Lyons Township High School

Lyons Township High School
Lyons Township High School North Campus
Address
100 South Brainard Avenue La Grange , Illinois 60525 United States
Coordinates	41°48′44″N87°52′49″W / 41.812155°N 87.88028°W / 41.812155; -87.88028 (North campus) 41°48′04″N87°53′28″W / 41.801247°N 87.89101°W / 41.801247; -87.89101 (South campus)
Information
Other name	Lyons Township LTHS LT
School type	Coed Public
Motto	Vita Plena (The quest for the fulfilling life)
Opened	1888
School district	Lyons Township High School District 204
Superintendent	Brian Waterman
Principal	Jennifer Tyrrell
Staff	256.23 (FTE) [1]
Grades	9–10 (South) 11–12 (North)
Enrollment	3,842 (2022–2023) [1]
Average class size	18.8
Student to teacher ratio	14.99 [1]
Campus	Suburban
Campus size	106 acres over two campuses
Colour(s)	royal blue   gold
Fight song	Gold & Blue, based on My Illinois
Athletics conference	West Suburban Conference
Mascot	Nessie and Noil
Nickname	Lions
Accreditation	North Central Association
Newspaper	Lion
Yearbook	Tabulae
Nobel laureates	Ben R. Mottelson 1975-physics
Website	www.lths.net

Lyons Township High School (often referred to as LTHS or simply LT) is a public high school located in Western Springs, Illinois (South Campus), and also in La Grange, Illinois (North Campus).

Lyons Township is a co-educational high school and serves grades 9–12 for Lyons Township High School District 204. Students from the communities of La Grange, Western Springs, Burr Ridge, La Grange Park, Countryside, Indian Head Park, Hodgkins, and parts of Brookfield, Willow Springs, and McCook attend Lyons Township. Lyons Township High School is the 8th-largest public high school in Illinois ^[2] and the 45th-largest public high school in the United States. ^[3] Freshmen and Sophomores attend class at South campus, located at 4900 S. Willow Springs Rd. in Western Springs, while Juniors and Seniors attend class at North campus, located at 100 S. Brainard Ave. in La Grange, which also houses the district offices. Sports facilities at Lyons Township include swimming pools, field houses, theatres, a turf football field (south campus), soccer fields, baseball fields, a gym, outdoor tracks, basketball courts, and volleyball courts. The two campuses are about a mile apart. Activity buses run after school between the campuses, along with buses that run at the end of 1st period and beginning of 8th period to commute Freshman & Sophomores from North Campus to South Campus and to commute Juniors & Seniors from South Campus to North Campus.

History

Lyons Township High School was opened on September 4, 1888. The enrollment included 39 students. An athletic field named Emmond Field was constructed in 1888, and a 1924–1929 expansion included the erection of a clock tower, auditorium, offices, library, and a gym. Leonard H. Vaughan (president of a seed company and former school board president, ^[4] ) funded the erection of the Vaughan Building; it was constructed in 1949 for sporting events and classes. ^[5] In 1956, South Campus was opened about a mile south-west in nearby Western Springs to accommodate the community's growing population. The Corral was constructed in 1944 as a social place for all students to spend time with each other after school hours. In 2005, a performing arts center, a field house, and a pool were added to the South campus to complement the facilities at the North campus. ^{[6] [7]}

Demographics

In the 2022-2023 school year, there were 3,842 students enrolled at the school. 66% of students identified as non-Hispanic white, 26% were Hispanic or Latino, 3% were multiracial, 3% were black or African-American, and 3% were Asian-American. The school has a student to teacher ratio of 14.9, and 12% of students are eligible for free or reduced price lunch. ^[8]

Athletics

At Lyons Township High School, boys compete in baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, football, golf, gymnastics, lacrosse, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, volleyball, and water polo. The Lyons Township Hockey Club is associated with the Township of Lyons, not LTHS. Girls compete in badminton, basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, volleyball, and water polo. Other sports that are present at LT and not limited to any one gender are Competitive Cheer, Competitive Dance, Special Olympics Basketball, and Special Olympics Track. There are also some non-athletic clubs that are still affiliated with IHSA (e.g. Speech, Debate, Scholastic Bowl, Chess, etc).

