Omaha Benson High School Magnet
Omaha Benson High School Magnet, Benson High Magnet, or Benson High, is a public high school in Omaha, Nebraska, United States, in the Benson neighborhood. The original site of Benson High was the current building that houses Benson West Elementary School. Founded in 1904, Benson High is one of the oldest high schools in the state. Its enrollment is approximately 1,500 students. As of 2018, the principal was Tom Wagner. The school mascot is the Bunny.[3]
| Benson High School Magnet | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
5120 Maple Street Omaha, Nebraska United States | |
| Coordinates | 41°17′09″N 95°59′38″W / 41.28583°N 95.99389°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Public magnet high school |
| Established | 1904 |
| School district | Omaha Public Schools |
| Staff | 91.64 (FTE)[1] |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Enrollment | 1,487 (2018–19)[1] |
| Student to teacher ratio | 16.23[1] |
| Color(s) | Green and white |
| Mascot | Bunny |
| Newspaper | Benson High Gazette / Benson High News[2] |
| Website | Benson H.S. |
A full renovation of the school was completed in the mid-1990s. Additions included a new science classroom wing, an auditorium for the performing arts, a gymnasium, a student commons area and a track and football field. The football field and track were redone once again during the 2006 summer. [citation needed]
Benson is currently participating in NASA's Student Launch Initiative program.[citation needed]
Omaha Benson High School is also one of the Omaha area schools that participates in the yearly Day of Silence event.
Athletics edit
State championships edit
| State championships[4] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Sport | Number of championships | Year |
| Fall | Cross Country, boys' | 2 | 2001, 2007 |
| Winter | Basketball, boys' | 2 | 1920, 1992 |
| Basketball, girls' | 1 | 2014 | |
| Spring | Baseball | 1 | 1974 |
| Golf, boys' | 1 | 1939 | |
| Total | 7 | ||
"The N-Word" controversy edit
In April 2007, the student newspaper published a four-page special feature entitled "The N-Word" examining the use of the racial epithet "nigger" within the school community. It included factual reporting, editorial content, and a transcript of a round-table discussion on the topic in one of the school's ethics classes.
Community response was mixed. Many students and parents, and the school's principal, were supportive of the newspaper's coverage, but the school district received many phone calls expressing concern or offense at the content. The school district, Omaha Public Schools, put the principal on temporary administrative leave and denounced the publication. The principal was later reinstated.[5]
Notable alumni edit
- Tom Becka, talk radio personality
- Jackie Brandt, MLB player and 1961 American League All-Star[6]
- Walter Holden Capps, U.S. Representative from California
- Hal Daub, U.S. Representative from Nebraska
- Terry Goodkind, fantasy author
- Dave Hoppen (born 1964), NBA player
- Floyd Kalber, television journalist
- David Karnes, U.S. Senator from Nebraska, 1987 through 1989
- Kenton Keith, professional football player
- Nile Kinnick, football player and 1939 Heisman Trophy winner
- Nick Nolte (born 1941), film actor
- Robert Reed, science fiction author
- Amber Ruffin, writer, Late Night With Seth Meyers, The Detroiters (Comedy Central), The Amber Ruffin Show
- Khyri Thomas (born 1996), American basketball player for Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Basketball Premier League and the EuroLeague, former NBA player
- Tony Veland, NFL safety[7]
- Andre Woolridge, professional basketball player, All American at the University of Iowa
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b c "BENSON MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
- ^ . Archived from the original on 2008-12-02. Retrieved 2012-09-05.
- ^ "About Benson". 2012-06-16 at the Wayback Machine Benson High School Magnet website. Retrieved 2011-04-15.
- ^ "Nebraska School Activities Association" (English). Retrieved June 26, 2012.
- ^ Safranek, Lynn. "Students' frankness sets off OPS uproar". JNews, winter 2007–08, pp. 14-15. Includes reproduction of article from Omaha World-Herald, 2007-04-14. Retrieved 2011-04-15.
- ^ "Jackie Brandt Baseball Stats | Baseball Almanac".
- ^ . Archived from the original on 2013-10-21. Retrieved 2013-11-04.
External links edit
- Benson High School's home page
- Omaha Benson High School alumni website