Chicago is a city that certainly has its share of troubles. Chicago’s Westside, in particular, has been known for high crime rates, with one study putting residents’ risk of falling victim to violent crime at over three times greater than the national average.

One school, however, has been helping the Windy City by bucking the bad press for nearly a half-century.

Providence St. Mel, a Catholic pre-K-12 institution, has sent 100% of its graduates to four-year colleges and universities for the past 48 years.

The school’s record of perfection does not end in the collective success of its student body, however. In 2022, Providence St. Mel senior Mario Hoover achieved a perfect 36 on his ACT, the first in the school’s history to do so, a feat less than 1% of all test takers achieve annually.

The average ACT score for the school is nothing to scoff at either; the class of 2018 achieved a 25 average ACT, while the current average is reported at 24.

In spite of its record of excellence, Providence St. Mel has not been without its critics. The school recently made the news over a controversy involving a young student whose hairstyle clashed with the school’s policy. That case  was eventually settled in favor of the student’s family.

The school boasts patrons as varied and celebrated as Oprah Winfrey, who donated $1,million to the school in 1993.

Former president Ronald Reagan visited the school in 1982 and 1983 and referred to it as an “inspiration.”

Reagan’s sentiment is echoed in Mario Hoover’s words, speaking to Fox 32 three decades after the president’s visit. “I want others to know that they can do the same,” Hoover stated regarding his perfect score. “I’ve been saying a lot today that we are all capable of more than we think we can do.”