Lyons Township High School

Lyons Township High School was established on April 4, 1888, and opened on September 4, 1888.^{[citation needed]} LTHS's first principal was Professor H.W. Thurston. The original building is now a part of North Campus in La Grange. On September 9, 1889, the school was officially dedicated. In June of 1891, Lyons Township held its first commencement with seven students, all women.^{[citation needed]}

On October 10, 1905, The LT Board of Education purchased just over three acres adjacent to the school. This land was used for athletic purposes and became known as Emmond Field. The original gate into Emmond Field still stands outside of the Vaughan Building at North Campus.^{[citation needed]}

In 1915, the first school band was formed. On Oct 30, 1926, the first homecoming dance was held, and featured a banquet and dance.^{[citation needed]}

The 1926 addition to the school added roughly 35 new classrooms, an auditorium with seating for 1,800, a community room with a small stage, and a gymnasium created for girls' athletics.^{[citation needed]}

In March 1928, the Bell Tower was up and running for the first time.^{[citation needed]} The face of the large bell is adorned with the words:

“As call so fly the irrevocable hours, Utile as air or strong as fate, Make your lives of sand or granite; awful powers; Men as man choose, they either give or take.”

The LT Junior College (LTJC) opened in September of 1930.^{[citation needed]} The college was located on the third floor of North Campus by the Clock Tower. LTJC was the primary predecessor to the College of DuPage (COD). It was officially annexed into COD's District 502 after it closed in June 1967. LTHS is the only high school in Cook County that is included within District 502, due to the history between the two schools.^[7]

The Corral opened for the first time on May 30, 1944. It was constructed as a social place for all students to spend time with each other after school hours. Additionally in 1944, nearly 320 members of the graduating class went off to fight in World War II.^{[citation needed]}

Leonard H. Vaughan (president of a seed company and former school board president^[8]) funded the erection of the Vaughan Building; it was constructed in 1949 for sporting events and classes.^[9]

In 1956, South Campus was opened about a mile south-west in nearby Western Springs to accommodate the community's growing population. While the school was not fully completed at the time, the main academic wings were ready; however, the gym, biology classrooms, etc. were not.^{[citation needed]}

In 1969, for the first time in LT’s history, enrollment surpassed 5,000 students. LT saw its highest enrollment during the 1971-72 school year, with a record-setting 5,220 students.^{[citation needed]}

In 1998, A tradition of retirees and first year teachers ceremoniously ringing the clock tower bells began, and still continues today.^{[citation needed]}

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.^[10]

From 2019-2021, LTHS began planning for a multi-year project named Groundwork for a Brighter Future, aimed at modernizing both campuses to "better meet the 21st Century learning needs of students and staff."^[11] Phase 1 (2024 to 2026) projects included construction of a new cafeteria, a new music wing, and new health classrooms at South Campus, restrooms and accessibility upgrades at both campuses, and installation of additional air conditioning at North Campus. Phase 2 projects are to include completion of A/C to ensure that 100% of both campuses is temperature controlled, completion of classroom modernization project to ensure that 100% of classrooms at both campuses are renovated, and additional physical welfare and athletic program facilities improvements. ^[11]

In 2024, LTHS received a donation of $3,000,000 from the Stacy Ann Baker Charitable Fund to pay the costs of modernizing the Girls’ Varsity Softball Field at South Campus. Baker was a softball player and member of the LTHS class of 1985 who passed away in a car accident in 1999 at the age of 32. The new field was completed in 2026 and is named "Baker Field."^[12] At their first game on the field, LT Girls' Varsity Softball won 10-3 against Leyden High School.^[13]

As of 2026, U.S. News ranked LTHS #39 in Illinois High Schools and #884 in National Rankings.^[14]

During the 2024-2025 school year, LTHS offered 36 Dual Credit classes, 181 Elective classes, and 26 Academic Summer School Classes, along with required courses.^[15] The Average ACT Mean Score for the Class of 2026 was 22.9.^[16]

LTHS achieved Exemplary Rating on the 2024 Illinois School Report Card Results for the 2023-24 school year.^[17]

In the 2024–2025 school year, there were 3,730 students enrolled at the school^[18]. 64% of students identified as non-Hispanic White, 27% were Hispanic or Latino, 4% were multiracial, 3% were Black, and 2% were Asian-American. The school has a student to teacher ratio of 16:1.^{[citation needed]}

• George Burditt, lawyer and politician^[35]
• Bruce Campbell, baseball player^[36]
• Terrel E. Clarke, Illinois state legislator and businessman^[37]
• Jimmy Dunne (songwriter), songwriter, TV and film composer^[38]
• Jake Elliott, NFL kicker for Philadelphia Eagles^[39]
• Nick Fuentes, far-right political commentator^[25]
• Kathy Gleason, Professor of Landscape Architecture at Cornell University^{[citation needed]}
• Bill Gothard, fundamentalist Christian minister and founder of the Institute in Basic Life Principles^[40]
• David Hasselhoff, actor and singer, best known for television series Knight Rider, Baywatch, and America's Got Talent^{[citation needed]}
• John Hattendorf, professor and historian specializing in maritime and naval history^{[citation needed]}
• Michael Hitchcock, actor, writer, and producer^{[citation needed]}
• Bill Holderman, film director, screenwriter and film producer^[41]
• Jim Holvay, songwriter and musician^[42]
• 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^{[citation needed]}
• Ben LaBolt, White House Communications Director^[43]
• Ben R. Mottelson, nuclear physicist who shared 1975 Nobel Prize in Physics with James Rainwater and Aage Bohr for their model of nuclear structure^{[citation needed]}
• Christine Radogno, Republican leader in Illinois State Senate, representing the 41st Senate District^{[citation needed]}
• Matt Rehwoldt aka "Aiden English", a professional wrestler^{[citation needed]}
• John Saban, football player^{[citation needed]}
• Lou Saban, former professional football player and coach^{[citation needed]}
• Gabrielle Walsh, actress^{[citation needed]}
• Ty Warner, CEO of Ty Inc. and inventor of Beanie Babies^[44]
• Dave Wehrmeister, former MLB player (San Diego Padres, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago White Sox)^{[citation needed]}
• Leona Woods, physicist who helped build Chicago Pile-1, the first nuclear reactor^{[citation needed]}
• Xenia Zarina, dancer^[45]