The following teams have won their respective IHSA state championship tournaments: ^[9]

• Baseball: 1967, 2003, 2011
• Baseball (Summer): 2002, 2004, 2006, 2012
• Basketball (boys): 1953, 1970
• Basketball (Special Olympics): 1995, 2005
• Cross country (boys): 1951, 1955, 1956
• Golf (boys): 1938, 1939
• Gymnastics (boys): 2021
• Gymnastics (girls): 2013, 2014
• Soccer (boys): 2009
• Swimming and diving (boys): 2016, 2017
• Tennis (girls): 1990, 1991, 1992
• Track and field (boys): 1914, 1915, 1948, 1949, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1961, 1971
• Volleyball (girls): 1976, 1989, 2010
• Water Polo (boys): 2012, 2015, 2024
• Water Polo (girls): 2010
• Speech: 1953

Newspaper

The LION newspaper is the student publication of LTHS. ^[10] The LION is a member of the High School National Ad Network. The newspaper has won multiple awards:

• Journalism Education Association and National Scholastic Press Association: 1st place nationally in 16+ page category in 1999
• Scholastic Press Association: 1st place (national overall newspaper award)
• Northern Illinois School Press Association: Golden Eagle Award: Best of Class 2009, One Honor Scholarship, 13 individual Blue
• The red stripe award for journalistic excellence ribbons, and 47 Honorable Mentions
• National Scholastic Press Association and Journalism Education Association: Two individual Awards of Excellence and one Honorable Mention
• American Society of Newspaper Editors and Quill & Scroll: Four national 1st place awards
• Illinois Men’s Press Association: A 2nd place award in Column Writing and an Honorable Mention in Sports Writing

WLTL

LTHS is the license holder of WLTL-FM, a Class A non-commercial radio station which broadcasts from North Campus on 88.1 FM. ^[11] WLTL has won several national and local awards, including the Service to Young Children award. The station is student-run, with new student managers selected each year.

WLTL is the recipient of more than 25 awards of excellence, including the John Drury award for "Best High School Radio Station in the Nation" and has had 10 consecutive years winning the Communicator Award. WLTL has also been recognized nationally for the quality broadcasting that it provides by the National Association of Broadcasters. Several current media figures got their start at WLTL, including Mike Murphy of WSCR, Dave Juday of WMVP-AM, Ryan Arnold and Emma McElherne of WXRT-FM, and Phil LeBeau of CNBC.

Notable alumni

• Jeff Adams, football player ^[12]
• George Burditt, lawyer and politician
• Bruce Campbell, baseball player ^[13]
• Terrel E. Clarke, Illinois state legislator and businessman
• Jack Collom, poet and teacher; pioneered the modern Eco-Lit poetry genre^{[ citation needed ]}
• Jimmy Dunne (songwriter), songwriter, TV and film composer
• Jake Elliott, NFL kicker for Philadelphia Eagles ^[14]
• Nick Fuentes, a white nationalist, ^[15] far-right ^[16] political commentator and podcaster
• Kathy Gleason, Professor of Landscape Architecture at Cornell University
• David Hasselhoff, actor and singer, best known for television series Knight Rider , Baywatch , and America's Got Talent
• John Hattendorf, professor and historian specializing in maritime and naval history
• Michael Hitchcock, actor, writer, and producer
• Jim Holvay, songwriter and musician ^[17]
• Jeff Hornacek, professional basketball player, former head coach of New York Knicks ^{[ citation needed ]}
• Oren Koules, producer of Saw movie series, producer of Two and a Half Men TV series, former owner Tampa Bay Lightning NHL team
• Ben LaBolt, White House Communications Director ^[18]
• Ben R. Mottelson, nuclear physicist who shared 1975 Nobel Prize in Physics with James Rainwater and Aage Bohr for their model of nuclear structure
• Christine Radogno, Republican leader in Illinois State Senate, representing the 41st Senate District
• Matt Rehwoldt, professional wrestler who performs as "Aiden English"
• Lou Saban, former professional football player and coach
• Gabrielle Walsh, actress
• Dave Wehrmeister, former MLB player (San Diego Padres, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago White Sox)
• Leona Woods, physicist who helped build Chicago Pile-1, the first nuclear reactor
• Ty Warner, CEO of Ty Inc. and inventor of Beanie Babies ^[19]
• Xenia Zarina, dancer ^[20]

