FRANKLIN PARK, Ill. () — East Leyden High School and West Leyden High School take center stage this week on ABC7’s Friday Flyover, a celebration of high school sports and the communities behind them.
Fun Facts:
Together, East and West Leyden represent one united district of Eagles, proudly wearing blue and gold. Serving approximately 3,400 students, the schools offer combined athletic teams, fine arts opportunities and student clubs to families in Franklin Park, River Grove, Rosemont, Schiller Park, unincorporated Leyden Township, and parts of Northlake and Melrose Park.
Leyden is also celebrating an extraordinary year of achievement. The district is home to the Special Olympics Basketball State Champions and the e-Sport State Champions. It is also the home district of Illinois Teacher of the Year, bilingual science teacher Victor Gomez, and Illinois Superintendent of the Year, Dr. Nick Polyak. District leaders believe it may be the first time both honors have gone to educators from the same district in the same year.
The message remains simple: two high schools, one Leyden. East Leyden and West Leyden share the Eagle identity, the blue-and-gold colors and a commitment to serving students across the district through academics, athletics, the arts and extracurricular activities.
Uniquely Leyden:
Among Leyden’s standout programs is award-winning Teatro Leyden, a bilingual theater group that stages performances in both English and Spanish with a double-cast format.
The district also keeps transportation, food service and security operations in-house rather than relying on outside providers, ensuring that every employee is part of the broader Leyden family.
Established in 1924, Leyden recently marked its 100th anniversary and is already looking ahead to its next century.
Leyden’s notable alumni include former -AM radio host Jim Johnson, Journey musician Jonathan Cain and Paralympic sled hockey gold medalist Brody Roybal. Above all, the district says its greatest source of pride is the lasting support of its alumni and the communities that continue to show their Leyden Love.
