History of the Lyceum

School No. 8 has existed since 1918. In that year the Herken Private Gymnasium for men and the Diocesan College for women were merged. The new school was named after I. I. Mechnikov and was located in the building of the former Girls' Secondary School No. 2 on Minin Square.

From 1918 to 1924 the headmaster of this school was I. V. Milovidov. After him, the school was headed by A. A. Zimin and A. P. Gorchakov, and since 1930 by A. M. Shatrova.

In 1930, the Institute of Public Education was reorganised into the Pedagogical Institute. The institute had an experimental school named after Lenin, which was transferred to the Mechnikov School. The school received physics and chemistry laboratories, as well as part of the library of the pilot school of the Pedagogical Institute.

In 1932-33, School No. 8 was changed from a seven-year to a ten-year school. During these years, the school cooperated closely with Garment Factory No. 1. The factory helped the school with materials, organised excursions to Moscow and Leningrad. The school's pupils gave parties and concerts at the factory, and the teachers worked to eliminate illiteracy among the workers.   The year 1934 was particularly rich in work on the artistic education of pupils. N.N. Khrulev, a director and teacher, organised his own theatre, which later became known throughout the city. In 1935, the first class of the ten-year school graduated. All children were admitted to university. The school had 7 classes until 1941. 

At that time, the school had a pedagogical orientation. The teachers of the institute read the history of pedagogy and methodology in the upper classes. In the 1930s, the school had a strong pedagogical team led by the headmaster A.M. Shatrova, who received a diploma of honour from the Regional Executive Committee and was entered in the Red Book of Honour, and the school received a red banner of defiance from the District Council, which remained at the school forever.

In 1945, the school had its first post-war outing. As before, the teaching staff were highly professional, and the graduates of those years had such a high level of knowledge that they had the opportunity to enter the most prestigious universities in the country. Many graduates of those years became famous: a hero of the Soviet Union, Volkov N. (died in the Great Patriotic War, a hero of socialist work), Negin E.A., an academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences, Blokhina I.N., a doctor of technical sciences, an honoured worker of science and technology, Ugodchikov A.G. and others.

In 1970, the school moved to a new building in Piskunov Street. The teachers also participated in the construction of the school. After the retirement of E.F.Borisova, A.G.Smirenskaya was appointed headmistress of the school.

In 1972, a memorial and a memorial board with the names of the victims were erected in front of the school building on the initiative of the teachers: the former headmaster A.M. Shatrova and the deputy headmaster K.E. Zilberg, as well as the parents of the school graduates who died during the Second World War.

In the 1980s, radical changes took place in the field of education. Thus, in 1984, school number 8 opened its doors to "six-year-olds". The first teachers were N.G. Strezhneva and V.N. Evstigneeva. Since then, classes for six-year-olds have been permanently registered at school No. 8.

In the same years, a reform of the professional orientation of pupils was implemented. The school was supported by the sewing production association "Vesna" and the Remstroi Foundation.

In 1980, the school opened the "In Memory of the Fallen" museum and created the "Search" group. Under the leadership of professors Kozlova L.I. and Ikonnikova S.P. and military instructor Leonov A.I., expeditions were organised to the death sites and graves of the school's graduates who fell during the Second World War.

In the same year, the school was awarded the title of exemplary school.

In 1988-1989, three experimental classes were opened for the first time, with in-depth study of physics, chemistry and biology.   In 1997, the headmaster of the school, Bakhareva A.N., died and the deputy headmaster of primary schools, Yartseva I.N., was appointed by the headmaster of the school. 

In 1998, the school was the first in the Nizhniy Novgorod regionto receive the status of a high school. Under the leadership of I.N. Yartseva, the school became very successful. The high school became multidisciplinary: in addition to medical courses, technical and socio-economic courses were introduced. A Small School Academy was created within the school: a voluntary and creative association of students from the first to the eleventh grade who strive to improve their knowledge and develop their intellectual abilities.

For many years the school has successfully cooperated with the NNMA, NSTU, Lobachevsky University, NIRO, the city's education department, the association of schools under the auspices of UNESCO, the Yu Museum. As a result of the activity of students and teachers, the school was twice awarded the national priority project "Education". Among the teachers there are winners of the Nizhniy Novgorod prize in 2002, 2004. The teachers are: T. Kanyanina, L. Shevtsova, A. Personova, E. Kutovaya, S. Vaganova, I. Troitskaya and I. Yartseva, the director.

In 1998, the school opened a museum on the school's history, which has repeatedly won district, city and regional competitions.

In 2008, the school was renovated, the third floor was built and the façade was rebuilt. This project was partly developed by a team of senior students and teachers of the school during the Regional Technical Olympics.

The characteristic of our school is the creation and realization of innovative activity projects, which was the basis of the team's work in the "Step into the Future" programme. The teachers are committed to developing students' scientific and creative initiatives. This is reflected in the organisation of creative teams such as: Intellectual Games Club, Erudite, Eureka, Creator, School Publishing Centre, School Theatre.

Participation in these groups has allowed students to develop their intellectual capacities, acquire skills and abilities in experimental activities and contributed to success in Olympiads, conferences and other competitions.

It has become a tradition at the Lyceum to celebrate Knowledge Day, Lyceum Day and exhibitions of technical creativity.

Much of the educational work is done through the Children's Initiative Centre. These include theatre festivals organised by the N. N. Khrulev Theatre, which is run by the Children's Initiative Centre. N. Khrulev Theatre, directed by I. V. Troitskaya, talent festivals, the work of the "Magic Ramp" and "Teremok" studios. A special magazine called "Theatrical Almanac" is published.

In the field of education, the "Word" centre for spiritual and moral development works productively. It successfully runs a school history museum, which has twice won the regional school museum exhibition, has repeatedly won district and city competitions, and has twice won prizes at Russian exhibitions (2000, 2008). In 2010, the museum won first place in the regional museum competition dedicated to the 65th anniversary of the Victory.