125 Naz Facts

Nazareth Academy was founded in 1900 by the Sisters of St. Joseph.
The Nazareth mascot is the Roadrunner, chosen after the move to 1209 W. Ogden as a way of acknowledging the fact that classes were held in different locations on campus requiring students to “run across the road” during the school day. Click Here for more details.
Sister Mary Carl composed the school’s song, “Nazareth” in the mid-1940s.
Nazareth’s mission is based around the pillars of Scholarship, Service, Spirit and Unity.
In the early 1900s tuition for boarding students was $10/month and for day students $0.50/month.
The artwork in Nazareth’s school crest includes the Light of Christ and also a book, emphasizing our commitment to a God-centered education.
The first recorded student was Hazel DeWolff.
Mary Merklee and Lillian Graves were Nazareth Academy’s first graduates, receiving their diplomas on June 24, 1903.
In its early years, students were awarded “Monthly Honors for Young Ladies” like those for “Good Conduct, Politeness, Neatness, Music, Application, Strict Observance of Rule and Assiduity.”
Early in Nazareth’s history, there were four distinct course paths for a student to earn an academic diploma and graduation: Classical, Latin Scientific, German Scientific and Commercial.

In 1929, enrollment reached 100 students.
A new building was dedicated on June 3, 1951 at the price of $1,450,000.
On April 23, 1936, Nazareth Academy was accepted into the North Central Association of Colleges and secondary Schools.
Nazareth Academy has inhabited four total buildings, all in La Grange and La Grange Park.
On Thursday, February 23, 1928, author and later Pulitzer Prize-winning Carl Sandberg came to speak at Nazareth Academy where he gave a lecture and sang folk songs accompanied by his guitar.
In 1979, Nazareth’s history-making the Eucharistic Ministry program was launched by Sr. Pat Bergen, making Nazareth the first school in the country to mandate high school students.
March 23, 1986, members of the Chicago Bears challenged Naz students, faculty and staff to a basketball game.
Nazareth utilized modular scheduling in the 1970s for several years.
In 1968-69 Nazareth undertook “Project: Renewal” to demolish the old building, make upgrades, create transportation between the main campus and the vacant classroom building located on the motherhouse campus.
In 1986, when the same band director was employed at Nazareth and Fenwick, the two groups combined to form the Fen-Naz Band.

In 1956, Girls Basketball won the Illinois State Girls Basketball Shooting Championship. The program won its first IHSA State Title in 2023.
In 1958-59, Nazareth reached its peak enrollment figure at 1319 which required a modified double shift schedule.
Nazareth Academy became a co-educational institution in 1977 and remains the only high school in the Chicago area to successfully make the transition from all girls to co-ed.
Our first Football team in the Fall of 1979 played an undefeated season.
In 2005, the alt-indie rock band Switchfoot performed a concert on campus.
The first WALK was in the fall of 1974.
In 1987, Nazareth experienced what was called a “Miracle on Ogden Avenue” when, for the first time since 1974, the school was under one roof, thanks in large part to the Sisters of St. Joseph, who donated 1.2 million dollars for the renovations.
The first alumni athlete to play professionally is LPGA golfer Nicole Jeray ‘88, who went pro in 1994.
On September 23, 1996, Nazareth Academy became “sponsored by” rather than “operated by” the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph.
Nazareth Academy has inhabited four total buildings, all in La Grange and La Grange Park.

The first Nazareth Kairos took place in 2000.
Nazareth’s fundraising history includes over $300,000 for the American Cancer Society through its Relay For Life and Lights Out for Cancer events between 2010-2015.
In 1959, Girls Volleyball won the Catholic Youth Organization championships.
Nazareth graduated 17 young men in the first co-ed Class of 1981. The Class of 2025 will graduate 94 young men!
In 2000, Deborah Vondrasek Tracy ‘82 became the school’s first lay principal.
In 2016, Nazareth opened the 49,000 square foot Walsh Center which added a second gym, art and theology classrooms and a state of the art Fitness Center.
Overnight Junior Retreats have taken place at LaSalle Manor since 1977-78.
Over 3,000+ Nazareth students have attended a Kairos retreat since its inception.
Our current building at 1209 W. Ogden is still known by some as St. Joseph’s Military Academy. Graduates of the Military Academy still gather at 1209 West Ogden for reunions periodically.
The first musical to be performed in the Romano Family Theatre was “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” in 2008.

