Senior is just perfect on ACT
From Staff Reports December 7, 2012 10:06PM
Plainfield North High School senior Nicoletta Kijak, who scored a perfect 36 on her ACT, stands with Principal Ray Epperson. | submitted photo
Updated: January 10, 2013 6:15AM
Plainfield North High School senior Nicoletta Kijak was already having a pretty good vacation this past summer when things suddenly got a lot better.
While visiting her grandparents in Poland, an email arrived announcing that Kijak had earned a perfect 36 on the ACT college entrance exam.
Kijak is the third Plainfield School District student (and the second from North) to score a 36 on the ACT since 2007.
Only 781 students nationwide earned a perfect 36 on last spring’s ACT out of about 1.7 million who took the test. Likewise, only 101 Illinois students scored a 36 out of about 147,000 students taking the ACT last spring.
Kijak, who plans to study pre-med at the University of Chicago and ultimately wants to be a neonatal doctor, said she didn’t do anything special to prepare for the test.
“I took one practice exam and then did what I normally do,” she said.
“I was very excited when I found out,” Kijak said, recalling that she had to explain to her grandparents the significance of the achievement.
North Principal Ray Epperson praised Kijak as one of the school’s top students.
“Nicoletta is a wonderful asset to the Plainfield North family and Plainfield community at large. While excelling academically, Nicoletta has found time to volunteer both in and out of school,” he said.
Kijak, who is ranked 13th in her class, also helps with the school’s Peer Tutoring program while also volunteering at her church.
She has also been a member of the Speech Team for four years and the Key Club service organization for three years including one year as president. She is also a member of the National Honor Society.
