Neuqua Valley High School - Naperville, IL

Neuqua Valley High School opened its doors in August 1997 with much fanfare. As a new high school, our school's cost and features attracted significant local interest. Most of the attention, then as now, focused on the physical look and design of our building. Over twenty years, however, it has been the spirit of staff members, students, and families that has given our school its Wildcat Pride. The people, not bricks and mortar, earned Neuqua Valley's accomplishments. Our school's founding staff members opened a high school committed to a humanistic approach and individual compassion. Putting students first has been and continues to be the core DNA of our school.

Although we are a school of almost 4,000 students, we make a large school feel small. Our culture values relationships above accolades and collaboration over competition. This culture has earned us several important achievements. The Kennedy Center for the Arts named Neuqua Valley a School of Excellence in the Arts, and the McCormick Foundation deemed us a Democracy School. Our Music Department has twice earned a Grammy as the best music program in the nation. The College Board has acknowledged our Advanced Placement program for its equity and diversity. Special Olympics has recognized our Project Unify program for its inclusiveness and excellence. We have earned 39 state trophies in Athletics and one state trophy in Speech. Our legacy is not in awards. It is in the relationships we build every day on campus and beyond.