Nazareth’s first AP class was English Language and Composition, created and taught by Dianne Kirtley. That inaugurated the AP program that continues to thrive with 13 AP classes currently offered.
Nazareth closes each school day with “The Prayer of St. Joseph.”
The 2024-2025 Faculty and Staff includes 23 Nazareth Academy alumni.
Leadership has had many names including Directress, Team Administrator, Principal and President. Click here for our Leadership History.
In 2010 our student fan section became known as the Freddie Fanatics in honor of Sr. Frederick Molitor, CSJ ‘46. They were named the Comcast Best Student Section in 2011.
Since 2010, students have averaged 15,000 hours of service each year. In October, 2024, Nazareth celebrated this legacy with a Roadrunners Give Back Day of Service.
Nazareth Academy has a long legacy of 100% college acceptance including a history of over 80% of seniors applying to at least one school by the early November 1 deadline.
In 2014, Nazareth Academy won its first IHSA State Championship when the Football team won the 6A Title against Lemont.
52 artists of all kinds have been inducted into our Fine Arts Hall of Fame as of 2024.
Nazareth Academy is the only Catholic high school to partner with the Community Memorial Foundation in the Young Community Changemakers program.

The Naz Drama Childrens’ Play was a “show on the road” during the 1980s. The cast and crew would travel and perform at various grade schools.
Sr. Helen Prejean, CSJ, of “Dead Man Walking” fame, has visited Nazareth and spoken with students on several occasions.
Nazareth was founded the same year the White Stockings became a professional Chicago baseball team.
In the 1900-01 school year, the first student-created publication was called “The Nazareth Student;” in addition to “poems and essays of the pupils” it also included “the report of those students who receive certificates of excellence in conduct and the various branches of study, besides items of general interest to the pupils and parents.” This would later become the “Nazareth Chimes.” Current student publications include The Announcer (newspaper), Alexine (yearbook) and Goulash (literary magazine).
Sean Pearson (Basketball #21) and Julian Love (Football #20) are the only Nazareth jerseys to have been officially retired; they will be joined in April by the #10 Baseball jersey worn by Michael Spidale ‘00.
In 1971, a group of students competed on the NBC show “It’s Academic,” in which they were quizzed on history, science, math and general information.
In the mid-1980s, Nazareth began to concentrate on its college preparatory program, establishing honors tracks of math, science, English and social studies. Courses like home economics, sewing, cooking and drafting were removed from the curriculum.
The first computers on campus were 10 Commodore Pet PCs in 1982.
Nazareth’s Alumni Office can trace almost 125 married alumni couples who first met while in high school. That’s a great #NazLove story.
22 Sisters of St. Joseph have served as President or Principal since 1900.

The Campus Ministry program was established in 1976.
The idea to host a prom for teens with disabilities began in 2011, inspired by the relationship and coordinated efforts of ASPIRE of Illinois and Campus Ministry’s FISH Service Team. The 2025 Prom was Nazareth’s 7th.
In addition to FISH, Nazareth students have founded and participated in Service groups such as Pool Pals (helping students with disabilities), SHOE (Students Helping Others Everywhere) and SMILE (Students Mixing in the Lives of the Elderly).
Nazareth Academy has been selected for the Illinois High School Theatre Festival 9 times since 1998.
Naz Drama received an Illinois High School Musical Theatre Best Ensemble nomination and Best Director Award in 2024.
86 distinct co-curricular activities have been available to students in the last 25 years.
Rooney Student Center opened in 1984 and has been the location of Varsity home games and all school gatherings ever since.
The Band and Choir programs earned the SupportMusic Merit Award from the NAMM Foundation in 2024.
The 2024-25 student body includes 75 students whose parent/grandparent is also an alum.
Over 14,000 women and men have graduated from Nazareth Academy in its 125-year history.

