Evanston Township High School
p
Address
1600 Dodge Avenue

Evanston
,
Illinois
60201

United States
Coordinates42°02′47″N 87°42′03″W / 42.0463°N 87.70075°W / 42.0463; -87.70075
Information
School typePublic
EstablishedAugust 31, 1883 (1883-08-31)
School districtEvanston Township High School District 202
SuperintendentMarcus Campbell [1]
PrincipalTaya Kinzie [1]
Faculty274.10 (on an FTE basis)[2]
Grades9–12
Enrollment3,727 (2021–22)[2]
Student to teacher ratio13.60 [2]
CampusSuburban
Campus size65 acres (260,000 m2)
Color(s)  Orange (PMS 1665)
  Blue (PMS 289)[3]
Slogan"It's a great day to be a Wildkit!"
Fight songETHS Cheer Song[4]
Athletics conferenceCentral Suburban League
MascotWillie the Wildkit
NicknameWildkits
National ranking955[5]
NewspaperEvanstonian
YearbookKey
Feeder SchoolsNichols, King Arts, Bessie Rhodes, Haven, Chute
Websiteeths.k12.il.us

Evanston Township High School (ETHS) (District 202) is a public high school in Evanston, Illinois. The campus is located in a northern 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.[6]

The attendance area of the school is home to Northwestern University. Evanston Township High School has 589 certified staff members. ETHS is fully accredited by the State of Illinois.

Evanston Township High School's iconic "castle-like" structure and main entrance, as viewed from Dodge Avenue.

History

The first high school in Evanston, the Preparatory School of Northwestern University, established in 1857, was a private institute. 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 Elmwood.[7]

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, 1600 Dodge Avenue in central Evanston. Construction began in 1923, and the school opened in 1924.[8]

With a campus currently listed as 65 acres (263,000 m²), ETHS provides its students with many technically proficient facilities. With more than 1.2 million square feet 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 South Technology Center (STC), formerly the Bacon Computer Center, houses over 200 computers in seven networked labs. Computer software is available for many courses in the curriculum and the STC is open to students and classes during all school hours. Near the school, across Dodge Ave. on the corner of Davis St., is the Edible Acre urban farming project, initiated by The Talking Farm, which is run with the help of ETHS volunteers during the growing season.

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 offers courses that prepare students for future career possibilities. Classes include Child Development, Business Management, Culinary Arts, where students work hands on with food, and learn how to prepare it in a safe and sanitary way, and Auto-Tech, where students run an auto-repair lab and learn engineering applications in computer-aided design, lasers and robotics using state-of-the-art equipment. Music students have their own computer lab with MIDI-enabled equipment.

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.

In 2023, the school received media attention after it began offering AP math classes which were "restricted to students who identify as Latinx" or Black.[9][10]

Student body

Diversity of the ETHS student body (2016-17).

  American Indian (0.4%)
  Asian (5.5%)
  Black/African American (29.8%)
  Hispanic/Latino (17.7%)
  Native Hawaiian (.1%)
  Multiracial (2.4%)
  White (44.1%)

Evanston Township High School is a very large co-ed Title I public school with a very diverse student body, both racially and economically. From official data in 2013-14, there were 2,959 students enrolled. Of these students, 1,100 were eligible for free lunch, and 91 for reduced lunch. In recent years, enrollment has increased and become more diverse.

The school reported that the 2015-16 school year reflected "the highest enrollment number (3,322) over the last five years at ETHS. ETHS also recorded its highest enrollment of students who identify as Hispanic/Latino in the history of the school. The proportion of Black/African American students (29.5% in 2015-16) has remained steady at ETHS for the past five years while the proportion of Hispanic/Latino students at the main campus has increased from the prior year (about 18% in 2015-2016 compared to 17% in 2014-2015). The proportion of White students decreased to 43.6% in 2015-16 compared to 44.7% in 2014-2015. Additionally, the percentage of Asian students at the main campus has increased slightly in 2015-16 to 5.2% and the percentage of students identified as two or more races declined in 2015-16 to 3.3%, compared to 4.2% in 2014-15."[11] ETHS also provides a transitional program for refugees from around the world.[12]

