School News

Sarah Lanza, a Prairie Ridge High School junior, earned a perfect score on the ACT the first time she took it. Only around three-tenths of one percent of all test takers earn the top score.

“I am very proud of this achievement because it shows me that diligence and hard work do pay off and that if I set my mind on something I have the work ethic to get there,” said Lanza. 

To prepare, Lanza used prep books from the library to get practice tests and review concepts, noting that she began taking them in the summer, “So I had time to take multiple practice tests until I was comfortable with the exam,” said Lanza.

Lanza, a junior at Prairie Ridge, is still looking at different post-high school options, but is currently interested in studying biochemistry or neuroscience in hopes of becoming a clinical researcher or doctor in the future. She is involved in Science Olympiad, Big Brothers Big Sisters, math team, Spanish National Honor Society, and is the co-president of the environmental club in addition to her current course load of AP Chemistry, AP Physics, AP English Language and Composition, Dual Credit Calculus III, and Dual Credit Spanish III.

“I hope that this score will enable me to get accepted at my dream university and help me further my education,” said Lanza.

District 155 schools have all ranked in the top eight percent nationally and the top 12 percent in the state according to U.S. News and World Report's Best Public High Schools 2022 list. Twenty-four thousand public high schools throughout the country were evaluated, with results based state exam performance and college preparedness. 

All D155 schools ranked in the top 100 in Illinois; with Cary-Grove earning the no. 54 spot in the state, Prairie Ridge earned no. 55, Crystal Lake South sits at no. 66, and Crystal Lake Central is at no. 83 in Illinois rankings. More than seven-hundred schools in Illinois were evaluated for this prestigious list.

"This type of prestigious recognition is a testament to the supportive families in District 155 along with the staff and students' determination and dedication towards learning." said Steve Olson, D155 Superintendent, "Our mission is to empower students to Enter with Promise and Leave with Purpose. These rankings are proof of our commitment to excellence and preparing students for the future."

To view the full Best Public High Schools list, and further detailed results of D155 high schools, please click here.

The Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce awarded the 2022 Carl E. Wehde Award to the D155 Business Incubator Program! The business incubator program provides students an opportunity to learn business and entrepreneurship skills in partnership with local businesses.

Carl Wehde served as school board president where he championed the connection between community involvement and student enrichment. D155 is honored to be recognized for this commitment to personalized education and community relationships. 

Prairie Ridge Industry & Careers and Wellness Division Leader Bryan Peckhart and Business Education Teacher Ryan O'Neill attended the annual dinner and award ceremony to accept this award.

Prairie Ridge's Claire Jansen and Abby Malina and Cary-Grove's Nicholas Anchetta have earned best actress/actor nominations from Broadway In Chicago’s Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards!

Claire played the Witch and Abby played The Baker's Wife in "Into the Woods" and Nick played Nostradamus in "Something Rotten!". They were selected for this honor from over 200 student applicants and will attend the awards program on May 23.

These awards celebrate the best of the best in high school theatre throughout Illinois. Each nominee will participate in a workshop, perform on stage in front of Chicago casting agents, and will receive tickets to a Broadway in Chicago show. Those chosen as Best Actor and Best Actress will receive an all-expense paid trip to New York City to participate in an intensive theatre workshop competing for a national title.

Art students throughout the district received $5,695,000 in art scholarship offers this year from the Illinois High School Art Exhibition/Art ConnectED. Thirteen D155 seniors were also selected to showcase their artwork in the 2022 Senior Scholarship Exhibition at the Bridgeport Art Center on March 13, an honor extended only to select scholarship recipients. 

“This is an incredible opportunity for our students to have their artwork reviewed by a large number of colleges,” said Crystal Lake Central art teacher Kerry Parrish. “The scholarship money students have been offered can change a student's college choice.”

The Senior Scholarship Exhibition brought together elite student artists from 130 Illinois high schools to compete and celebrate their artist achievements; it is the state's most prominent student scholarship exhibition. In addition to the Senior Scholarship Exhibition, IHSAE hosted two other programs.

The Northern Regional Exhibition “Best of the Best” featuring over 500 works of art competing for prestigious awards, and “The Art Throwdown”, a visual arts contest where students compete in a timed art challenge. These programs offer additional scholarship opportunities for competing students. Twenty-one D155 students were selected to exhibit in the Best of the Best show and five competed in The Art Throwdown.

The mission of IHSAE, now Art ConnectED, is to advance art education for young people by providing art exhibition and education opportunities that celebrate students' artistic achievement, promote mastery and ingenuity in learning, and facilitate post-secondary opportunities. To date, Art ConnectED has provided $360 million in senior scholarship offers and $500,000 in early college program scholarships since 2013.