Christ the King Jesuit College Preparatory School

Four CTK students departed for Spain earlier this week to begin their Camino de Santiago (The Way of St. James) hiking pilgrimage. Isaiah ’26, Jermaine ’26, Juan Carlos ’26, and Josiah ’26 will be accompanied on this exciting journey by CTK faculty chaperones John Hauenstein, Dave Linhares, and Fr. Jack McLinden, SJ. The group prepared for their trip by embarking on several multi-mile hikes in the Chicago area during the last month. We are grateful for the generous support of the CTK donors who helped make this unique student experience possible.

Best of luck and safe travels to the CTK travelers!

We are still celebrating Christ the King Jesuit College Prep's 15th graduating class. Our Class of 2026 students received their diplomas last Friday in front of proud parents & grandparents, CTK teachers & staff members, Corporate Work Study Program supervisors, and more. Thank you for your support of our seniors!

Congratulations and Best of Luck to this year’s graduating Gladiators!

They did it! We are proud of the members of the CTK Class of 2026 for walking across the stage today to receive their hard-earned diplomas. Congrats and Best of Luck to all of the graduates! They are ready to go forth and set the world on fire!

Graduation week for the CTK Class of 2026 began with the traditional Baccalaureate Mass led by Fr. Jack McLinden, SJ, and organized by Mrs. Cheryl Cattledge, Director of Campus Ministry. Family, faculty, and friends gathered at St. Martin De Porres church on Chicago’s West Side to celebrate the faith journeys, growth, and achievements of our seniors over the last four years. The service was enlivened by contributions from several senior Gladiators, Arianna, Camill, Torrence, Osheanna, Martin, Ny’Jaree, Kaylyn, Emilio, and Versiyah. The theme for the Mass was "In between, we found faith."

Class Salutatorian, Amerie delivered a speech that touched on her personal journey at CTK, as well as the shared experiences of the Class of 2026. Amerie’s journey and Jesuit education will continue at Marquette University in Milwaukee.

Go out and set the world on fire! AMDG

Shout out to CTK teacher Jasmon Harper and her freshman art therapy students for hosting an art fair. Their beautiful artwork was displayed in our courtyard last week, and will also be showcased on our school’s 2nd and 3rd floor.

At the end of Christ the King’s schoolwide Mass earlier this week, CTK President Clem Martin and Principal Katie Olson announced the staff winners of the 2nd annual Cristo Rey Network Outrageously Bold award. This is a national award given across all 42 Cristo Rey Network schools, including CTK. The award winners are nominated by their peers and recognized for their exemplary performance and outstanding results during this school year.

The surprised but deserving honorees were Social Studies teacher, Ms. Maggie Deady and Spanish teacher, Mrs. Sarah Mangan. The two women are not only terrific teachers, but also go above and beyond in dedicating their time to leading various after-school student clubs and activities, including the CTK Student Council. Congratulations to Maggie and Sarah!

CTK’s Spanish 1 sophomore class exchanged letters with their pen pals at the Jesuit High School- San Bartolome La Merced in Bogota, Colombia. CTK Spanish teacher, Dave Linhares established a partnership with the Colombian high school’s English class. The physical letters being mailed this week are the final student interaction which has also included digital messages and a Zoom call. Our students wrote their letters in Spanish and the Colombian students wrote back in English. Bien hecho!

This week’s featured Graduating Gladiator is Arianna. Her academic achievements earned her Illinois State Scholar recognition. She credits her teachers and Corporate Work Study Program co-workers with providing support throughout her time at CTK. The busy senior was actively involved with a wide range of activities including NHS, Yearbook, Dance, DnD, Cooking, Unity Club, Book Club, Chess, and Student Ambassadors. She intends to major in architectural engineering in college next year.

Arianna and her classmates were excited to reveal their college choices as part of this week’s Decision Day Celebration event at CTK. We are proud of Arianna and all of seniors and wish them the best of luck in the years ahead. Go set the world on fire!

Take part in CTK’s Limited Entry Vacation Raffle supporting CTK students. Winner chooses between two incredible experiences:

1. Kentucky Bourbon Trail - Lexington, KY - Enjoy a 3-night luxury stay for 4 featuring distillery tours, tastings, a racehorse experience, and private dining.
OR
2. Grand Canyon SkyScape Retreat - Arizona - Get away on a 3-night glamping escape for 5 in a luxury Sky Dome featuring stargazing, live music, and unforgettable views near the Grand Canyon.

Only 150 Tickets will be sold! Purchase yours today at https://e.givesmart.com/events/NOr/i/_All/ztXc/?search=

If all 150 tickets have been sold, the drawing will take place at the CTK Golf & Grill event on May 29th. Winner need not be present to win. Don’t miss your chance to win an amazing experience!