Lasallian Founder's Alumni Award: Distinguished Alumni, David Nyikos

May 26, 2023

From the Bishop Kelley Class of 1991.

David Nyikos is a distinguished alumnus with extensive experience in International Security and Military Operations. His worldview is vast, and he’s used his expertise to create a safer, more secure tomorrow. His work has proved his ability as a leader and model of dedication and courage.

After graduating from Bishop Kelley in 1991, David attended the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado. Upon earning his bachelor’s degree in Engineering Sciences, he completed pilot training at the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training and F-15 follow-on training. With the training, David flew F-15 jets in Virginia and Alaska and acted as a forward air controller at Ft. Campbell in Kentucky. Upon earning his Master of Science in Engineering Management from the Air Force Institute of Technology, he was selected as a Service Chiefs’ Intern at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. He commanded a squadron in San Antonio and led men and women in ground and air combat in Afghanistan and over Iraq. He returned to school and earned his Master of Arts in Political and Military Sciences at the Royal Belgian Military Academy. He then worked as a representative for the Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman at the NATO Headquarters. He served as Director of the Joint Air Component Coordination Element and Chief of Staff of the NATO Air Component Afghanistan before returning to the United States as the Deputy Director of Operations at Air Combat Command.

David successfully led military squadrons to receive awards as the best air superiority squadron and the best support squadron in the Air Force. David is the current Chief of Defense Cooperation for the United States Air Force at the U.S. Embassy in The Hague, The Netherlands, coordinating security cooperation activities between the Department of Defense and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Beyond his professional positions, David has found time to volunteer across the country and the world. He’s coached basketball for the non-profit Upwards Sports and has found opportunities to serve in each school his children have attended. David Nyikos has found a balance between serving his country, maintaining an incredibly successful career, and building a strong family with an enduring marriage.

David’s intrinsic motivation to serve others and leave the world a better place than he found has led to his successes and ultimate recognition today.

Lasallian Founder’s Alumni Award

Recognizing the accomplishments of Outstanding Bishop Kelley Alumni who exemplify the five core principles of the Lasallian Mission; Faith in the Presence of God, Quality Education, Concern for the Poor & Social Justice, Respect for All Persons & Inclusive Community.

If you know a deserving BK Alumni, please nominate them here:

https://www.bishopkelley.org/alumni#LasallianFoundersAlumniAwardsNominationForm

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Bishop Kelley Named to Advanced Placement Gold Honor Roll

January 15, 2026

Bishop Kelley High School was recently named to the Gold Advanced Placement Honor Roll by the College Board . The AP Honor Roll program works to acknowledge schools around the United States that help students achieve excellence while maintaining broad access to challenging curriculum. According to the College Board, Honor Roll schools, “Reflect a commitment to increasing college-going culture, maximizing college readiness.” The award also recognizes the broad access to advanced classes especially for students in underrepresented populations. The AP Honor Roll distinguished schools in three main areas: college culture, college credit and college optimization. Seventy-two percent of Bishop Kelley students in the Class of 2025 took at least one AP class and test during their time at the school. Fifty-eight percent earned college credit by scoring at least a “3” on one AP test and thirteen percent of the class took at least five AP tests through their four years of high school. All three of these indicators show an increase from previous years for Bishop Kelley. Two hundred and fifty-seven Bishop Kelley students took a record six hundred and twenty-six Advanced Placement (AP) tests in May, 2025 with an extraordinary 85% scoring “3” or higher. Nineteen percent of Bishop Kelley test takers scored the highest possible “5” on their exams, the equivalent of “Extremely Well Qualified” according to the College Board which administers the international testing. A “5” equates to an A+ or A in college level classes. Internationally, only 9% of all tests earn a “5” score. Another thirty-six percent of Bishop Kelley students scored at the second highest tier, a “4,” equal to ”Very well Qualified,” a level only achieved by twenty percent of all testers. The record number of exams for Bishop Kelley students cover a wide range of disciplines including science, math, English, social studies, fine arts, world languages and business. The largest number of tests for Bishop Kelley students included one hundred and thirteen AP English Language and Composition students, followed by eighty-six students who took the AP United States Government test, and seventy-one who took the AP United States History exam. Bishop Kelley students scored the highest average on the second-year AP Precalculus exam with a school mean score of 4.6, followed by AP Physics I with a mean score of 4.3. In the 2024-2025 school year, Bishop Kelley offered AP tests in twenty-four different subject areas. The Advanced Placement program is sponsored by the College Board. Research has proven that students who take AP classes are more likely to enroll in and complete four-year colleges.