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Libertyville High planning centennial celebration this year

Libertyville High School turns 100 in 2017, and officials are preparing to mark the centennial with public celebrations throughout the year.

A concert scheduled for May 18 will launch the festivities, which will culminate during homecoming events in October.

District staffers and retirees on a centennial celebration planning committee are working out the details.

"We are in the early planning stages," Libertyville-Vernon Hills Area High School District 128 spokeswoman Mary Todoric said.

The school was founded as Libertyville Township High School in 1917. The original building operated at what is now the corner of Route 176 and Brainerd Avenue and was known, appropriately, as the Brainerd Building.

When a larger school building opened in 1954 near Butler Lake, a short walk to the west, the Brainerd Building was turned into as a freshmen-only campus.

Brainerd was shut down after Vernon Hills High opened in 1999. It was demolished in 2014, and the land is now an athletic field.

The Butler Lake building is the school people know as Libertyville High today.

Several well-known athletes, musicians and actors have been among Libertyville High's student population, including Hollywood legend Marlon Brando, Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello, "Hamilton" actress Phillipa Soo and Olympic gymnast Laura Zeng, who's a junior this year.

Although few details have been finalized, the theme of the centennial is "LHS 100: Celebrating a Century of Excellence."

The community will be able to get involved in a number of ways, starting with a design contest for the centennial logo. Libertyville High students, employees, alumni and future students are invited to submit designs. The winning entry will be used in promotional materials, on merchandise and banners, and in other ways.

To enter, email a PDF of a design to Todoric at mary.todoric@d128.org by Feb. 24. Artists should include their name, phone number, address and affiliation with Libertyville High.

The winner will receive a $100 prize.

All submissions will be displayed during a centennial celebration event in October.

Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello, as shown in his 1982 Libertyville High School yearbook. Courtesy of District 128
Libertyville High School alumni Tom Morello spoke to students during homecoming in 2012. Courtesy of District 128
  Libertyville High School student Laura Zeng got a hero's welcome after she competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com 2016
Actor Marlon Brando, shown here during filming of "The Godfather," attended Libertyville High School but didn't graduate. Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Actor Marlon Brando is in the Libertyville High School Junior Boys A photo. Courtesy of District 128
  Libertyville-Vernon Hills Area High School District 128 officials are planning to celebrate Libertyville High's centennial with public events throughout the year. Paul Valade/pvalade@dailyherald.com
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