Friday Flyover: Niles West High School
SKOKIE, Ill. (WLS) -- This week, we feature Niles West High School on ABC7's Friday Flyover, celebrating high school sports!
Niles West Monumental Moments:
-Opened in the fall of 1958 (65 years old this year)
-Niles West worked closely with indigenous tribes who protested the use of the "Indians" mascot in the late 1980s. The image of the warrior in the headdress was removed in 1989 along with other rituals offensive to Indigenous tribes. In October 2000, the name "Indians" was dropped altogether and The Wolves was decided in 2001.
-In April 2007, Niles West received the Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts Education Network and National School Boards
-Association Award for excellence in arts education
-In July of 2021, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed the TEAACH Act (Teaching Equitable Asian American
-Community History) at Niles West High School gymnasium, making Illinois the first state in the nation requiring the teaching of American Asian History.
-In October of 2022, the District approved the first Assyrian Language and Culture Course beginning the 2023-24 school year. This is the first of its kind in the nation. The class is being taught at Niles West and Niles North High School campuses.
-Jewell Loyd, WNBA Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist, and proud Niles West Alum had her "#32" Jersey retired in the Niles West Gym on November 4, 2021. She is the first Niles West Athlete to have her jersey number retired and hung from the rafters in the gym.
Famous Alums:
Merrick Garland (Class of '70)
Judy Hsu (Class of '88)
Diane Pathieu (Class of '96)
Jewell Loyd (Class of '12)
School colors:
Red and White
School song:
We're loyal to you Niles West,
Go give 'em your best!
And Fight! Fight!
Go! Go! Red and White, you Wolf-Pack.
Lead onward to victory,
Praise, honor, and fame!
So go! Go!
Go! Niles West we'll win this game.
Fight, you Wolf Pack
Fight, you Wolf Pack
Fight, fight, fight...fight, fight
Go, you Wolf Pack
Go, you Wolf Pack
Wolf Pack Unite!
