About North Grand HS

North-Grand High School is located at the intersection of Kostner and Wabansia. A lot of people seem to be confused about what neighborhood the school is in. Is it in Hermosa? Is it in Belmont-Craigin? 

There isn't a lot of green space in the neighborhood and technically the school itself may be the largest green space in the area. 

The school is located across the street from the largest parking lot you've ever seen, which is connected to Cook Brothers Warehouse store and the Burlington Coat Factory. Recently we watched a truck doing donuts in the empty parking lot when there was snow on the ground.

•  Used to be Schwinn Bicycle Factory

• Opened in 2004

• Keith Haring panels from his large multi-school project hang in the school, including the title panel which appears to have been painted by Haring himself.

• Originally built to relieve overcrowding and is now a popular choice for many students

  • Had over 2,000 applicants for our 230 freshman openings in 2021

• Programs: Career to Education (CTE) - Allied Health, Pre-Engineering, and Culinary Arts, iMentor, CAPE, After School Matters, etc.

• Became a STEAM early college and career school in 2020

North-Grand High School is full of students who are brave, funny, creative and caring. Many of them love hanging out with their friends after school, talking about their crushes, and eating hot Cheetos. 

The students run many unofficial instagram pages detailing campus life, including a daily report on school lunches (which are shockingly sparse - three chicken nuggets and a scoop of corn!), a secret admirers Google form, and school fights. 

The students consistently express their distaste for the lunch. Only pizza gets good reviews, but it's not always clear if that is because it's good, or if that is because it is pizza. The students love talking about the food that their families make. Many students express that they mostly eat home-cooked meals and generally don't leave their neighborhoods very much. Some of the students help their families with the cooking and convey pride at how tasty their parents' food is.

There is a very esteemed Culinary Program on campus, and we suspect many students are great chefs. Several students in the Allied Health program recently qualified for Nationals!

The school's mascot is the Eagle Owl and the school's cheerleaders are the Owlettes.

Hoot. Hoot. 

Something fascinating to look for at the school is a Health Department sign posted in one of the staff bathrooms that has never been updated and still bears the name of former Mayor Richard M. Daley. 

The school boasts an extraordinarily large auditorium and before Covid, would host a wildly entertaining student talent show featuring live music, dance, comedy, and magic.

Many of the students live close enough to the school that they are able to walk. Others live much farther away and have to wake up early to walk long distances or take multiple buses.

Two famous people that have visited the school are Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Bill Gates.

McDonald's vs. Checkers is a local fast food rivalry. McDonald's even showed up in a Shakespeare play in one of Tim Rey's after school theater programs.

Music program from pre-CAPE: creating a punk band, getting out of 8th period early (with permission from the principal) and shredding for students as they left the school. 

There used to be a gardening program at NGHS that went by the wayside for a number of years. CAPE is currently reactivating that space with gardening club-- reactivating that architecture/asset.

North Grand is a place with many secret and not so secret refrigerators. When a science refrigerator says "NO FOOD: Chemical Storage" it's no good for storing cooking club ingredients. Some refrigerators aren't safe from invaders. Others are incredibly respectful of student grocery packets. There's plenty of heating and cooling options at the school.

Takis VS Flaming Hot Cheetos

Matthew, a student in 2019-20 organized a massive masquerade ball that involved all of the CAPE clubs. Students performed for one another, won prizes (student made masks), and indulged in King Cake. 

"Tim, I've got an idea."

-Matthew, every time Tim arrived at NGHS

(Beth/Tim- perhaps include documentation of Matthew's award/pics of the masquerade ball?)

Authentic experience! Performances, rehearsals, creating organically 

Michelle! Add pictures of the mural/mural in progress!

"Breaking Through: From The Inside-Out"

13 x 110 feet

2019

(viaduct north of Kostner & Wabansia)

This 13 x 110 ft long mural was created & lead by North-Grand students. Our young artists brainstormed, designed (including composition), power-washed (4000 PSI gas), primed (the entire wall), transferred image by hand--no technology-- and painted from start to finish.

Through the leadership of our student mural team--This mural was painted by over 150 people-including students, teachers, and community members.