Lasallian Founder's Alumni Award: Outstanding Young Alumni, Caitlyn Benedict Gonya

May 26, 2023

From the Bishop Kelley Class of 2011.

Working extensively throughout the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma, Caitlyn Gonya is an exemplary young alumnus who has used her short time since graduating from Bishop Kelley to do big things. During her four years at Bishop Kelley, Caitlyn filled her schedule with Speech and Debate, among other things, and attended daily Mass.

After graduating from Bishop Kelley in 2011, Caitlyn attended Benedictine College in Kansas, where she got her Bachelor’s degree in Theology and English, graduating in 2015. While at Benedictine, Caitlyn served as a Totus Tuus missionary for the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma. After graduating, she worked as the Youth and Young Adult Minister of Parish of Christ the King and then spent three years in the Youth Office of the Chancery. Caitlyn graduated in 2018 with a Master’s in Theology from the University of Notre Dame.

Caitlyn is the current Director of Mission and Faith Formation at Christ the King. Beyond her role in the Diocese, Caitlyn has worked to implement an event called Song Praise in the Diocese, which includes food, Adoration, praise and worship, and talk. Sing Praise has been held at 11 locations, including a prison. Furthermore, Caitlyn created a five-year strategic plan for the parish and aided with the faith-based elements of the school’s strategic plan.

Simply put, Caitlyn exhibits what it means to be a servant-leader. Her hard work, faith, and service have led to opportunities across the Diocese for others to invest in their faith journeys. She’s used her education at Bishop Kelley and beyond to instill knowledge in others, especially her children.

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.