Evanston Township High School

Evanston Township High School
Address
1600 Dodge Avenue Evanston, Illinois, 60201 United States
Coordinates	42.0463°N 87.70075°W / 42.0463; -87.70075
Information
School type	Public
Opened	1883 (128 years)
School district	District 202
Superintendent	Eric Witherspoon, PhD
Principal	Oscar Hawthorne
Faculty	227
Grades	9–12 (freshman-senior)
Campus	Suburban
Campus size	65 acres (260,000 m2)
Slogan	"It's a great day to be a Wildkit!"
Fight song	ETHS Fight Song
Athletics conference	Central Suburban League
Mascot	Willie Wildkit
Nickname	Wildkits
Average ACT scores	23.0
Newspaper	'Evanstonian'
Yearbook	'Key'
Website	http://www.eths.k12.il.us/

Evanston Township High School (ETHS) District 202, is a four-year (9-12), comprehensive high school occupying a 65-acre (260,000 m²) campus in Evanston, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago along the Lake Michigan shore. ETHS was established in 1883 and serves the city of Evanston and a small portion of the neighboring village of Skokie for a total district population of approximately 78,000.

The attendance area of the school is home to Northwestern University and Oakton Community College, and has a variety of office developments, technology parks, light industrial and shopping districts. Together, the two communities offer an ethnic, economic, racial, and cultural diversity that is reflected in the student body.

Evanston Township High School has 282 certified staff members, a majority of whom have a Master’s degree or beyond. ETHS is fully accredited by the State of Illinois.

SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS • Intel® School of Distinction in Mathematics Excellence (2010) • Grammy® Signature School for Excellence in Music Education (2009, 2006, 2004) • Vast array of fine arts programs, including visual arts, speech arts, theatre and music • More than 100 teams competing in 31 different sports, 35 IHSA State Championships and countless Top 10 finishes • Nearly 100 student activities and clubs, including an extensive community service program

History

The first high school in Evanston, the Preparatory School of Northwestern University, established in 1857, was private. In 1873, public school superintendent Otis E. Haven began teaching Evanston's first public high school class in an upper room of the Benson Avenue School. In 1875, Evanston's first Board of Education voted to establish a "high school" in the room, and the first class, consisting of two students, graduated in 1876. Enrollments grew rapidly and, despite multiple relocations to various buildings, by 1882 the school took four prizes in a statewide competition and was ranked third best in Illinois. Shortly thereafter, voters in April, 1882, passed a referendum and bond issue establishing a township school. Construction began promptly in October, 1882, and the first building opened in 1883, at Dempster and Benson.

Enrollment grew rapidly and by 1913, despite multiple additions to the original building, 740 students occupied space meant for only 600. Crowding increased as several attempts to pass bond issues for further addition were defeated at the polls. In 1915, the Board determined to build a new school at a new location, but progress was stalled for years by a bitter fight over the campus location, which included lawsuits that went all the way to the Illinois Supreme Court. Finally, in 1921, the Board and voters approved a 55-acre (220,000 m²) site at the school's current campus in central Evanston. Construction began in 1923, and the school opened in 1924 although still incomplete.

With a campus currently listed as 65 acres (263,000 m²), ETHS provides its students with many technically-proficient facilities. With more than 2 million square feet (180,000 m²) indoors, it is the largest high school facility under one roof in the United States. The school's science facilities include a planetarium, greenhouse, and a two acre (8,000 m²), on-site nature center/classroom. The Bacon Computer Center (BCC) houses over 200 computers in seven networked labs. Computer software is available for many courses in the curriculum.

Students investigate careers in computer-based SMART Labs. An on-site day-care center serves as a lab for child-study classes. Career and Technical Education students run an auto-repair lab and learn engineering applications in computer-aided design, lasers and robotics using state-of-the-art equipment. Electronic music students have their own computerized lab.

The school's library, which is networked to all Illinois libraries, has a 90,000-volume collection and extensive audiovisual resources. Performance facilities include a 1,500-seat auditorium, two additional theaters, and a cable TV broadcasting studio.

There are 15 gyms, a dance studio and fitness/wellness center, two swimming pools, and a field-house with an indoor track and tennis courts. Outdoor facilities include a new track, as well as a FieldTurf stadium, baseball and soccer fields and 18 tennis courts.

Academics

One hundred percent of the students from the Class of 2011 (636 students) took the ACT. ETHS students continue to score higher than the state and national average.

ETHS is listed as a silver medal school under U.S. News and World Report's 2009 list of America's Best High Schools: Largest Enrollment.

