A total of 144 students from Mokena Junior High School have received national recognition for their performance on the PreACT 8/9 exam. The PreACT Rising Stars program honors students who score in the top half of all U.S. participants, providing early insights into college and career readiness.
The PreACT 8/9 exam serves as a preview of the ACT test and offers a reliable prediction of future ACT performance during high school. Catherine Hofmann, senior vice president of government and public relations at ACT, stated, “Early insights into college and career readiness are essential for helping students stay on track and feel supported in their goals. The PreACT 8/9 and PreACT Rising Stars program gives educators and families a meaningful way to understand students’ strengths, celebrate their achievements, and guide them toward informed decisions about their futures.”
Principal Luke Munch commented on the achievement: “At Mokena Junior High, we pride ourselves on providing a high-quality education to all of our students. Our teachers do an exceptional job of preparing our students for whatever the future may hold. This is not possible without the continued support of our staff, parents and Board of Education. I am confident that all of our students at MJHS are headed in a positive direction, bound to accomplish great things in both high school and beyond.”
The Rising Stars program recognizes students at three levels: Distinguished Scholars Award (top 3% nationally), Rising Scholars Award (top 4-10%), and Early Scholars Award (top 11-50%). At Mokena Junior High School, 12 students earned the Distinguished Scholars Award, 29 received the Rising Scholars Award, and 103 were honored with the Early Scholars Award.
Dr. Kristin Johnson, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction for Mokena School District 159, said: “We are thrilled to see over 80% of our eighth graders receive this award. It speaks volumes to the work of our teachers, staff, parents, and Board of Education in ensuring our students have a strong foundation to build from to reach their future goals and aspirations. We are very proud of each of our award winners and look forward to seeing their continued successes as they move into high school.”
Mokena School District 159 serves Will County through its elementary schools—Mokena Elementary School, Mokena Intermediate School—and Mokena Junior High School. More information can be found at https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/. The district enrolled approximately 1,531 students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade during the 2019-2020 academic year.
According to state data published by the Illinois State Board of Education (source), there are currently 97 teachers employed by Mokena School District 159 with an average salary just over $61,800; most teachers are women (85%) with none recording more than ten absences per year.
Demographically, about 85 percent of district students identify as White; other groups include Hispanic (7.7%), Black (2.7%), and Asian (2.1%) populations (source). In terms of spending per student in fiscal year 2020, district expenditures reached $23,197 per student (source).
Student attendance rates remain relatively strong compared to statewide figures; only three percent were classified as “chronically truant” during the last reported year—a rate well below Illinois’ overall average (source).