Nazareth Academy has brought home 10 IHSA titles since 2014 in Football (2014, 2015, 2018, 2022, 2023, 2024), Girls Volleyball (2021), Girls Basketball (2023) and Baseball (2022, 2023).
To date, 50 women and men have been recipients of our Educator of The Year Award which began in 1977 with Sr. Jacqueline Schmitz.
For 15 summers between 2005 and 2019, students volunteered for a week-long summer service trip to Solsberry Hill in southern Indiana.
Nazareth has offered the following languages as part of its curriculum: Latin, Spanish, Italian, German, French and Mandarin.
The Catholic tradition of crowning the Virgin Mary the first weekend of May was a proud school-wide tradition for over 60 years.
Nazareth moved to Block Scheduling with the 2019-2020 school year.
To date, 51 graduating seniors have been the recipients of the Sister Oliver Donlin Award for Service.
“And even to the ends of the earth…” Nazareth Alumni are currently lighting our world in Australia, Thailand and New Zealand.
In 1994, the words “That All May Be One” were added to the annual school theme.
Formation experiences in the charism and mission of the Congregation have always been part of the professional development of administrators, faculty and staff and Board of Trustees.

Nazareth’s first social media post was on Twitter in February of 2012, followed by Facebook and Instagram within a few years.
As of March 18, 2025, Nazareth Academy has celebrated the induction of Duane Buturusis, Doug Hunt, Dennis Moran, Wayne Saunders, Julie Schiffler and the 2014 Football Team into the ESCC Hall of Fame. We look forward to the April 2025 Inductions of Michael Spidale and the 2015 Football Team.
Nazareth’s “Sister Schools” are located in Cleveland and Baton Rouge. Both are single gender/girls high schools.
Kim White was chosen to direct the Illinois High School Theatre Festival production of “Hairspray” in 2008-2009.
Nazareth’s Football Roadrunners played their first Friday Night Lights game in the Fall of 2014.
Despite a global pandemic, Nazareth Academy reopened its doors in August 2020 welcoming half the student body each day and followed strict CDC and IDPH protocols in order to continue offering in-person learning to our students.
Coaches Tim Racki (Football) and Lee Milano (Baseball) have both been finalists for National Coach of the Year honors.
The current Oremus Media Center is located in a space that was once a Chapel and also a Library. Plans are underway for another makeover to this space.
Early in her tenure in the school office, Kaye Anton Flynn ‘45, decided to computerize the school records and recommended the purchase of a “Lisa” computer. It was delivered with only a manual as instruction; Mrs. Flynn took courses on her own and completed the conversion.
No, there was never a pool on campus, but the current campus did have a pond where Sisters were fond of swimming & skating.

Nazareth has always found ways to recognize the significant contributions of alumni and community members to growing our legacy. These have included Alumni Awards; Leaders, Legacies & Legends; Jack Wheeler Memorial Awards; Athletic and Fine Arts Hall of Fame Inductees; and Four Pillars Award Recipients.
For the past 15+ years, Nazareth Faculty and Staff have enjoyed the month of FABruary with special treats and surprises from the Administration to bring smiles during a long, short month!
Nazareth Academy has participated and featured in the La Grange Pet Parade for many years with floats from State Championship teams and performances by the Band, Cheer and Dance teams. Julian Love ‘16 and John Gurney ‘06 have both served as Grand Marshalls.
The Sister Oliver Donlin Service Award is the only student award presented at Graduation.
Nazareth’s official school colors are navy and white. The beloved “Naz columbia blue” and “Rocky beak orange” have become recognizable accent colors.
Naz uniform shirts, polos and spirit wear are available in our spirit shop: The NZone.
In 2022, Ms. Amelia García received the prestigious Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching.
“Spirits on Fire” emerged as a formation program offered by CSJ Ministries for faculty and staff members working in CSSJ ministries throughout the country.
97 members of our Nazareth family are included in our Athletic Hall of Fame as of 2024.
“Senior Privileges” continue to be offered to seniors “in good standing” throughout the fourth quarter.

