Lincoln-Way Central High School
Encyclopedia
Lincoln Way Central High School or LWCHS, is a public four-year high school
located approximately 3.5 miles south of Interstate 80
near the intersection of Schoolhouse Rd. and the Lincoln Highway
in New Lenox, Illinois
, a southwest suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States
. It is the part of Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210
, which also includes Lincoln-Way East High School, Lincoln-Way North High School
, and Lincoln-Way West High School
.
, and Peotone High School
. The cornerstone was ceremonially installed on October 25, 1953, after construction had begun. Lincoln-Way opened its doors to students on September 7, 1954. The name of the school was selected by one Mrs. Florence Pittman and the board of education officially adopted it as "Lincoln-Way". The charter members of the student body voted to have red and black as their school colors. Lyrics to the Lincoln-Way Central school song were written by Robert Taylor and Betty Tryon, set to the tune of the University of Chicago
pep song.
Bond issues for additions to the original building were approved in 1957, 1960, 1962, and 1969. The 1969 bond issue approved a ninth grade building which was built north of the main building. In 1971 the north building opened up, accommodating 700 students.
In 1994, a field house was added to the campus. Then in 1998, citizens of District #210 approved a $60 million dollar building bond referendum to split the existing high school freshmen-sophomore / junior-senior configuration into two separate four year high schools while adding to the existing two schools an academic wing with 50 classrooms at each campus, olympic-sizes swimming pools, as well as the addition of a fine arts auditorium and music classrooms at Central. The changeover became official for the 2001-02 school year as the Central campus opened as Lincoln-Way Central High School.
Lincoln-Way Central is known as "The" Lincoln-Way, due to its reputation as 'The Original of Four' schools. Students here are noted for their exceeding pride. Phrases such as "We are Central" and "Once a Knight, Always a Knight" show students' spirit
. The school is a member of the Illinois High School Association
(IHSA), which governs most athletics and competitive activities in Illinois. Teams are stylized as the "Knights".
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
. Young women may compete in badminton
, cheerleading
, and softball
, while young men may also compete in baseball
, football
, and wrestling
. While not recognized by the IHSA, the school's athletic department also oversees a poms team for young women.
The following teams have finished in the top four of their respective IHSA sponsored state championship tournament or meet:
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
located approximately 3.5 miles south of Interstate 80
Interstate 80
Interstate 80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, following Interstate 90. It is a transcontinental artery running from downtown San Francisco, California to Teaneck, New Jersey in the New York City Metropolitan Area...
near the intersection of Schoolhouse Rd. and the Lincoln Highway
Lincoln Highway
The Lincoln Highway was the first road across the United States of America.Conceived and promoted by entrepreneur Carl G. Fisher, the Lincoln Highway spanned coast-to-coast from Times Square in New York City to Lincoln Park in San Francisco, originally through 13 states: New York, New Jersey,...
in New Lenox, Illinois
New Lenox, Illinois
New Lenox is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. The village population is estimated to be 24,938 as of 2006. The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning forecasts New Lenox will have a population of 90,652 in 2030.-Geography:...
, a southwest suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is the part of Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210
Lincoln-Way Community High School District
Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210 was organized in 1951. The district serves the communities of New Lenox, Frankfort, Mokena, Manhattan, and small portions of Tinley Park and Orland Park. Four high schools comprise Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210: Lincoln-Way Central,...
, which also includes Lincoln-Way East High School, Lincoln-Way North High School
Lincoln-Way North High School
Lincoln-Way North High School or LWN, is a public four-year high school located approximately one mile south of Interstate 80 near the intersection of Harlem Avenue and Vollmer Road in Frankfort Square, Illinois, a southwest suburb of Chicago, in the United States...
, and Lincoln-Way West High School
Lincoln-Way West High School
Lincoln-Way West High School or LWW, is a public four-year high school located about 1.5 miles south of Lincoln Highway near the intersection of Gougar Rd and the Illinois Highway in New Lenox, Illinois, a southwest suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States...
.
History
In June 1952, another election provided for the approval and construction of Lincoln-Way High School. The new high school district would draw students which until then had been attending Joliet Township High School, Bloom Township High School, Carl Sandburg High SchoolCarl Sandburg High School
Carl Sandburg High School, Sandburg, or CSHS, is a public four-year high school located at the intersection of La Grange Road and 131st Street in Orland Park, Illinois, a southwest suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is part of Consolidated High School District 230, which also...
