Woodlawn Arts Academy students will be showing off their theater and music skills this winter, with performances of “Mary Poppins Jr.” and winter music recitals both set for January.

The Sterling Golden Warriors played the Lincoln Railsplitters in the Dixon Holiday Tournament. The game took place at Reagan Middle School in Dixon on Friday, December 26th, 2025.

The Dixon Duchesses played the Aurora Central Catholic Chargers in the Dixon Holiday Tournament. The game took place at Dixon High School on Friday, December 26th, 2025

A former student at Dixon Public Schools District 170 is returning in July as superintendent.

The Lee-Ogle-Whiteside Regional Spelling Bee will be Thursday, Feb. 19, at Dixon High School. Sponsors are the First National Bank in Amboy, Sauk Valley Media and Lee-Ogle-Whiteside Regional Office of Education.

The Dixon Dukes host the Sycamore Spartans in a non-conference game. The game was played at Lancaster Gym in Dixon on Friday, December 19th, 2025.

James Cocar is planning to work toward a dual major in mechanical engineering and saxophone performance.

Jayden Toms would like to study either mechanical or nuclear engineering at a 4-year university like UIUC or Purdue.

See who has been selected a Whiteside Area Career Center student of the month for October 2025.

For the third year in a row, the PAWAC International Scholastic Bowl has crowned a new champion – the Dukes of Dixon High School.

The donation from the Kiwanis Club of Dixon encourages students to participate in the Impact Program, gain valuable work experience, and graduate without the financial burden of tuition. 

Thomas Gehlbach has enjoyed playing piano for the past 40 years. Gehlbach is going to share that enjoyment by playing in the Phidian Musicale at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, at The Next Picture Show, 113 W. First St. in Dixon.  It is free and open to the public.

Dixon High School senior Nick Goldie has turned his front yard at 1014 Steinman St. in Dixon into a Halloween wonderland complete with circus scenes, graveyards, farms, and more than three dozen animatronic figures.

Daniela Lovett plans to attend a 4-year university to major in biology and minor in business in hopes to become a dermatologist.

Gage Helfrich plans on being a student-athlete at a 4-year university and majoring in business and mathematics.

Nationally recognized author Bob O’Connor, a 1963 graduate of Dixon High School, has published his 41st book – a Civil War novel, “John Lower 103rd Pennsylvania and the Christmas Pickle Tradition.”

Dixon High School celebrated homecoming with a parade Friday, Oct. 3, 2025.

The 2025 Dixon High School Homecoming Parade will begin at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3. Motorists should expect the route to be closed off to traffic for about one hour and are asked to use alternate routes.

Pink Heals Sauk Valley made a stop at Dixon High School on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025, in support of cancer research and Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Ahead of their match against Newman, the Dixon volleyball team made a donation to the cancer support group.

The program gives students hands-on experience in welding, machining, and computer-aided design.

A stand-out Dixon High School soccer player has taken her game overseas after signing with a professional soccer club in Sarajevo.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Damien DuBois, a 2024 Dixon High School graduate, is training to be part of the U.S. Navy’s 125-year tradition of service under the sea.

Vice President of Academics and Student Services Jon Mandrell said the number of students has been climbing for the past three years – from 1,507 two years ago, to 1,586 last year, and now 1,686 this fall.

Just steps from Sterling High School and Challand Middle School, Whiteside Area Career Center students are earning certifications, college credits and real-world experience through hands-on training in a variety of fields, such as healthcare, construction and culinary arts.

The school board also accepted a slate of coaches for the 2025-26 school year.

Sauk Valley Community College’s Impact program has received a $25,000 gift from Dixon Rotary, which will help provide Dixon High School students with access to the Impact program.

Dixon Mayor Glen Hughes walked into Monday’s City Council meeting wearing a city of Rockford hat after challenging Rockford's mayor to a bet based on the winning team of the 2025 Stateline Quiz Bowl.

Keegan Shirley owns Gleam Team, a commercial and residential window-washing business he runs with several of his friends and fellow Dixon High School athletes.

The Illinois College & Career Pathway Endorsement Program allows students to earn a formal endorsement on their high school diploma or transcript by completing a series of structured requirements designed to prepare them for life after high school in their chosen career path.

Since its beginnings in 2000 – with just 315 runners – the Reagan Run has grown into a community cornerstone, peaking at over 1,600 participants in 2016. Today, the event reliably draws 1,000 to 1,200 runners and walkers.

Dixon High School's Class of 2025 received diplomas Sunday, May 25, 2025.

Dixon's seniors finish off their high school career with their commencement ceremony Sunday, May, 25, 2025.

Moms of Dixon High School’s graduating seniors donned inflatable costumes to celebrate their students one last time on Wednesday, May 21, 2025.

Moms dressed up Wednesday, May 21, 2025, to send off their Dixon seniors one last time before graduation.

Dixon High School's choir and life skills classes joined forces early in the 2025 spring semester to create a new singing ensemble, Voices United, that includes students with disabilities who want to sing and perform.

Project by project, a Dixon High School science teacher set fire Tuesday, April 22, 2025, to his class members’ homework.

Students in Ryan Deets' forensics science class at Dixon High School set fire to model homes Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in order to learn about arson patterns.

Resignations accepted April 16, 2025, include a Dixon High School principal's secretary and a high school choir teacher.

The city of Dixon announced the start of its $12 million pedestrian bridge project Tuesday morning at the band shell in Page Park. Project Rock will construct a pedestrian bridge over the Rock River, add 2.8 miles of multi-use pathway and resurface about a mile of Page Drive.

Scholarships in the amount of $1,000 are available to Dixon residents who attend Dixon High School, Newman High School, Faith Christian School or who are homeschooled.

The show brought in 55 high school students submitting 88 pieces of work with mediums ranging from charcoal to ceramic and paint to pen.

The Next Picture Show in Dixon held its first student art show with an awards ceremony Friday, March 28, 2025, at the downtown gallery. Fifty-five high school students submitted works for the show.

The Whiteside Area Career Center has named its students of the month for February.

Ronin Quick and Nathan Stauter again led the team in toss-up questions correctly answered, with Stauter getting 20 total tossups and Quick getting 19 tossups correct across the three matches.

The Dixon High School theater department will be performing the classic musical "Grease" at 7 p.m. Friday, March 14; 7 p.m. Saturday, March 15; and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 16, at the James A. Wiltz Auditorium on the campus of DHS.

The Dixon High School theater department will be performing the classic musical "Grease" at 7 p.m. Friday, March 14; 7 p.m. Saturday, March 15; and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 16, at the James A. Wiltz Auditorium on the campus of DHS. The show is based around a summer love that unexpectedly follows the two back to a 1950s high school.

Mangler: Are you ready for St. Patrick’s Day weekend? How about starting it with us on Friday night, March 14? Classical Blast in Kilts is coming to us on tour.

Two Dixon High School Scholastic Bowl team members were selected out of 30 regional teams for the Illinois High School Association All-Sectional team.

The parade starts at 3 p.m. at Dixon High School, 300 Lincoln Statue Drive. Organizer Patty Oliver said the parade will feature live music, a bagpiper, at least one float and “lots of Irish people dressed in their crazy green outfits marching and throwing out candy and beads."

The Dixon School Board on Wednesday approved new hires, resignations and changes in status.