Having been open for over two decades, Neuqua Valley High School has had countless graduates, so it’s really no surprise that many of our alumni have gained some sort of fame. Whether it be acting, sports, or comedy, Neuqua’s grads have made their marks on the world, so let’s take some time to recognize a few of them!

Starting off with Danielle Panabaker, who graduated from Neuqua Valley at just 14 years old. Her first role was in the TV show, Family Affair, where she appeared in the episode Ballroom Blitz as Parker LeeAnn Aldays. Since then she has starred in “Yours, Mine & Ours,” “Read it and Weep,” “The Flash,” and many more. Panabaker has received numerous awards for her roles, including the Saturn Award in 2021. 

Another honorable mention is the Olympic figure skater Evan Lysacek, a 2003 Neuqua Valley graduate. While attending Neuqua, Lysacek was on the honor roll and earned several academic awards. In college, he studied acting and appeared in the independent short film “Skate Great!” Lysacek was the 2009 World Champion and the 2010 Olympic Champion. At the Olympics, he became the first American to win an Olympic title in men’s singles since 1998. In January 2016, Lysacek was inducted into the Figure Skating Hall of Fame. 

In 2005, Keith Habersberger graduated from Neuqua Valley, where he was involved in the GRAMMY award-winning music program as a french horn player. After high school, he received a scholarship for the french horn from Illinois State, but he ended up dropping the instrument and pursuing theatre instead. At the beginning of 2014, he joined Buzzfeed and soon became a part of a group with three others called “The Try Guys,” which became the first series on the platform to consistently feature the same group of talent. In 2017, the Try Guys were nominated for a Streamy Award, and the year after, they hosted the event and won the “Show of the Year” award. Around that time, the Try Guys created their own production company and left Buzzfeed. Since then, the group has released a book, amassed a large YouTube following, and hosted a Food Network special.  

These are a few of the many notable people that have gone through the halls of Neuqua Valley so make sure to keep them in mind when the next nominations for distinguished alumni roll around. And, who knows, maybe the next incredibly famous person is standing next to you in the halls right now.