Springer Hall and the Springer Science Wing are both named in honor of Sister Ellen Springer who was a beloved and outstanding Nazareth Science Teacher for several decades.
A special Senior VIP Lounge was introduced at the Winter Dance of 2025. Little did these seniors know that an actual Senior Lounge existed on our campus for many years in the 1970s.
A group of Nazareth students traveled to New Orleans shortly after Hurricane Katrina. Joined by students from St. Joseph’s Academy in Baton Rouge, they participated in acts of kindness and service.
Naz Coffeehouse as well as Spring Musicals were performed annually at Park Junior High (former Naz location) in the 1970’s-1980’s. A whole bunch of Naz talent and humor was on full display.
Each year the amount of merit based awards granted to graduating seniors has grown. The Class of 2024 alone received $44 million in merit-based awards.
The Nazareth WALK was 20 miles long its first year and has since been shortened from a 20k/12 mile path to 6 miles and currently to one that is approximately 3 miles throughout our local community.
Nazareth Academy students come from 100 different grade schools and over 50 different towns.
Students living east of La Grange were able to ride the PACE bus right down Ogden Avenue for several decades.
The large Chapel came under the direction of Nazareth Academy in 2019 and was formally dedicated as the Alexine Chapel on November 1st of that year to honor our foundress, Mother Alexine.
Nazareth recognizes alumni who continue to live the Pillar of Service through the United States Armed Forces with a Military Wall of Honor near our Front Entrance.

When Michalek Field was dedicated in 2013, it was the first softball field in the area to be a turf surface. As of 2023 all of Nazareth’s outdoor fields are turf.
The 2024-2025 Anniversary Year brought special dedications honoring the lifetime work and dedication of five of our Sisters of Saint Joseph: Sister Pat Bergen, Sister Terry Middendorf, Sister Marianne Race, Sister Jackie Schmitz and Sister Ethel Vaca.
Nazareth students began using iPads in school beginning with the freshman class in 2015.
The beloved Naz Grotto was built by WPA workers.
Ring Day for Juniors remains a beloved Nazareth Academy tradition.
Nazareth’s D Building was the home to many Naz classrooms including art, foreign language, math and science.
JJ McCarthy is a notable former Roadrunner now playing his sport professionally, but he is not alone. Click here for a full list of Roadrunners who have gone pro.
Naz travel experiences have been an additional component to educating the whole person. Students and chaperones have visited places including England, Spain, Ireland, Italy, Belize, New York and Hawaii.
Nazareth Academy awards those who score in the 90th percentile on the incoming entrance exam with financial awards toward the cost of tuition over the students’ high school years. These awards have been named “CSJ Awards” in recognition of the importance our Sisters place on academic rigor.
Freshman Orientation now exists over a two day period, allowing for a more comfortable and solid ease into a new Roadrunner’s high school experience.

Nazareth’s STEM Lab opened in 2023, allowing students to look at new and emerging technologies including 3D modeling and printing.
Our Named Scholarship Program has blossomed over the years since Anne Marie Bell’s parents established the first one at Nazareth, currently offering 56 scholarships that $245,000, helping 95 students with financial need.
Each year at our Closing School Mass, Naz senior parents who are also alums are honored along with their graduates. These same honorees as well as grandparents who are Naz alum are also recognized at Graduation.
Our recent Student Endowment Campaign has helped to bring our Endowment to an impressive $10 million with $20 million as our goal within the next ten years.
The Alumni Department can trace Naz Alum to all 50 U.S. States plus the District of Columbia.

Visit nazarethacademy.com