For the fourth year in a row, the student-run radio station at Lyons Township High School has been nominated for the top honor in high school broadcasting — and this year, the numbers behind that streak are more impressive than ever.
WLTL Radio (88.1 FM), based in La Grange, has again been named a finalist for Best Radio Station in the Nation at the John Drury High School Radio Awards. The national competition is presented by North Central College and WONC Radio in Naperville and recognizes excellence in high school radio from stations across the country. It is named in honor of award-winning ABC-Chicago news anchor John Drury.
For families in La Grange, La Grange Park, and Western Springs, the four-year streak is a sign that the real-world broadcast skills LTHS students are building — writing newscasts, producing podcasts, hosting talk shows, and managing a live FM station — are being recognized at the highest level in the country.
A Station Built on Student Talent
WLTL is a fully student-run FM radio station. More than 100 student volunteers are involved each year. Students handle everything from on-air hosting and news reporting to production, social media, and station management. Faculty supervisors advise, but students run the show.
The station has been serving the La Grange community since 1968. WLTL has won the John Drury Best Station in the Nation award eight times since the competition began in 2002, most recently in October 2022.
WLTL alumni have gone on to work both on-air and behind the scenes at companies including iHeart Radio, Audacy, NBC, ESPN, CNN, SiriusXM, and Warner Media.
This Year's Nominations: A Record-Setting Haul
In the current awards cycle, WLTL tied for the most nominations of any school in the country, earning 20 total. The station also led every school in production-category nominations, earning 14 — more than any other competing station.
LTHS Students in the Spotlight
More than a dozen individual LTHS students earned nominations this year:
- Lucie Grefenstette '26 — Best Use of Social Media (WLTL Instagram)
- Ethan Meuer '25 and Michael Walsh '25 — Best Use of Video (Rock-A-Thon Walkthrough); Meuer also nominated for Best PSA (Anti-Piracy)
- Emmet Gripp '26 — Best Talk Show, Non-Sports (Gripp on Life)
- Michael Walsh '25, Charlie Plewa '26, and Eric Roemer '25 — Best Podcast (New Ears)
- Charley Curin '26 and Charlie Plewa '26 — Best Specialty Music Show (WLTL Unplugged)
- AJ Connelly '26 — Best Newscast (March 5, 2025 Update); Best Radio Drama (War of the Worlds, with Jay Bilotta '25; and The Hitchhiker); Outstanding Student Leader
- Joe Ratcliffe '26 — Best Newscast (May 19, 2025 Update); Outstanding Student Leader; Broadcaster of the Year
- Sean Tilles '26 — Best News Feature (Resurrection Mary)
- Paxton Cutler '26 — Outstanding Student Leader
Evening Supervisor Mike Baker, an LTHS alumnus (Class of '79) who has guided student broadcasters at WLTL for more than three decades, is also nominated for Best Station Advisor. Other nominated categories include: Best Promo, Best Website, and Best Public Affairs Program.
What's Next
The 2025–26 John Drury Awards ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, October 24, 2026, at North Central College in Naperville. A livestream will be available for those who cannot attend in person.
Families can follow WLTL's progress and listen live at wltl.net, on 88.1 FM in the La Grange area, through the free WLTL app, or by asking a smart speaker to "Play WLTL." WLTL is also the only high school student-run radio station available on Audacy.com.
