Lyons Township High School

Picture of the north campus

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 LaGrange, 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^[1] and the 46th largest public high school in the United States.^[2] Freshmen and sophomores attend class at South campus, located at 4900 S. Willow Springs Rd. in Western Springs. Juniors and seniors attend class at North campus, located at 100 S. Brainard Ave. in LaGrange, 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 busses run after school between the campuses.

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 1926-1929 expansion included a clock tower, auditorium, offices, library, and a gym. Leonard H. Vaughan (President of a seed company and former school board president,^[3]) funded the construction of the Vaughan Building; it was constructed in 1952 for sporting events and classes. 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. .^[4]

Athletics

At LTHS girls compete in basketball, cross country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, swimming, diving, tennis, lacrosse, track & field, volleyball, badminton, softball and water polo. Boys compete in baseball, football, cross country, wrestling, golf, soccer, bowling, basketball, swimming, diving, track & field, lacrosse, water polo, tennis, volleyball.

The following teams have finished in the top four of their respective IHSA state championship tournaments:^[5]

• Badminton: 3rd (2013–14)
• Baseball: 4th (2000–01); 3rd (1995–96); 2nd (1949–50, 61-62, 2011–12); State Champions (1966–67, 2002–03, 10–11)
• Basketball (boys): 4th (1947–48, 2000–01); 3rd (1993–94); State Champions (1952–53, 69-70)
• Basketball (girls): 4th (1991–92); 3rd (1992–93)
• Cross Country (boys): 4th (2013–14); 3rd (1946–47, 57-58, 72-73, 2012–13, 14-15); 2nd place (1951–52, 2003–04); State Champions (1955–56, 56-57)
• Cross Country (girls): 3rd (2000–01); 2nd (2007–08)
• Golf (girls): 3rd (1941–42, 43-44, 2004); 2nd (1937–38, 2005); State Champions (1938–39)
• Golf (boys): 3rd (2004–05); 2nd (2005–06)
• Gymnastics (boys): 3rd place (2013–14); 4th place (2002–03); 3rd place (2001–02)
• Gymnastics (girls): 4th (1982–83, 83-84, 2007–08); 3rd (1999–2000, 2001–02); 2nd (1998–99, 2009–2010); State Champions (2012–13, 13–14)
• Hockey (boys): 2nd place (1980–81); State Champions (1979-80)
• Lacrosse (boys): 4th place (2008); 2nd place (2005)
• Soccer (girls): 4th (2002–03, 05-06); 2nd (1996–97)
• Soccer (boys): State Champions (2009–10)
• Swimming & Diving (boys): 3rd (1972–73, 73-74)
• Swimming & Diving (girls): 4th (1981–82, 82-83, 85-86); 3rd (1995–96)
• Tennis (boys): 4th (2001–02); 3rd (1953–54, 54-55, 55-56); 2nd (2005–06)
• Tennis (girls): 4th (2001–02, 02-03); 3rd (1978–79, 85-86, 88-89, 89-90); 2nd (1993–94); State Champions (1990–91, 91-92, 92-93)
• Track & Field (boys): 4th (1949–50); 3rd (1926–27, 39-40, 40-41, 70-71, 73-74); 2nd (1915–16, 50-51, 58-59); State Champions (1913–14, 14-15, 47-48, 48-49, 51-52, 52-53, 53-54, 60-61, 72-73)
• Volleyball (boys): 4th (1999–2000, 2002–03, 04-05); 3rd (2001–02)
• Volleyball (girls): 2nd (2009–2010); State Champions (1975–76, 89-90, 2010–11)
• Water Polo (boys): 4th (2008–09); 3rd (2005–06); State Champions (2011–12, 14-15)
• Water Polo (girls): State Champions (2009–10)
• Wrestling: 3rd (1991–92)

Newspaper

The LION newspaper is the student publication of LTHS. The LION is a member of the High School National Ad Network. Currently in its 103rd year of publication, it is a completely student-run publication and has received numerous national and state awards. Juniors and seniors who have taken Journalistic Writing are chosen for the staff by graduation staff members and the LION advisor, Mr. Jason Scales. The staff works during 8th period and after school. The LION is distributed on the last Friday of every month, which means roughly eight issues are published each year. 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 in 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

LTTV

Lyons Township Television (LTTV) is Lyons Township High School's cable television station. The LTTV slogan is "Welcome Home".

LTTV is a combination of educational and government cable access television. It is hosted and supported by Lyons Township High School, and it receives funding and support from the West Central Cable Agency. It is also funded by federal grants under the "Right to Broadcast Act" of 1993.

The majority of programs seen on LTTV are crewed by students at Lyons Township High School. The production crew members work on a voluntary basis, and the volume of programming covered by LTTV would not be possible were it not for the commitment of the student crew. Crew members help direct, produce, edit, and film LT sports and events airing on LTTV. LTTV consistently produces over 250 programs per year, many of which are produced and broadcast live. LTTV's website offers live streaming of programs on High School Cube.

In 2009, LTTV also started Lyons Township’s first student film festival, Media Arts Night of Entertainment (M.A.N.E.).

WLTL

LTHS has a non-profit radio station known as WLTL, which broadcasts from North Campus on 88.1 FM. WLTL has won several national and local awards, including the Service to Young Children award. The station is student-run, with new student managers being selected each year.

WLTL is the recipient of more than 25 awards of excellence, including the John Dunn 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, and Phil LeBeau of CNBC.