References

1. "Lyons Twp High Sch". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
2. "2017 Largest Public High Schools in Illinois". Niche. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
3. "Top 100 Largest High Schools in America". highschoolguide.org. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
4. "Leonard H Vaughan, Seed Company Head, Dies at summer home". Chicago Tribune. September 12, 1943. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
5. "FEB 17 PRESENTATION Finance-Facilities-Tech" (PDF). We Are LT. Lyons Township High School. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
6. 6255
7. "About LTHS / History of LTHS". www.LTHS.net. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
8. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Lyons Twp High Sch". nces.ed.gov. Retrieved 2024-06-20.
9. "Athletics / State Champions". www.LTHS.net. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
10. "LION Newspaper - The voice of Lyons Township students for more than 100 years". www.LionNewspaper.com. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
11. "WLTL 88.1 FM LaGrange". WLTL 88.1 FM LaGrange. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
12. "JEFF ADAMS". gocolumbialions.com. Archived from the original on 29 December 2014. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
13. Lyons Township High School. "LTHS Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on 4 September 2021.
14. Santaromita, Dan (4 August 2015). "Lyons Township graduate Jake Elliott racks up milestones with Memphis football". mySuburbanLife.com. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved 5 December 2015.
15. Multiple sources:
    • Frosch, Dan; Levy, Rachael; Elinson, Zusha (January 15, 2021). "Extremists in Capitol Riot Had Histories of Violent Rhetoric and Threats". Wall Street Journal . ISSN   0099-9660. Archived from the original on March 4, 2021. Retrieved March 4, 2021. Far-right personality and white nationalist Nick Fuentes, who was at Charlottesville during that deadly 2017 rally, told followers he planned to attend the Jan. 6 protest.
    • Evans, Robert (November 18, 2020). "Million MAGA March: Unravelling a Violent Viral Video". Bellingcat . Archived from the original on February 13, 2021. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
    • Beaujon, Andrew (November 10, 2020). "Far-Right Activists Are Promoting Pro-Trump Rallies in DC this Saturday". The Washingtonian . Archived from the original on December 5, 2020. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
    • Coaston, Jane (November 11, 2019). "Why alt-right trolls shouted down Donald Trump Jr". Vox. Archived from the original on November 12, 2019. Retrieved November 17, 2019.
    • Weigel, David (February 28, 2021). "At conservative conference, Trump's election falsehoods flourish". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on February 28, 2021. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
    • Thalen, Mikael (January 10, 2020). "It looks like white nationalist Nick Fuentes just had his YouTube channel demonetized". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on January 11, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
    • "White supremacists among those who stormed the U.S. Capitol, live streamed from inside". Haaretz. Associated Press. January 9, 2021. Archived from the original on January 13, 2021. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
    • Thompson, A. C.; Fischer, Ford (January 9, 2021). "Members of Several Well-Known Hate Groups Identified at Capitol Riot". ProPublica. Archived from the original on January 14, 2021. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
    • Nguyen, Tina (November 11, 2020). "MAGA nation tries to rally around Trump with MAGApalooza". Politico . Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
16. Multiple sources:
    • Frosch, Dan; Levy, Rachael; Elinson, Zusha (January 15, 2021). "Extremists in Capitol Riot Had Histories of Violent Rhetoric and Threats". Wall Street Journal . ISSN   0099-9660. Archived from the original on March 4, 2021. Retrieved March 4, 2021. Far-right personality and white nationalist Nick Fuentes, who was at Charlottesville during that deadly 2017 rally, told followers he planned to attend the Jan. 6 protest.
    • Nick, Anderson. "Far-right agitators roil the conservative movement on college campuses in battle to define Trumpism". The Washington Post . No. November 16, 2019. Archived from the original on November 17, 2019. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
    • Holt, Jared (May 8, 2018). "Nick Fuentes Denies Being A White Nationalist By Explaining That He's A White Nationalist". Right Wing Watch. People for the American Way. Archived from the original on May 7, 2020. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
    • Green, Dominic. "The groypers are American fascists". The Spectator . Archived from the original on April 14, 2020. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
    • Collins, Ben (November 12, 2019). "Pro-Trump conservatives are getting trolled in real life by a far-right group". NBC News. Archived from the original on November 17, 2019. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
    • "How Far-Right Personalities And Conspiracy Theorists Are Cashing In On The Pandemic Online". Time. 20 August 2020. Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
    • Kidder, Jeffrey L.; Binder, Amy J. "Analysis | In the Trump era, campus conservative groups are fighting one another". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on February 20, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2020. Over the past several months, however, Turning Point and YAF have been attacked for failing to espouse the more extreme "America First" populism advocated by figures like conservative columnist Michelle Malkin and conservative podcaster Nick Fuentes.
    • Steakin, Will. "How the far-right group behind AFPAC is using Twitter to grow its movement". ABC News. Archived from the original on March 13, 2021. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
17. "Hall of Fame / Holvay, James".
18. Felsenthal, Carol (January 2, 2014). "La Grange's Ben LaBolt goes to Washington—and Stays – Chicago Magazine". Chicagomag.com. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
19. Smith, Bryan. "Behind the Beanie Babies: The Secret Life of Ty Warner". Chicago magazine. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
20. Zimmerman, Gordon (19 October 1967). "Brother of Xenia Zarina Writes About Her Life". Brookfield Citizen. p. 25. Retrieved 23 September 2024– via NewspaperArchive.com.

External links

• Official website
• LTHS Alumni Forum Alumni Forum