Education
In 2008, Niles West earned the chance to celebrate 50 years of providing quality education to the Skokie area–one of several schools providing a high caliber of education for students of all ages.
Enrolling a total of approximately 2,575 students, Niles West boasts a graduation rate of 93 percent, an attractive student-to-teacher ratio of 17:1 and a dedicated full-time faculty exceeding 350—of which 82 percent have earned at least a Master’s degree. Its facilities are unmatched when compared to others in the state. “Right now we are completing a six-classroom addition that will earn Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for its energy conservation abilities,” says Kaine Osburn, Principal. “Furthermore, our technology infrastructure is state-of-the-art, with a computer and connected projector in every classroom so online resources and media can be accessed for instruction seamlessly. This includes the use of video announcements three days a week, produced wholly by students in our Broadcast Media course.”Additionally, Niles West is equipped with new Mondo surface football fields, which have greatly reduced maintenance costs and increased participation by the school’s athletic teams and groups from the community, as well as a newly expanded track offering capabilities to host larger state competitions.
The high school is recognized as one of the most comprehensive in Illinois, as it offers the widest range of learning enrichment opportunities. “The Fine Arts programs for District 219 were awarded the Kennedy Center’s award for Best High School Fine Arts Program in the U.S., making us the first public high school to win such an award,” notes Osburn. “Additionally, our Applied Science and Technology courses are second to none. We currently are in the second year of our Project Lead the Way Engineering program, which is designed in collaboration with prominent institutions, such as the University of Illinois, Purdue and the Milwaukee College of Engineering.”
Supplementing the outstanding curriculum of Niles West is its Literacy Center, which employs more than 190 specially trained student tutors who provide support to both advanced and struggling students. “As of this date, the Literacy Center has had more than 15,000 student visitors just this year,” explains Osburn. “Our Literacy Center is a model that has garnered regional and national attention.”
In addition to the fantastic academic benefits discovered through Niles West, the diversity of the student body is truly one of the school’s greatest assets. At Niles West, more than half of the student body speaks a language other than English at home, with more than 30 languages spoken by the students, such as Korean, Urdu, Spanish, Syrian and Russian. “We embrace our diversity in every aspect of our academic and extracurricular programming,” says Osburn.
Embracing its strong diversity is evident through the institution of International Week in February and quarterly Cultural Roundtables, which bring students of different cultural backgrounds together to discuss a wealth of topics. Student diversity is also evident in the list of activities and events that are incorporated into the school’s calendar every year. A strong commitment to philanthropy shines through such events as Dance Marathon—which in 2008 alone, raised more than $70,000 for Partners in Health—and clubs such as West Helps Others and Peer Mediators. Niles West, along with Niles North High School, set a new fundraising record in 2008 for the American Cancer Society Relay For Life, raising more than $72,000. The high school also has a successful student-run recycling program.
Niles West has garnered many accolades over the years, thanks to the hard work of students, teachers, educational leaders, parents and the overall Skokie community. In addition to recognition as the #1 Fine and Performing Arts Education Program in the Nation by the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the high school’s newspaper, West Word, received a first-place ranking from the American Scholastic Press Association for the eighth consecutive year; the Science Olympiad Team qualified for the state competition for the 14th time in the last 15 years; and Niles West brought home 11 gold medals and eight silver medals from the annual Family, Career and Community Leaders of America State Leadership Meeting and Competition—not to mention the numerous awards individual students and teachers have achieved.
As Niles West celebrated its 50th anniversary, the entire community had reason to celebrate the great investment it had made toward its educational system. No matter what obstacles may come, the individually appreciated students of Skokie receive unique preparation for making the world their own.
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