Clubs and activities

LTHS offers over 100 activities and athletics including academic clubs, communication arts, performing arts, intramurals, leadership and service organizations. They include the following:^[6]

Performance Groups

Service Groups & Initiatives

Fine Arts Groups

Academic Organizations

Clubs & Organizations

Throughout the year, students arrange multiple small events for the school as well as the community. Such events include the All School Assembly, Relay For Life events, Computer Drive, Secret Santa, Rockathon and various other student run events.

Fine Arts

LTHS has been known for its music and fine arts programs for decades.

• The Lyons Township band takes biennial trips to Walt Disney World in Orlando, they go to perform and in a parade and clinic and has received a Superior Rating from them each time. The jazz bands also make yearly appearances at the Evanston Jazz Festival. The Wind Ensemble, LT's top band, makes yearly trips to Northwestern University for its Northshore Band Festival.
• The Lyons Township Orchestra makes frequent trips all over the State, including Joliett, the Festival of Gold in both New Oreleans and Chicago, and most recently, Atlanta, GA. They have also been to Milwaukee and will go all over Northern Italy over spring break of 2013.
• The Lyons Township Choruses have been top notch for decades and frequently send down dozens of players to the All-State Festival in Peoria, IL. Additionally, the Sophomore, Junior, and Senior Madrigal singing groups constantly grace the community with their immense talents. Most recently, the upperclassmen in the LT Choirs traveled to Canada, San Franscisco, New York, Boston and Ireland to sing in various public venues.

The following teams have finished in the top 20 of their respective IHSA sponsored state tournaments:

• Debate: 3rd place (1940–41, 47-48, 50-51); 2nd place (1943–44, 44-45, 49-50); State Champions (1948–49, 51-52, 52-53, 56-57)
• Individual Events: 11th place (1952–53); 3rd place (1958–59); 1st place (1950–51, 57-58)
• Speech (Sweepstakes): 12th place (1948–49, 50-51); 6th place (1951–52, 56-57); State Champions (1952–53)

Awards

LT received a 2005 Bright A award based on academic performance. It is one of 1000 schools in Illinois to receive the award, representing the top 60% of all Illinois school districts.

LT received the 2005 What Parents care about Award for meeting the needs of a family choosing schools.

The town of Lyons awarded Lyons Township High School with a Gold medal for their best schools ranking for 2010. LT was one of 200 schools in Illinois to be awarded for this.

In 2015, the Lyons Township Math Team Calculator Team tied for first place in the state.

Notable alumni

• Jeff Adams, American football player
• George Burditt was an Illinois lawyer and politician.
• Allan B. Calhamer was the inventor of the board game Diplomacy.
• Bruce Campbell was a Major League Baseball player (1930–42). Playing most of his career with the Cleveland Indians, he played in the 1940 World Series with the Detroit Tigers.
• Joel Cummins is a keyboardist and founding member of the rock band Umphrey's McGee.
• Taylor Davis (violinist) is an American violinist, arranger, and composer best known for her covers of music from video games featured on her YouTube channel ViolinTay. She also features performances of her own arrangements of music from films and musicals and has begun releasing original music.
• Jimmy Dunne (songwriter) is an award-winning, multi-platinum songwriter, TV and film composer, television writer/producer, screenwriter, music producer, columnist, publisher, business entrepreneur – and artist. Dunne’s songs have been recorded on 28,000,000 records worldwide; along with scores, songs, and themes in over 1,500 television episodes and dozens of feature films.
• David Hasselhoff is a professional actor and singer perhaps best known for his roles on the television series Knight Rider, Baywatch, and America's Got Talent.
• John Hattendorf is a professor and historian specializing in maritime and naval history.
• Paul G. Hoffman was an automobile executive and international statesman who oversaw aid to other countries, including the Marshall Plan in postwar Europe. He is the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
• Jeff Hornacek was a professional basketball player in the NBA, most notably with the Utah Jazz. He is now the head coach of the New York Knicks of the NBA
• Michael Hitchcock is a professional comic actor, writer, and producer.
• Ron Huberman is the former head of the Chicago Transit Authority and former Chief of Staff to Richard M. Daley. He has also recently resigned as the CEO of the Chicago Public Schools.
• Paul Hume was a professor, editor, and music critic for the Washington Post, perhaps most famous for a public feud with President Harry Truman regarding a poor review of his daughter's (Margaret Truman) singing.
• John McWethy was an Emmy and Edward R. Murrow Award winning reporter best known for his work as senior State Department and National Security correspondent for ABC News.
• Ben R. Mottelson is a nuclear physicist who shared the 1975 Nobel Prize in Physics with James Rainwater and Aage Bohr for their model of nuclear structure.
• Richard O'Connor is a medical doctor who was instrumental in the pioneering of arthroscopic surgery.
• Christine Radogno is the Republican leader in the Illinois State Senate, representing the 41st Senate District.
• Matt Rehwoldt, a professional wrestler who performs as "Aiden English".
• Lou Saban is a former professional football player and coach at both the professional and collegiate level.
• Frederick Upton helped organize the Upton Machine Company, an early manufacturer of electric washing machines, the forerunner to the Whirlpool Corporation.
• Dave Wehrmeister, Former MLB player (San Diego Padres, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago White Sox)
• Leona Woods was an American physicist who helped build the first nuclear reactor and the first atomic bomb. At age 23, she was the youngest and only female member of the team which built and experimented with the world's first nuclear reactor Chicago Pile-1.
• Karl Urycki, Buzzer beater kid. Basketball MVP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZWrPABth5s

References

External links

• Lyons Township High School School Website
• Lion Newspaper School Newspaper Website
• WLTL Radio Radio Station Website
• LTHS Alumni Forum Alumni Forum