Evanston Township High School is ranked #662 on Newsweek's 2006 list of the Best High Schools in America, down from #429 on the 2005 list.^{[citation needed]}

Since 1985-86, 45 students have become semifinalists in the Intel Science Talent Search (until 1998, the Westinghouse Science Talent Search). Six students were in the top 40 and one was in the top 10.^{[citation needed]}

In 2003, Evanston placed first nationally in the Junior Engineering Talent Search contest.^{[citation needed]}

The ETHS competitive mathematics team regularly places highly in its division, and has competed at the state math competitions in Champaign-Urbana for many years running, always placing in the top ten schools.^{[citation needed]} Evanston's math team also sends many students to Chicago's ARML team.

ETHS has introduced for the 2009-2010 school year an in school credit recovery program for students who are credit deficient, this program allows students to make up core classes via Apex Learning online.

Administration Structure

Evanston Township High School is one of the largest schools in the country and has multiple levels of administration. The school itself is its own district and thus has a single superintendent, Dr. Eric Witherspoon. There are two Associate Superintendents, Oscar Hawthorne, Principal (in charge of the associate principals) and Diep Nguyen, Curriculum and instruction. There are three associate principals, Vernon Clark (Educational Services), Peter Bavis (Teaching/Learning), and Paula Miller (Student Services). Each grade level has its own disciplinarian known as a grade level dean.

Athletics

Evanston's mascot is Willie the Wildkit, based on local Northwestern University's "wildcat".

Evanston is a member of the Central Suburban League, and participates in state championship tournaments sponsored by the Illinois High School Association (IHSA).

The school sponsors interscholastic teams for young men and women in basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, volleyball, and water polo. Men may compete in baseball, football, and wrestling. Women may compete in badminton, cheerleading, lacrosse and softball.

While not sponsored by the IHSA, ETHS also sponsors teams for men and women in lacrosse. Both men and women may also compete as a member of the pom pom team (Pomkits). As well as on a Varsity Sailing Team, which competes at regattas throughout the country.

The following teams have placed in the top four of their respective IHSA sponsored state championship tournament:

IHSA Top 4 Finishes for ETHS
Sport	Finishes
Badminton:	3rd place (1986–87, 95–96, 96–97); 2nd place (1990–91, 93–94, 94–95); State Champions (1991–92)
Basketball (boys):	4th place (2002–03); 3rd place (2007–08); 2nd place (1983–84); State Champions (1967–68)
Cross Country (boys):	4th place (1999–2000); 3rd place (1952–53, 61–62, 63–64, 70–71); 2nd place (1949–50, 62–63, 68–69); State Champions (1953–54, 66–67)
Cross Country (girls):	4th place (1980–81); 2nd place (1979–80)
Gymnastics (boys):	3rd place (1963–64, 69–70, 70–71, 71–72); State Champions (1962–63, 64–65, 66–67)
Soccer (boys):	3rd place (1983–84); 2nd place (1978–79, 90–91, 92–93, 95–96, 2002–03)
Soccer (girls):	State Champions (2001–02)
Swimming & Diving (boys):	4th place (1931–32,43–44, 45–46, 46–47, 48–49, 1999–2000); 3rd place (1932–33, 44–45, 50–51, 62–63, 63–64, 65–66, 67–68, 68–69, 70–71, 71–72, 80–81, 82–83, 86–87); 2nd place (1949–50, 51–52, 56–57, 57–58, 58–59, 60–61, 61–62, 64–65, 66–67); State Champions (1952–53, 53–54, 54–55, 55–56, 59–60, 2000–01, 04–05)
Swimming & Diving (girls):	4th place (2009) 4th place (1988–89, 2001–02); 3rd place (1989–90)
Tennis (boys):	4th place (1954–55); 3rd place (1948–49, 50–51, 53–54, 57–58); 2nd place (1942–43, 44–45, 46–47, 47–48, 51–52, 52–53, 58–59, 67–68); State Champions (1943–44, 59–60, 60–61, 61–62, 69–70)
Tennis (girls):	4th place (1975–76)
Track & Field (boys):	4th place (1920–21, 22–23, 40–41, 45–46, 52–53, 57–58, 77–78); 3rd place (1927–28, 42–43, 43–44, 46–47, 63–64, 88–89, 92–93); 2nd place (1949–50, 62–63, 66–67, 90–91, 93–94); State Champions (1921–22, 64–65, 65–66, 69–70, 70–71, 71–72, 73–74, 78–79)
Track & Field (girls):	4th place (1975–76, 77–78, 99–2000); 3rd place (1986–87, 87–88, 95–96); 2nd place (1976–77, 88–89, 89–90, 92–93, 2000–01, 01–02); State Champions (1990–91, 96–97, 97–98, 2002–03, 03–04, 04–05, 05–06)
Volleyball (boys):	3rd place (1999–2000)
Volleyball (boys):	3rd place (1999–2000)
Volleyball (girls):	3rd place (2008)
Water Polo (boys):	3rd place (2004–05)
Water Polo (girls):	3rd place (2003–04)
Wrestling:	4th place (1952–53); 2nd place (1966–67)

As of 2009, the Evanston boys swimming team has 53 top ten finishes in the state finals; the second highest number of top ten finishes in state history. The boys track & field team, similarly, has 47 top ten finishes, the second highest number of any team in the state. The 25 top ten finishes by the girls track & field team is, however, a state record.