Academics

Some classes, including most required freshman courses, are taught at a mixed level, allowing all students to earn honors credit, while others are differentiated between regular, honors, and advanced levels. The school offers 34 courses for Advanced Placement credit, as well as 9 nationally recognized Project Lead the Way (PLTW) engineering courses. Students who have exhausted all of the available accelerated courses in an academic area at ETHS may take advanced courses for college credit at Northwestern University through a special scholarship program.[13] Some years Northwestern faculty teaches advanced mathematics students at ETHS. ETHS is listed as a gold medal school under U.S. News & World Report's 2016 list of America's 500 Best High Schools, at #452 nationally and #13 in the state.[14]

Ninety-three percent of the students from the Class of 2015 (723 students) took the ACT. ETHS students continue to score higher than the state and national average.[15]

Athletics

Evanston Township High School is the only high school in the U.S. to claim a Wildkit as its mascot. "Wildkits" is a reference to Northwestern University's Willie the Wildcat, a mascot that was adopted by the university in the 1920s.[16] Evanston Township High School's Willie the Wildkit mascot appears to have originated during the 1946-47 academic year.

ETHS is a member of the Central Suburban League, and participates in state championship tournaments sponsored by the Illinois High School Association (IHSA). ETHS has 35 IHSA State Championships.

Each year, more than 1,000 students participate on 100 sports team in 31 different sports in basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, volleyball, and water polo. Boys may compete in baseball, football, and wrestling. Girls may compete in badminton, cheerleading, lacrosse and softball.[17]

While not sponsored by the IHSA, ETHS also sponsors a team for boys in lacrosse. Both boys and girls may also compete as a member of the pom pom team (Pomkits).[17]

The following sports teams have won their respective IHSA sponsored state championship tournament:[18]

  • Badminton (girls): 1991–92
  • Basketball (boys):1967–68
  • Cross Country (boys): 1953–54, 1966–67
  • Gymnastics (boys):| 1962–63, 1964–65, 1966–67
  • Soccer (girls): 2001–02
  • Swimming & Diving (boys): 1952–53, 1953–54, 1954–55, 1955–56, 1959–60, 2000–01, 2004–05
  • Tennis (boys): 1943–44, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1969–70
  • Track & Field (boys): 1921–22, 1964–65, 1965–66, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1973–74, 1978–79
  • Track & Field (girls): 1990–91, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06

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.[19] The boys track & field team, similarly, has 47 top ten finishes, the second highest number of any team in the state.[20] The 25 top ten finishes by the girls track & field team is, however, a state record.[21]

The following competitive teams have won their respective IHSA Sponsored state championships:

Activities

Students compete in contests in math, science, forensics, world languages, speech, writing, and many other subjects. Examples include the Geometry Bridge Building Contest, the Regional Science Bowl Competition of the Society of Hispanic Engineers, and National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) annual essay contest. Students can participate in more than 80 clubs and activities at ETHS, including Ambassadors, Wildkit Buddies, Chess Club, E-Squad Step Team, E-Town Tuners Car Club, ETHS Dance Company, Gender and Sexuality Alliance, Hip Hop Club/Slam Team, Latino QUEST, NAACP, Rock Climbing Club, Mock Trial, Student Council and Senate, Table Tennis Team, and Ultimate Frisbee.[23]

ETHS hosts 3 dances during the school year: Homecoming Dance, Frosh/Soph Formal (grades 9-10), and Senior Prom (grade 12). Student-led publications include the national award-winning Evanstonian newspaper, the EvanstONION satirical newspaper, the Paper Clip, and the award-winning school yearbook, The Key. ETHS has four honor societies: the Lighthouse Chapter of the National Honor Society (juniors and seniors), the ETHS Chapter of the Tri-M Music Honor Society (juniors and seniors), and ETHS-based honor societies (sophomores and freshmen). Student vocal and instrumental music groups and theater companies perform at least one public performance a month.[23]