, and Peotone High School
Peotone High School
Peotone High School or PHS, is a four-year high school located approximately 1 mile east of Interstate 57 near the intersection of Corning Ave and Rathje Rd in Peotone, Illinois, a village located 43 miles south of Chicago, Illinois and 16 miles north of Kankakee, Illinois, in the United States...
. The cornerstone was ceremonially installed on October 25, 1953, after construction had begun. Lincoln-Way opened its doors to students on September 7, 1954. The name of the school was selected by one Mrs. Florence Pittman and the board of education officially adopted it as "Lincoln-Way". The charter members of the student body voted to have red and black as their school colors. Lyrics to the Lincoln-Way Central school song were written by Robert Taylor and Betty Tryon, set to the tune of the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
pep song.
Bond issues for additions to the original building were approved in 1957, 1960, 1962, and 1969. The 1969 bond issue approved a ninth grade building which was built north of the main building. In 1971 the north building opened up, accommodating 700 students.
In 1994, a field house was added to the campus. Then in 1998, citizens of District #210 approved a $60 million dollar building bond referendum to split the existing high school freshmen-sophomore / junior-senior configuration into two separate four year high schools while adding to the existing two schools an academic wing with 50 classrooms at each campus, olympic-sizes swimming pools, as well as the addition of a fine arts auditorium and music classrooms at Central. The changeover became official for the 2001-02 school year as the Central campus opened as Lincoln-Way Central High School.
Lincoln-Way Central is known as "The" Lincoln-Way, due to its reputation as 'The Original of Four' schools. Students here are noted for their exceeding pride. Phrases such as "We are Central" and "Once a Knight, Always a Knight" show students' spirit
Athletics
Lincoln-Way Central competes as a member of the Southwest Suburban ConferenceSouthwest Suburban Conference
The Southwest Suburban Conference is an athletic and competitive activity conference consisting of public secondary schools located in the south and southwest suburbs of Chicago, Illinois....
. The school is a member of the Illinois High School Association
Illinois High School Association
The Illinois High School Association is one of 521 state high school associations in the United States, designed to regulate competition in most interscholastic sports and some interscholastic activities at the high school level. It is a charter member of the National Federation of State High...
(IHSA), which governs most athletics and competitive activities in Illinois. Teams are stylized as the "Knights".
The school sponsors interscholastic teams for young men and women in basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, bowling
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
, cross country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
, golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, gymnastics
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
, soccer, swimming & diving
Diving
Diving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, sometimes while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally-recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime.Diving is one...
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, track & field, volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, and water polo
Water polo
Water polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
. Young women may compete in badminton
Badminton
Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...
, cheerleading
Cheerleading
Cheerleading is a physical activity, sometimes a competitive sport, based on organized routines, usually ranging from one to three minutes, which contain the components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunting to direct spectators of events to cheer on sports teams at games or to participate...
, and softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
, while young men may also compete in baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
, and wrestling
Scholastic wrestling
Scholastic wrestling, sometimes known in the United States as Folkstyle wrestling, is a style of amateur wrestling practised at the high school and middle school levels in the United States. This wrestling style is essentially Collegiate wrestling with some slight modifications. It is currently...
. While not recognized by the IHSA, the school's athletic department also oversees a poms team for young women.
The following teams have finished in the top four of their respective IHSA sponsored state championship tournament or meet:
- Badminton: 2nd place (2007–08, 08–09)
- Bowling (boys): 3rd place (2007–08)
- Cross Country (boys): 4th place (1997–98); 3rd place (1968–69, 90–91)
- Football: State Champions (1997–98); Semifinals (1999–2000, 00–01); 2nd place (1996–97)
- Golf (boys): 4th place (1984–85)
- Gymnastics (boys): State Champions (2005-2006, 2010-2011); 2nd place (1996–97)
- Soccer (boys): 4th place (1992–93); 3rd place (2001–02); 2nd place (1999–2000, 00–01)
- Soccer (girls): 4th place (1997–98, 2004–05, 06–07); 2nd place (1998–99, 99–2000)
- Softball: State Champions (2007–08)
- Track & Field (boys): 3rd place (1996–97)
- Track & Field (girls): 4th place (1973–74)
- Volleyball (boys): 4th place (1998–99)
- Wrestling: 3rd place (2007–08)
Notable alumni
- James Augustine (2002) is a former NBA forward who played for the Orlando MagicOrlando MagicThe Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
(2006–08). - Karla DeVitoKarla DeVitoKarla DeVito is an American singer, actress and voice artist.DeVito and her three brothers were raised by a very musical mother, Vivienne, who, when not working to support the family, was always singing at home...