Music

The ETHS music department involves over 280 students in bands, choirs, jazz groups, and orchestras. Resources include a MIDI computer lab, multiple practice rooms, and a dedicated faculty. The department has won three GRAMMY awards, and takes students on semi-annual trips, most recently to Montreal, New York, Orlando, San Francisco, and Greece.^{[citation needed]}

Annual student honors include a highly-selective honors' recital, in which up to four performers from each of grades 9 through 12 in addition to four chamber groups perform. Additionally, there is a senior concerto competition—four to five seniors annually perform a concerto with the band or orchestra.

ETHS also has an extensive jazz program, including eleven jazz combos and three jazz big-bands. There is an annual Jazz Festival, which has featured past artists including Maynard Ferguson, Peter Erskine, Phil Woods, Joey DeFrancesco, Henry Johnson and the Chicago Jazz Ensemble.^{[citation needed]}

Activities

ETHS sponsors a number of extracurricular clubs ranging from artistic and cultural, civil rights, academic, and hobby oriented groups.

The following competitive teams have finished in the top four of their respective IHSA Sponsored state championships:

• Table Tennis: 1st place 2011
• Chess: 4th place (1989–90, 90–91, 2002–03, 06–07); 3rd place (1995–96, 98–99); 2nd place (1981–82, 83–84, 2005–06); State Champions (1969–70, 70–71, 78–79, 82–83, 97–98, 99–2000, 2000–01, 04–05)
• Debate: 3rd place (1970–71); 2nd place (1971–72, 2010-2011 LD and PF Novice); State Champions (1967–68, 70–71, 78–79)
• Drama: 2nd place (1960–61); State Champions (1957–58, 62–63)
• Individual Events: 4th place (1949–50, 60–61); 3rd place (1966–67, 69–70); State Champions (1950–51)
• Speech: 4th place (1971–72); 3rd place (1960–61, 67–68); 2nd place (1950–51, 57–58, 70–71)

The 8 state titles and 23 top 10 finishes in chess is the Illinois state record.

Controversies

The school made national news when its students responded to comments made by Rush Limbaugh on his nationally syndicated radio show in May 2005. Limbaugh criticized the school, saying the school's students, "don't know anything about World War II," and, "they've probably never heard the name Adolf Hitler." Evanston students at the time attempted to challenge Mr. Limbaugh to a history debate, but he declined to respond.

Notable alumni

Main article: List of Evanston Township High School alumni

Notable Staff

• John T. Riddell was school's football coach. While coach, he invented the removable cleat, and later invented the plastic suspension football helmet. He went on to found Riddell, a sporting goods company best known for its football helmets, and later helmets for the U.S. military.

The Friday Song

The Friday Song is broadcast over the PA system every Friday between 2nd and 3rd periods. A new song is chosen at the start of the academic year and remains the same throughout. The school has also been known to play songs at the request of students, both for fun and as advertisement for a cause.

• 2011-2012: I Can See Clearly Now - Johnny Nash
• 2010-2011: Lovely Day - Bill Withers
• 2009-2010: Chain of Love - Sawyer Brown
• 2008-2009: I'm in a Hurry (And Don't Know Why) - Alabama
• 2007-2008: Women of the World - Mahotella Queens
• 2006-2007: Wild Wild Life - Talking Heads
• 2005-2006: Don't Touch Me Tomato - George Symonette
• 2004-2005: It's All in the Game - Tommy Edwards
• 2003-2004: Something Happened to Me Yesterday - The Rolling Stones
• 2002-2003: Country Road (Cover) - Toots and the Maytals
• 2001-2002: Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World - Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
• 2000-2001: Don't Tell Mama - Cast of Cabaret
• 1999-2000: Java Jive - The Ink Spots
• 1998-1999: Bluegreens (on the Wing) - William Truckaway
• 1997-1998: Don't Fence Me In - Ella Fitzgerald
• 1996-1997: A Teenager in Love - Dion and the Belmonts
• 1995-1996: You Can Get It If You Really Want - Jimmy Cliff
• 1994-1995: I'm Just Me - Charley Pride
• 1993-1994: Vieni sul Mar - Luciano Pavarotti
• 1992-1993: The Cattle Call - Eddy Arnold
• 1991-1992: What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong

External links

• Official School Website (www.eths.k12.il.us)
• School Profile of Evanston Township High School, 2011-12 (PDF file, requires Adobe Reader)
• 2011 Illinois Interactive Report Card, Northern Illinois University, with support from the Illinois State Board of Education, Evanston Twp H S Dist 202
• A partial list of distinguished alumni