The rivalry continues after 60 years and just a 15 minute drive. There is a lot to compare. Let’s imagine two high schools in a “friendly” rivalry, much like two siblings competing for the last scoop of ice cream. On one side, we have Elmwood Park High School and on the other side, there’s Ridgewood High School. But let’s be real, Elmwood Park High School has that vibe that everyone would want to be a part of. As we dive into this comparison, we will look at the school’s lunch menus, schedules, clubs, and some background information for the previous year (2023-2024). Get ready for a playful look at how Elmwood Park High School truly outshines its rival in the ultimate high school showdown!

Lunch Menus: First, school lunches are the daily adventures that keep students on their toes, providing them with the necessary nutrition to stay focused and energized throughout the school day. When comparing the lunch menus at Elmwood Park High School and Ridgewood High School, it’s interesting to see how each school approaches meal planning and the variety of options they offer to their students. Looking at the Rebels’ Menu, there are stations with a HUGE variety of items to choose from, such as burritos, fries, pizza, paninis, and much more. They even have a fridge with pastries to pick out, such as brownies, cakes, salads, fruits, etc. On the other hand, the Tigers’ menus are rotating, meaning a main entree that switches every day along with a sandwich station. EPHS also sells delicious cookies, ice cream, and other sweets. Now let’s compare how much a meal costs at EPHS and RHS. A daily lunch at EPHS costs $3.35, so if you get a slice of pizza it would be $3.35, not including snacks, sides, or dessert. A daily lunch at RHS depends on what you get, so if you get a slice of cheese pizza it would cost $4.00. To compare more food prices, here are the lunch menus for The Rebels and The Tigers:

The Rebels’ LUNCH MENU 

The Tigers’, December 2024, LUNCH MENU

CLUBS: School clubs are like the playground of education. Students can pick up new skills and make a lot of friends along the way. When examining the clubs available at Elmwood Park High School and Ridgewood High School, it’s fascinating to see the opportunities these clubs provide and how similar they are. EPHS has plenty of clubs, including Art Club, Culture Club, DECA, Key Club, National Honor Society, Snowball, Student Council, Varsity Club, Yearbook, and many more. RHS also has plenty of clubs, such as Student Council, Archery, Art Club, Band, Book Club, Chess Club, Chorus, DECA, Drama Club, and many more. We can see that both schools have similar clubs and a wide variety to choose from! CLICK HERE to see all of EPHS clubs and CLICK HERE to see all of RHS clubs.

Schedules: Let’s talk about the epic showdown of school schedules! EPHS students are up

and at the school at 7:40am, starting their day bright and early. RHS has a different schedule; they have A days and B days that alternate each week. For example, A days are Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and B days are Tuesdays and Thursdays. The week after that, A days would be Tuesdays and Thursdays and B days would be Mondays, Wednesday, and Fridays, so they alternate.

On A days, RHS starts at 8:00am, only 20 minutes after EPHS starts, but on B days, they start at 8:40am, which must be nice but does RHS have early dismissal every Monday? EPHS gets to leave at 1:53pm every Monday and enjoy the rest of their day, while RHS still is in class for an extra hour! 

BACKGROUND INFO: After further comparison of the numbers of enrollment, attendance, and ethnic diversity, EPHS and RHS is like comparing two peas in a pod. Their numbers are alike. The enrollment at EPHS is approximately 991 students in 2023-2024. The enrollment at RHS is approximately 919 in 2023-2024. The student attendance at EPHS is 90%, while at RHS it is 91%. The ethnic diversity at EPHS is 34.7% White, 59.3% Hispanic, 2.6% black, and 1.9% Asian. RHS is 60.6% White, 28.3% Hispanic, percentage for black was redacted, and 9.4% Asian. This demonstrates how closely matched these schools are.

After comparing Elmwood Park High School and Ridgewood High School, the strengths and opportunities provided for students are comparable, making them both valuable choices for students with supportive environments helping them to prepare for future success!

Work Cited

• Chicago Tribune. (12/12/18). Ridgewood -Elmwood Park football rivalry goes back 50 years. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 9/7/18, from https://www.chicagotribune.com/2018/09/08/ridgewood-elmwood-park-football-rivalry-goes-back-50-years/ 
• Illinois Report Card. (2024). Ridgewood Comm High School. https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/school.aspx?source=studentcharacteristics&source2=studentdemographics&Schoolid=060162340160001 
• RHS LUNCH MENU
• https://www.d234.org/assets/1/6/cafeteria_menu_with_prices_fy25.pdf
• EPHS LUNCH MENU
• https://linqconnect.com/public/menu/FY7NT5?buildingId=ea83f93e-1f2b-ee11-b012-af7fe328f255