of who I am, and I contribute to my church by singing in the choir and volunteering at as many events as I can. Wherever I end up, I hope to find a community as lively as mine and be able to make a difference in people’s lives.
MARQUETTE HIGH SCHOOL
Valedictorian Aleksandar Anthony Pecoski
Parish: St. Mary the Immaculate Conception, Michigan City
Parents: Dusko and Regina Pecoski, Valparaiso
What dreams do you want to pursue after graduation?: After graduation, I plan to pursue my dream of helping others for a living by becoming a physician. My journey starts at Indiana University Bloomington this fall, where I am majoring in neuroscience as a member of the Hutton Honors College. I will be heavily involved in leading, research, and other academic clubs that will further myself as a person and an aspiring doctor. After completing my undergraduate degree, I strive to be accepted into medical school to study my true passion. Finally, I hope to match to a surgical residency to finish off my training. However, I am fully committed to giving back to my community and helping others through volunteering and working in the hospital throughout this entire journey. In the end, I want to be a compassionate, community-driven doctor.
What is your proudest accomplishment to date?: My proudest accomplishment to date is graduating at the top of my class. It is an absolute honor, and I am extremely grateful to be the valedictorian of my graduating class. This accomplishment is simply the result of an immense amount of hard work, sacrifice, and patience within the last four years. The skills I have learned along the way are life-long skills that will prepare me for the challenges I will face in the near future. My involvement in many different extracurriculars, while keeping high academic standards, pushed me to learn a balance that is applicable to the rest of my life.
Ideally, how do you see yourself in 10 years? In 20 years?: In ten years, I see myself in the middle of my residency, training to reach my potential as a surgeon to ultimately make the best impact I can on all of my future patients. By then, I hope to develop deeper empathetic and communication skills for my patients. In 20 years, I see myself as an experienced surgeon that has helped many others get back to their normal lives from their hindering issues. In addition, I hope that I would have made a significantly positive impact on my community in other meaningful ways besides in the operating room. Finally, I see myself serving as a mentor to other young aspiring doctors to guide them throughout their journey.
How will your faith be a part of your future?: My faith will play a very important role in my future. As an aspiring physician, my faith in the Lord will guide me to the best outcomes for my patients. Throughout the journey, I will be able to rely on my faith to help get me through the challenging exams, classes, and semesters. I fully believe that God has and will put certain blocks in my life, but it is my responsibility to find a way to learn from these blocks to be the surgeon and person God intended for me to be. I will always look to God for guidance in the future.
Salutatorian Enrico Vicente Ortega-Chick
Parish: St. Paul, Valparaiso
Parents: Suzanne Chick and Annjanette R. Ortega, Chesterton
What dreams do you want to pursue after graduation?: After high school graduation, my first dream is to attend college and succeed academically through graduation in 2030. My plans are to secure a job in my major (Finance) and be able to pay off any debt my parents have so that they can retire and relax after all the years of supporting me in every way possible. Professionally, I dream of developing my own business that can help make a difference in others’ lives.
What is your proudest accomplishment to date?: My proudest accomplishment to date is maintaining high grades throughout my school career, and I will now attend Hope College with merit-based scholarships.
Ideally, how do you see yourself in 10 years? In 20 years?: In 10 years, I will have my MBA, working for myself as a financial analyst and helping people achieve their goals within their family life and/or business. I also see myself having a family, a home, a home for my parents, and not only working for profit, but giving back to the communities that my family has roots in.
How will your faith be a part of your future?: The reason I have such strong faith is due to the great foundation my parents and my grandmother, Emily Ortega (who passed away in 2013), raised me with. My faith was instilled in me when I was young, and it guided me throughout my life. It is because of that foundation I will continue to have my faith guide my life, my choices, my character, my relationships and my career. Just as I was raised, I will raise my own children in the Catholic faith.
