Warren High getting ready to celebrate the century mark

Warren Township High School in Gurnee hopes to gather as many Blue Devils as possible for a big party that'll begin this summer.

Planning already has started for celebrations to mark Warren's 100-year anniversary in the 2016-17 academic season.

Warren District 121 board President John Anderson said the centennial will be a good way to spread the word about the school's connection to the Gurnee area.

“We do have a rich history of academics and athletics,” Anderson said.

Warren Superintendent John Ahlgrim said the centennial celebration will start in the summer and run until the Class of 2017 graduates. A committee of 20 or so members will plan the events.

One of the biggest chores will be spreading the word to Warren alumni through social media and other means, Ahlgrim said.

“We're trying to get a database together of all the alumni that we can, because currently we're void of an alumni association,” he said. “So we're also using this opportunity to not only promote, obviously, our 100 years but also to try to reconnect with all of our alumni.”

Ahlgrim said he expects the annual Gurnee Days festival and parade in August will be the first public recognition of the school's 100th year. The homecoming football game and graduation also will be big deals.

“Our goal initially is to think about six or seven or eight events over the course of the year that'll help our community come in and celebrate with us,” Ahlgrim said.

Warren has had many notable alumni in its 100 years. Among the high-profile graduates are late Gurnee Mayor Richard Welton, professional vocalist Joan Hammel, former Illinois Gov. William Stratton, actor Kevin Anderson, movie director Patrick Read Johnson and former NFL player Tim Kohn.

Although not a highlight of its history, the district is not shying from the 1984 arson that gutted the original high school but caused no injuries or deaths, Ahlgrim said. Student Steven D. Olson received probation after admitting in Lake County court he set the Dec. 20, 1984, fire.

In what was a controversial decision at the time, the school board agreed to bulldoze the old building and replace it with the current O'Plaine Road campus in 1987. Warren students were bused to a vacant school in Lake Forest for about 2½ years after the fire. Photographs of the fire's aftermath are part of a Facebook page established for the centennial.

“It's a little bizarre, probably, but in terms of their memories, it's still fond memories in terms of (alumni) being Blue Devils and memories of their four years at Warren,” Ahlgrim said.