Lyons Township High School

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

Lyons Township High School
Lyons Township High School North Campus
Location
100 South Brainard Avenue La Grange , Illinois 60525 United States
Coordinates	41.812155°N 87.88028°W / 41.812155; -87.88028 (North campus) 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	267.25 (FTE)[1]
Grades	9–10 (South) 11–12 (North)
Enrollment	3,767 (2023–2024)[1]
Average class size	18.8
Student to teacher ratio	14.10[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 is a coeducational 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]

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]

Newspaper

The LION newspaper is the student publication of LTHS.^[9] The LION is a member of the High School National Ad Network.

WLTL

LTHS is the license holder of WLTL-FM, a Class A non-commercial radio station which broadcasts from the North Campus on 88.1 FM.^[10]

Notable alumni

• George Burditt, lawyer and politician^[11]
• Bruce Campbell, baseball player^[12]
• Terrel E. Clarke, Illinois state legislator and businessman^[13]
• Jimmy Dunne (songwriter), songwriter, TV and film composer^[14]
• Jake Elliott, NFL kicker for Philadelphia Eagles^[15]
• Nick Fuentes, a white supremacist^[16]
• 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
• Bill Holderman, film director, screenwriter and film producer^[17]
• Jim Holvay, songwriter and musician^[18]
• Jeff Hornacek, professional basketball player, former head coach of New York Knicks
• 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^[19]
• 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 aka "Aiden English", a professional wrestler
• John Saban, football player
• Lou Saban, former professional football player and coach
• Gabrielle Walsh, actress
• Ty Warner, CEO of Ty Inc. and inventor of Beanie Babies^[20]
• 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
• Xenia Zarina, dancer^[21]