My name is Peter Kipp, I am in the class of 2026, and I run track and cross country at Northridge Prep High School in Niles, Illinois. In the 2024 XC Class 1A State Championship, I received all-state honors with an 18th-place finish with a 3 mile time of 15:11. As a sophomore in track, I ran 4:33 in the 1600m – forty minutes after running a 2:02 in the 800m. I improved my time to 2:01 the next week in the Track and Field State Finals as the opening leg to a 5th-place and all-state finish. I aim to focus on the 3200m this track season, and my goal is to run in the 9:20’s this year, and receive all-state honors in May. In addition to pursuing success on the track, I also strive for academic excellence, especially with the rigorous curriculum offered at Northridge. I hold a 96.6 GPA on an unweighted 100-point-scale. In standardized tests, I received a 1470 SAT on my first attempt, and I will endeavor to improve that score on future attempts. On the PSAT, I scored 1470 on a 1520 scale; an analogous SAT score would be in the solid 1500s.

I come from a family of runners. My dad was the Cross Country captain at Yale University in the 1980’s, and his continued enthusiasm for the sport brought me to the practices in the forest preserves in July before my freshman year. I have progressively been taking my running more seriously, and after two all-state finishes, it has become a pillar of my life. I brought an energy and enthusiasm to my team this year as a co-captain, leading to a 1st place team finish in Class 1A this year in Peoria. ‘Speeches’ before races and personal conversations with teammates addressing their potential have really cemented my role as a leader both on the track and in the small school environment, always keeping my teammates accountable and directing them to the greater goal. Outside of school, I volunteer at an assisted living home in La Grange called Plymouth Place, where I serve in both memory care and assisted living units. Over the summer I worked at a summer camp catering to local families, called Kingswood Academy in Darien. 

I have views to continue my progression at the collegiate level, both academically and on the track. I like to compete in everything I do, and I see myself doing the same thing in a college setting, welcoming any challenge that is set before me. For more information, please email me at peterkipp2026@gmail.com.