Leo High School

Leo High School

Leo is more than a school. For over 92 years, Leo High School has been on the corner of 79th and Sangamon changing lives. Find out more here.

Medill Reporter Writes about Leo

Straightening ties, tucking in shirts, and welcoming young men to the “brotherhood” is an opening day tradition for Dan McGrath, Leo High School president, who greets the young men individually […]

After a rough weekend, our young men help to bring Auburn-Gresham back to life

Leo Men Take Action

Physically, Leo High School was not harmed by the wave of looting and rioting that struck pockets of Chicago in the wake of George Floyd’s death at the hands of […]

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Leo Men

Leo High School is committed to producing tomorrow’s leaders. Meet some of the men who have made us proud. They are true examples of our motto: Facta Non Verba, Deeds Not Words.

2019 Opening Day

Opening Day 2019

A Joyous Beginning to the School Year An exuberant crowd of Leo Alumni, parents, teachers and friends joined us on Opening Day to welcome the largest freshmen class in 10 […]

Mr. Rawls feted by the Greater Auburn-Gresham Development Corp.

Shaka Rawls’ impact as Leo High School’s principal has not been lost on his neighbors in the Auburn-Gresham community. Education is one of the five “pillars” the Greater Auburn-Gresham Development […]

Coach Adams, Leo Standout

Leo Standouts

Meet some of our Leo personalities who are our shining stars.

Coach Schablaske

Rest in Peace Coach Schab

The Leo High School Family is truly diminished and profoundly saddened by the loss of Bob Schablaske, a longtime teacher and coach at the school who died on Wednesday, Jan. […]

First Day OF School 2019

The First Day of School

All summer long, anticipation was building as a steady stream of prospective students—freshmen and transfers—visited Leo with their parents to inquire about enrolling. Our December test numbers were encouraging, and […]

South Side Irish Parade 2019

There were larger (and louder) bands marching down Western Avenue on Sunday, March 11, but none of them outperformed the Leo High School Drum Line at the annual South Side Irish Parade.

Jim Wilkins Gets His Diploma

Veteran receives Leo diploma 7 decades after dropping out to fight in WWII (This story is reprinted with permission of the Daily Southtown) Mike Nolan, Daily Southtown One of the […]

Stanley Cup Visits Leo

The Stanley Cup Visits Leo

As 90-year celebrations go, this was quite the kickoff…or puck drop. On Sept. 15, 2015, The Stanley Cup came to Leo. What a day it was.

Blackhawks One Goal

Blackhawks Leo Video

Courtesy of Chicago Blackhawks

John McDonough

John McDonough

Leo welcomed John McDonough, Blackhawks President, in March 2015. He spoke to an all-school assembly about how he achieved his success. It started a relationship that has reaped benefits to this day.

Leo Advertising

The Leo “Mad Men”

Tom DeMint saw a story about Leo High School in the Chicago Tribune a few years ago and was intrigued enough by what he read to make a phone call. […]

Thousands Graduated, But Hundreds Never Left

We Never Left

The dedication of our underpaid faculty and overachieving students is matched only by the determination of hundreds of alumni and friends who keep our doors open.

Your Son’s Future

This single parent took control of her young son’s life and enrolled him in Leo, for the sake of his future.

Our Grads

Our Graduates

On graduation day, we say goodbye and God bless to young boys who became thoughtful young men before our very eyes.

90 Years of Champions

90 Years of Champions

Our graduates will always be champions to us, especially as they prepare for the most inspiring and challenging contest of all; life itself.

Dan McGrath

Dan McGrath Newsletters

Keep up to date with our Leo stories written by President McGrath.

Cardinal George

Cardinal George

Cardinal George was inducted into the Leo Hall of Fame on May 22, 2014.

Mrs. Latifi, Hero in the Classroom

The Chicago Bears sponsor the “Heroes in the Classroom” program, and in 2014 a delegation from the team visited Leo to salute Ms. Latifi.

Miles Turner

Miles Turner

Miles was Leo’s inspirational story of the 2012-13 school year. He attended Prom and took part in graduation ceremonies eight months after he’d been shot and nearly killed trying to rescue his cousin from gangbangers.

Eder at event

Eder Cruz-Alvarado

Eder, a 2011 graduate, attended Valparaiso University on a Gates Millennium Scholarship, the first such winner in Leo history. The scholarship covers tuition and expenses all the way through graduate school.

Discover the Difference

Big Shoulders

This video explains the help available through the Discover the Difference fund which allows our tuition to be affordable.

Derrick Golden

Derrick Golden Speech

In May 2017, senior Derrick Golden gave a speech about how the Big Shoulders Fund helped make it possible for him to attend Leo.

Your Son's Future Is Worth A Phone Call

Isaiah Nichols Speech

Isaiah addressed the Big Shoulders Board of Directors meeting in the spring of 2014. He talked about what Leo had done for him and how the Big Shoulders Fund allowed him to attend Leo.

Andrew McCutchen

Andrew McCutchen

In 2014, when he was a member of the Pittsburg Pirates, Andrew took a group from Leo to NikeTown who were allowed to fill a duffel bag with enough gear to last to adulthood. Mr. McCutchen told the boys that it was important to be a good citizen.

Dusty Baker Visits Leo

Dusty Baker

Dusty Baker, former major league manager, came to Leo in 2013 and talked to the boys about being their own men and being receptive to the wisdom of their elders.

George McCaskey

Christmas with the Bears

In 2018, George McCaskey and his wife Barb led a large Bears Care contingent to Leo for an event designed to make Christmas a little brighter for the surrounding community.

Leo Men March for Peace

Leo Men March For Peace

Thousands of students and teachers began walking out of their classrooms on Wednesday, March 14 as part of the the #Enough! National School Walkout to raise awareness about issues of […]