Since 2014, ETHS musical ensembles have performed at the Midwest Clinic; the University of Illinois SuperState Festival at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts; the ILMEA's annual Illinois Music Education Conference; and the Louisville Jazz Festival. In February, the school hosts a regional jazz music festival attended by nearly 50 schools, featuring performances, clinics, and an evening concert with a guest artist.[24]

Speech and Debate

Students from Evanston captured the IHSA State Championship in Speech in 1951, Policy Debate in 1968, 1971, 1979, 1993, and 1995, Lincoln-Douglas Debate in 2004, 2014, and 2015, and Public Forum Debate in 2015.[25][26] ETHS is the first school to ever hold the Public Forum and Lincoln-Douglas titles in the same year.

The ETHS Speech and Debate program has risen to national prominence in the last half decade. The Debate team earned its first National Speech and Debate Association (formerly the National Forensic League) National Championship in 2012 in Congressional Debate.[27] In 2015, the team captured two more national titles when it won the NCFL Grand National Tournament in Lincoln-Douglas debate[28] and the NSDA National Championship in Extemporaneous Debate.[29] In 2014, ETHS was named a National Debate School of Excellence by the NSDA, indicating that Evanston had placed among the top twenty schools at the NSDA National Championship Tournament.[30]

The team sponsors an annual debate tournament, the Superb Owl.

Notable alumni

Some notable alumni include:

Notable staff

  • The 2004 film Mean Girls (2004) is set in Evanston, and its fictitious "North Shore High School" was inspired by Evanston Township High School.[47][48] Filming took place in Ontario.[49]

