Appleton North High School is a comprehensive secondary school in Appleton, Wisconsin that is part of the Appleton Area School District. Opened in August 1995, it is the most recently built of the three four-year public high schools in the district. The school has 1,780 students. The school colors are gold, silver and navy blue. The school's nickname is the Lightning. Extracurricular Activities Theater Appleton North High School Theatre has received wide recognition for its productions. In 2020, the department's one-act production of Saint Joan received the Critic's Choice award at the Wisconsin High School Theatre Festival state finals, marking the 22nd consecutive year that Appleton North's theater program received this accolade. In 2012, the program was named the best high school theater program in the midwest by Stage Directions magazine. Program director Ron Parker was inducted into the Wisconsin High School Theatre Hall of Fame in 2011. Choir Appleton North has six choirs. North Choir, an auditioned ensemble, tours internationally, and all choirs perform several concerts a year, including a benefit concert and the popular holiday program Wintersong. Under the direction of James Heiks, the Varsity Women's (now Varsity Treble) choir premiered Stephen Hatfield's arrangement of "Barb'ry Ellen" and was selected to appear on the album Best of High School A Cappella 2003. Newspaper The Noctiluca is Appleton North's award-winning student newspaper, in publication since 1995. Approximately 40 students contribute to the monthly publication. Athletics During the 2004 football season Appleton North went undefeated in the regular season until losing to Marshfield in the postseason. The class of 2006 was the first class in history to defeat Appleton East and West all four years in football. During the 2009-2010 football regular season, Appleton North went undefeated. They were the first team in school history to go 12–1. During the 2011-2012 football season, the Lightning were the FVA champions, advancing to the playoffs, where they lost to DC Everest. In the 2021 football season, Appleton North completed their regular season with a record of 7-2 before advancing to the playoffs where they defeated Kimberly and lost to Franklin High School in the semi-final game. These were the two teams they lost to during the regular season. Hockey The Appleton United hockey teams are composed of students from North, East and West. In the 2007–08 season, the boys' team went to the state tournament for the first time, before losing to