Willowbrook High School


Willowbrook High School is a public four-year high school located approximately half a mile north of Illinois Route 38 on Ardmore Ave in Villa Park, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is part of DuPage High School District 88, which also includes Addison Trail High School. Willowbrook draws its students from Villa Park, Oakbrook Terrace, and portions of Elmhurst, Oak Brook and Lombard.

History

Planning for the school began as early as 1950 when projected growth for the area suggested that a new high school would soon be needed. In January, 1958, the school board not only decided that the new school was to be called Willowbrook, but that the school would be prepared to admit students in all four grades once the school opened in 1959.
When the school opened, the principal drafted a group of upperclassmen to help shape the schools traditions. Until the middle of the 1969-1970 school year, students were required to follow a dress code which prohibited jeans for both genders and long hair for young men.
In 1961, a bust of Thomas Jefferson was added to the southeast wall of the school. The bust had been recovered from the demolition of the Louis Sullivan designed Garrick Theater in Chicago by relatives of a current student who were contractors in the theater's demolition.
In 1963, a north wing was added, including district offices located on the first floor portion of the wing.
In the 1980s, improved vocational education areas were added, as was a greenhouse, and expansion of the library.
In 2007, a referendum was passed to make infrastructure improvements and help improve the students' learning environment. Groundbreaking began the week of June 9, 2008 and continued year-round. Some holidays were ignored in order to allow construction to be continue longer during summer recesses. Such improvements included the expansion of music facilities, addition of a fieldhouse and other athletic areas, enhancements to existing science labs, mass improvement to electrical/plumbing, technological enhancements, a more student-centered foyer/commons and guidance areas, renovation to the library/media center, expansion of learning spaces and classrooms, installation of air-conditioning, enhancement to traffic flow and parking, the updating of handicap accessibility, and funds put toward the improvement of the auditorium/drama facilities.
In 2008, the district offices were relocated from the first floor of the north wing to the building previously used by the Addison Public Library.
In 2010, referendum totals came out to be $115.3 million among Willowbrook and sister school Addison Trail High School. After completion of "Building the Future" in the Fall of 2010, dedication ceremonies were held at Willowbrook and Addison Trail on October 17, 2010.

Academics

In 2008, Willowbrook had an average composite ACT score of 21.6 and graduated 94.2% of its senior class. Willowbrook made Adequate Yearly Progress on the Prairie State Achievements Examination, which with the ACT, are used as the assessment tools to fulfill the federal No Child Left Behind Act.
In June 2009, Newsweek, using the Challenge Index, ranked Willowbrook #1464 on their annual list of top American high schools. The school had been on the list once before; ranked #1343 in 2008.

Student life

Athletics

Willowbrook competes in the West Suburban Conference. The school is also a member of the Illinois High School Association, which governs most interscholastic sports and competitive activities. Teams from the school are stylized as the "Warriors".
The school sponsors interscholastic athletic teams for young men and women in: basketball, cross country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, and volleyball. Young men may also compete in baseball, football, and wrestling, while young women may compete in badminton, bowling, cheerleading, and softball. While not sponsored by the IHSA, the school also sponsors a poms team, as well as a basketball, volleyball, and track and field team which competes in the Special Olympics.
The following teams have finished in the top four of their respective IHSA sponsored state tournaments or meets:
at Willowbrook High School is one of the largest student organizations at the school, with over 200 students involved across three yearly productions, performing in the historic Doris E. White Auditorium. Students run every facet of the program under the guidance of several tech and acting directors. Opportunities for students include acting, instrumental performance, and the following technical crews: Sound/Projection Crew, Lights Crew, Props Crew, Construction Crew, Paint Crew, Costumes Crew, and Student Leadership. Since entering the Illinois High School Association Drama & Group Interpretation competition in 2014, the Willowbrook High School Theatre contest play has received the following accolades:
The Willowbrook High School music department hosts several levels of auditioned curricular ensembles: three choral ensembles, three concert bands, and two string orchestras; as well as an extracurricular show choir, dubbed "Center Stage", rock band, marching band, and two levels of auditioned jazz ensembles. Music at Willowbrook has always been distinguished, yet there has been a recent uptick in musical accolades for the department.
Under the direction of Mr. John Clemons, bands at Willowbrook High School have received the following accolades:
Jazz I:
Jazz II:
Wind Ensemble:
Under the direction of Mrs. Karyn Wolcott, the Willowbrook High School Concert Choir has earned the following honors:
Willowbrook used to compete in the North Suburban Math League, however since the founding of the West Suburban Math League, it has opted to compete only in the WSML, the West Suburban Gold math league, and the Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics math league. The team has four coaches and is open to grades 9-12, utilizing both group teams as well as individual competitors. In recent years, the team has earned a plethora of individual awards as well as the following group titles:
The Rock is a tradition in Willowbrook High School. It was dug up when the new Doris E. White auditorium was built in the 1960s. It was then positioned outside the main entrance doors of the high school. Students usually paint it at night with various slogans or colors to celebrate accomplishments or mark special occasions.

Notable alumni