References

  1. 1 2 "Administration". Evanston Township High School. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 "Evanston Twp High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
  3. ↑ "History & Fast Facts / School Colors & Mascot". www.eths.k12.il.us. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  4. ↑ "ETHS Fight Song". Retrieved 28 July 2023 – via www.youtube.com.
  5. ↑ "Evanston Twp High School". U.S. News. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
  6. ↑ "About ETHS". Archived from the original on 2012-01-26. Retrieved 2012-01-18.
  7. ↑ Hach, Clarence W., , ed. (1963). History of Evanston Township High School: First Seventy-Five Years. Evanston, IL: Dist. 202 Bd. of Ed. pp. 7–13. {{cite book}}: |first= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. ↑ Hach, Clarence W. (1963). History of Evanston Township High School: First Seventy-Five Years. Evanston, IL: Dist. 202 Bd. of Ed. pp. 57–65.
  9. ↑ Athey, Amber (1 May 2023). "Illinois high school offers racially segregated math classes". The Spectator. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  10. ↑ Schemmel, Alec (2 May 2023). "Illinois school slammed for offering segregated math classes for Black, 'Latinx' students". WLOS. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  11. ↑ "Upward trend in student enrollment and achievement continues at ETHS". Retrieved 2018-08-25.
  12. ↑ Collins, Trinity. "ETHS is a safe haven for refugees". The Evanstonian. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
  13. ↑ "Course Selection Guide / Definitions of Course Levels". eths.k12.il.us. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
  14. ↑ "Evanston Twp High School in Evanston, IL". US News Best High Schools. 20 February 2023. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  15. ↑ http://www.eths.k12.il.us/domain/220 ETHS School Profile 2015-16
  16. ↑ "History of Willie the Wildcat". news.northwestern.edu. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  17. 1 2 "ETHS Athletics website; accessed January 2012". Archived from the original on 2013-01-17. Retrieved 2012-01-18.
  18. 1 2 "Team Titles: Evanston (Twp.)". Team Champions and Runners-Up. IHSA. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  19. ↑ "Table of IHSA Boys Swimming and Diving Titles; accessed 27 April 2009". Archived from the original on 30 June 2009. Retrieved 27 April 2009.
  20. ↑ "Table of IHSA Boys Track & Field Titles; accessed 27 April 2009". Archived from the original on 17 August 2009. Retrieved 27 April 2009.
  21. ↑ "Table of IHSA Girls Track & Field Titles; accessed 27 April 2009". Archived from the original on 31 May 2009. Retrieved 27 April 2009.
  22. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-03-22. Retrieved 2011-09-17.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  23. 1 2 "History & Fast Facts / ETHS At a Glance". www.eths.k12.il.us. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  24. ↑ "ETHS Jazz Festival". ETHS Bands. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  25. ↑ "Records & History". www.ihsa.org. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  26. ↑ "Sports & Activities | IHSA". www.ihsa.org. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  27. ↑ The results from the 2012 tournament is found here.
  28. ↑ "Page 50 lists the LD outround results and champion" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-05-28. Retrieved 2015-05-28.
  29. ↑ "Page 15 lists the Extemporaneous Debate outround results and champion" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-06-22. Retrieved 2015-06-21.
  30. ↑ "Debate Schools of Excellence are found on page four of this document" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-01-08. Retrieved 2015-01-08.
  31. 1 2 "Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients". eths.k12.il.us. Evanston Township High School.
  32. ↑ Strahler, Stephen. "Happy 90th birthday, Lester Crown". Crain's Chicago Business. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  33. ↑ Zarefsky, Marc. "Former Bear Rooting For Colts On Sunday". dailynorthwestern.com. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  34. ↑ "Karen Finley". cookcountyclerk.com. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  35. ↑ "Honorees Announced for the 67th Engineering Emmy Awards". Television Academy. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  36. 1 2 3 Johnson, Grace. "ETHS boasts celebrity graduates". dailynorthwestern.com. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  37. ↑ "Quietly Hostile: A Conversation with Samantha Irby". FAN. Retrieved 2023-05-20.
  38. ↑ "Anders Holm". cookcountyclerk.com. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  39. ↑ "Zach Gilford: the boy next door - SPLASH". SPLASH. 25 January 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  40. ↑ "Hockey's 1st Family - tribunedigital-chicagotribune". Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  41. ↑ BWW News Desk. "Liza Minnelli, Alan Cumming, Jessie Mueller and More to Join Michael Feinstein and the Pasadena POPS This Summer". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  42. ↑ Stone, Syd. "NU, ETHS alumnae make history at 69th Emmys". dailynorthwestern.com. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  43. ↑ "I Sleep So Well Here' — Lauren Lapkus". Chicagoly. 15 June 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  44. ↑ Rockett, Darcel. "Meet 'Spider-Man's' Laura Harrier, an Evanstonian in a Marvel universe". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
  45. ↑ "Army Gets a 'Chute Helmet from Gridiron: Football gives Army a modern 'chute helmet". Chicago Daily Tribune. 6 July 1941. pp. N1. ProQuest 176574719. When John T. Riddell came to Evanston Township High school as football coach in 1913 he had no idea he would design a helmet to be worn by United States army parachute troopers.
  46. ↑ "Riddell – About Us". Riddell Company. Archived from the original on 5 August 2009. Retrieved 12 August 2009. It all started with the removable cleat, the brainchild of Riddell who at the time was the Head Football Coach and Athletic Director of Evanston Township High School ... He invented and perfected the first plastic suspension helmet.
  47. ↑ Ebert, Roger (1 November 2005). Roger Ebert's Movie Yearbook 2006. Andrews McMeel Publishing. p. 445. ISBN 9780740755385. Retrieved 28 March 2018 – via Internet Archive. tina fey evanston township high school.
  48. ↑ Rubinstein, Alex. ""We don't even go here"-Mean Girls not based on NT". New Trier News. Retrieved 2020-06-23.
  49. ↑ "You Can Actually Visit All The Canadian Places Where 'Mean Girls' Was Filmed". www.narcity.com. 4 October 2018. Retrieved 2019-03-26.
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