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LINCOLN-WAY HIGH School officials, including the board of education, proudly dedicated the newest of District 210's four high schools on Sunday. The ceremony, held in the new performing arts center at the Gougar Road school, was followed by an ice cream social for 3,000 guests. Lincoln-Way West will open for classes on August 18 with about 1,000 freshman, sophomore and junior students. photo by Karen Haave
Dedication of L-W West  Share
A 100-acre site at Illinois Highway and Gougar Road officially became Warriors Country on Sunday, with the formal dedication of Lincoln-Way West High School. Some 3,000 guests attended the ceremony and the ice cream social that followed. Included in the program were the introduction of the West Fight Song, Presentation of the Colors by the ROTC Color Guard (Sarah Leahy, Eric Zawislak, Carter Aldridge, Joseph Belonger and Hannah Krohn), and the Pledge of Allegiance, led by Student Council President Katrina Prospero and Vice-president Aly Dworsky. The dedication of Lincoln-Way West, the fourth of District 210's campuses, took place a day short of a year after a similar program at Lincoln-Way North High School in Frankfort Square. Combined with East High School in Frankfort and Central High School in New Lenox, the district now serves some 7,300 students in a 105-square-mile area.
A fifth, and likely final campus, is penciled in for Manhattan, but is not expected to undergo construction until population and subsequent student enrollment make it necessary. District 210 officials already have purchased vacant farmland there for the fifth school. On Sunday, meanwhile, families from the Liberty Junior High School neighborhood and Union School District area within District 210 celebrated the official opening of their new building. ''I am proud to welcome this beautiful new school into the Lincoln-Way family,'' said District 210 Board President David Izzo in his remarks. ''Lincoln-Way first opened its doors to students on September 7, 1954 (at the Central campus). In organizing the district, the first board of education utilized local citizen committees to assist in preparing a comprehensive study of the community and its educational requirements. ''In 2001, the board of education went back to the same playbook, forming citizen committees to assist them in developing a plan to accommodate the district's growing student population. So people from all over the district - Frankfort, Tinley Park, Mokena, New Lenox, Manhattan and Joliet - came together, formulated a plan and then asked their friends and neighbors to build two new high schools at a cost of $225 million. ''Though many voters knew that the two new high schools would not be built in their communities, they voted for the referendum anyway. They did so because they, like everyone here today, wanted to do what is best for the Lincoln-Way High School community,'' Izzo continued. ''Community has been defined as a 'group of people with a common background or with shared interests within a society.' Our community's shared interest has been, and always will be, to provide the experiences and opportunities necessary to maximize the academic and social growth of all our students. ''On behalf of the board of education, thank you for providing our students with this beautiful school! Thank you, and go Warriors!'' Marching Warriors Band Director Steve Nedzel also spoke during the dedication, noting that his has been ''one of the best and most fun roles'' involved, because he was coordinating all the musical aspects of the ceremony. ''With the opening of a new school,'' he noted, ''there are many things that must be considered, aside from the building itself, and that includes the colors, mascot and, of course, traditions. ''One of the most important traditions a school has is its fight song. Selecting our fight song began almost two years ago. We reviewed many different songs, and I think we selected one that the students and the Warrior community will enjoy hearing and singing for decades to come at various sporting events and pep rallies.'' Nedzel said the song incorporates a melody from an arrangement of War Eagle by Robert Allen. It is used by Auburn University in Alabama for its fight song. The lyrics are: Fight, fight for Lincoln-Way West! Herald the champions, herald the best. Go forth and lead the attack, All hail the Orange and Black. Go Warriors! With our shield and spear, we defend. Victory! Warriors of Lincoln-Way! Strike first and win the battle. Lincoln-Way West, fight on. Lincoln-Way West boasts 418,000-square-feet of space on its sprawling site at Gourgar Road. Groundbreaking ceremonies were held on April 1, 2007, and the $91 million buiding was completed on June 1, 2009. First day of school is August 18, when about 1,000 freshman, sophomore and junior students will walk through the doors. Enrollment is anticipated to increase by about 300 students per year as the school expands to a four-year facility. West's first senior class will graduate in June 2011. Karen Haave is a reporter for Russell Publications.
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