is a singer, actress, and voice artist. - Shane GerickeShane GerickeShane Gericke is an American novelist living in Naperville, Illinois. Before becoming a published thriller writer, he was a journalist, most recently at the Chicago Sun-Times from 1982 to 1994. -Gericke's novels:* Crusade, 1998....
is a former journalistJournalistA journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
turned novelist. - Ned GrabavoyNed GrabavoyNed Grabavoy is an American soccer player who currently plays for Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:Grabavoy played his youth soccer with the Chicago Magic Soccer Club under coach Mike Matkovich....
(2001) is an Major League SoccerMajor League SoccerMajor League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
midfielder (2004–present), currently playing for Real Salt LakeReal Salt LakeReal Salt Lake is an American professional soccer club based in Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The team competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. They currently play their home games at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real Salt Lake won...
. - Kevin LynchKevin LynchKevin Lynch may refer to:*Kevin A. Lynch , American urban planner*Kevin G. Lynch , Canadian civil servant*Kevin Lynch , Irish republican*Kevin Lynch , Minnesota basketball player...
is the Chief Technology Officer of Adobe SystemsAdobe SystemsAdobe Systems Incorporated is an American computer software company founded in 1982 and headquartered in San Jose, California, United States...
. - Rob NinkovichRob NinkovichRobert Michael Ninkovich is an American football linebacker for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue.Ninkovich has also played for the Miami Dolphins.-Early...
(2002) is an NFL defensive endDefensive endDefensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
(2006–present), currently playing for the New England PatriotsNew England PatriotsThe New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
. - Johan ReinhardJohan ReinhardDr. Johan Reinhard is an Explorer-in-Residence at the National Geographic Society. He is also a Senior Research Fellow at The Mountain Institute, West Virginia, a Visiting Professor at Catholic University, Salta, Argentina, and an Honorary Professor of Catholic University, Arequipa, Peru...
is an author and explorer-in-residence with the National Geographic SocietyNational Geographic SocietyThe National Geographic Society , headquartered in Washington, D.C. in the United States, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational institutions in the world. Its interests include geography, archaeology and natural science, the promotion of environmental and historical...
. He has studied the lands and people of the Andes Mountains and Himalaya Mountains in addition to other areas. - T.J. Sagen (2001) is on the management team for the Grammy nominated rock band DisturbedDisturbedDisturbed is an American metal band from Chicago, Illinois. The band formed in 1996 when musicians Dan Donegan, Steve "Fuzz" Kmak, and Mike Wengren hired David Draiman as their singer. Since the band's formation, they have sold over 13 million albums worldwide, making them one of the largest...
, Reprise RecordsReprise RecordsReprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
artist Art Of Dying and The Lifeline. - Jake Wieclaw (2007) is a kicker for the University of Miami Hurricanes
- Mark SuppelsaMark SuppelsaMark Eugene Suppelsa is a journalist, who presently works as an anchor an reporter for WGN-TV in Chicago, Illinois. Suppelsa currently serves as the co-anchor of the "WGN Evening News" from 5-6 p.m. with Lourdes Duarte and the station's long-running primetime newscast "WGN News at Nine" with Micah...
(1980) is a radio and television anchorman, currently working at WGN-TVWGN-TVWGN-TV, virtual channel 9 , is the CW-affiliated television station in Chicago, Illinois built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WGN-TV's studios and offices are located at 2501 W...
news. - Christopher BearChristopher BearChristopher Bear is a drummer and multi-instrumentalist associated with the Brooklyn-based indie-rock group, Grizzly Bear....
drummer for the band Grizzly Bear.