Class of 2023 Valedictorian & Salutatorian

May 23, 2023

Justin Walter and Sarah Ray earn High-Performing Academic Honors

Class of 2023 Valedictorian: Justin Walter!

Justin graduated with the highest academic GPA in the Class of 2023: 4.606! He is a National Merit Commended Scholar, a Brother Bernadine Honors Scholar, a member of the State Championship Academic Bowl team, on the Drumline and a member of the National Honors Society.


Justin worked extensively in the North Tulsa Learning Center this year. According to his teacher Ms. Bendel: “He is patient, kind, and encouraging in a way that does not make younger students feel that he is holding himself superior to them.” He's also been called a "math genius." Last year in his APEL class, Justin gave an argument on why to use half angle formulas to solve Trigonometric functions.


He was accepted at The University of Tulsa, Rose Hulman Institute of Technology and Rhodes College. He will be attending The University of Tulsa in the Fall.


Class of 2023 Salutatorian: Sarah Ray


Sarah graduated with a 4.586 weighted cumulative GPA. She is a Brother Bernadine Honors Scholar, Captain of the State Championship Varsity Cross Country, member of the State Championship Girls Track and Field Team and will be attending Georgia Tech University.

September 24, 2025
Ryan Klerekoper is in his fourth year as a teacher at Bishop Kelley. In his short tenure at the school, Ryan has quickly distinguished himself as an adept, informed, reflective and engaging teacher of English. Ryan has taught freshmen through seniors at Bishop Kelley, though his mainstay is freshman English. When Ryan arrived at Bishop Kelley, he moved into the English Department seamlessly; he has become an integral part of the department. His students meet his high expectations, and judging from the flock of students who gather around him between classes, he is beloved of current and former students alike. One peer teacher describes him as, “One of Bishop Kelley's best teachers. He creates engaging lessons for his students who thrive in his classroom and who enjoy his teaching immensely as well; Ryan prioritizes keeping rigor high while also keeping learning fun.” Ryan displays a genuine concern for the intellectual, emotional, and spiritual development of his students. He holds his students to high standards but supports them in their efforts and struggles. He makes strong personal connections with each of his students. If you walk by his room before and after school, you find a room filled with animated students seeking his advice and affirmation. To help foster his own as well as his students’ spiritual growth, Ryan joined a faculty PLC to explore ways to integrate faith into his curriculum; he is genuinely focused on helping to develop the whole child. A fellow teacher describes him, “Ryan inspires his fellow English teachers to maintain the highest academic standards. He maintains humility by sharing and critiquing ideas as a team, incorporating new works of literature, and offering usable feedback with encouragement. It is a blessing to work with him; he is an outstanding teacher. “ Ryan holds both a bachelor's and master's degree in English from Northeastern State University. At Northeastern he won the Academic Achievement Award as the Most Outstanding Student in 2019. Prior to Bishop Kelley, Ryan taught both middle and high school English in the Union school district after a ten-year career with Mazzio's Pizza. The admiration and respect he inspires in both students and colleagues stand as a testament to the transformative impact he has on the lives of Bishop Kelley students. The 2025 Saint Francis of Assisi Teacher of the Year from Bishop Kelley is Ryan Klerekoper. Bishop Konderla will celebrate the SFOA Annual Mass and Teacher Awards: 👉 Friday, October 3, 2025 ⛪ 6 pm at Holy Family Cathedral
August 25, 2025
With over 350 in attendance on April 26, 2025 at Jarboe Hall, the BK community raised just over $312,500 (net) towards purchasing school bus transportation.