[2] Newton South was the first public high school to create a gay–straight alliance in the United States in the early 1990s.

[3] Newton South features two award-winning student newspapers, Denebola and The Lion's Roar.

The school gained notoriety in 2002 for its "Senior Scavenger Hunt",[6] a student-organized contest that featured theft, vandalism, illegal drug use, and various sexual acts committed by the graduating seniors in exchange for points.

[7] On February 8, 2007, the Newton South STAND: A Student Anti-Genocide Coalition chapter organized a Darfur Benefit Concert with the well known band, State Radio, raising over $230,000 for Save the Children and the Genocide Intervention Network.

[9] Newton South was named America's top athletic program by Sports Illustrated in 2010.