Norris Middle School Scholarship

OPS Norris Middle School Red Birds Purpose:

To provide a scholarship for a graduating OPS senior who attended Norris Middle School for at least two full academic years and plans to attend either a 2 or 4-year post-secondary institution.

Amount:

$500

Eligible Recipients:

  1. Any graduating senior from the Omaha Public Schools who attended Norris for at least two full years.
  2. Minimum 2.5 GPA at graduation
  3. Completed application submitted to in the OPS Foundation portal.
  4. Submission of essay “What does it mean to be a Norris Redbird? How did attending Norris affect you as a person or student?”

Selection Process:

Should you be selected for this award, please send verification of your enrollment at the college or university of your choice and a “Thank You” note directed to the donor to Omaha Public Schools Foundation. The award will be forwarded to the college of choice upon receipt

Administered by:

Norris Middle School Scholarship Committee and the Omaha Public Schools Foundation.

Toba Cohen Dunning
3861 Farnam St.
Omaha, NE 68131
402.502.3032

 

Omaha North High Alumni Legacy Scholarship

Selection Criteria:

  • Must be a graduating senior from Omaha North High School
  • Must prove financial need
  • Preference will be given to students who reside in the 68111 zip code
  • Preference will be given to students who are African American, Hispanic American, Native American or LGBTQ.

Selection Process:

Should you be selected for this award, please send verification of your enrollment at the college or university of your choice and a “Thank You” note directed to the donor to Omaha Public Schools Foundation. The award will be forwarded to the college of choice upon receipt.

Administered by:

The Omaha Public Schools Foundation
Toba Cohen Dunning
3861 Farnam St.
Omaha, NE 68131
402.502.3032

Ricki Getzschman Memorial Scholarship

Purpose:

To provide an annual (renewable) scholarship to a graduate of Benson High School in memory of Ricki Getzschman.

Eligible Schools:

Benson High School

Selection Criteria:

  1. The recipient shall have attended Benson High School for at least two years and be a graduating senior from Benson High School.
  2. The recipient shall have demonstrated academic excellence (GPA of at least 3.0) and true positive participation in school as well as in the community.
  3. Applicants shall submit their transcript.

  4. Applicants shall submit a two page essay to include the following content as referred to in page three of the required reading. “(LINK TO REQUIRED READING) To complete the essay, it is essential to complete the required reading. The scholarship will be awarded largely based on your response.

    1. Tell us about your life including your interests, your job, if you have one, and the activities you are involved in both in school and out in the community.

    2. Tell us what you hope to do in the future and how you hope to positively impact the world around you.

    3. Feel free to include some of your struggles, but be sure to share how you have overcome or are in the process of overcoming those struggles.

    4. We would also like you to tell us how you may share one or two of Ricki’s qualities. “

  5. Applicants shall provide two letters of reference, one of which must be from a teacher or administrator.
  6. This scholarship may be used for any field of study and may also be used for trade school or community college.

Amount:

One scholarship in the amount of $2500.00 shall be awarded annually payable to the college, university or trade school upon the Omaha Public Schools Foundation’s (OPSF) receipt of verification of enrollment from the institution chosen by the recipient.

In Addition:

This scholarship is renewable in the amount of $2500.00 for each of up to four succeeding years if the recipient meets the following criteria:

  1. Recipient maintains 3.0 GPA and is a student in good standing. Recipient must provide a transcript to OPSF by July 31st of each year.
  2. Recipient shall write a brief, informal letter to the Getzschman Family Scholarship Committee regarding how each year has progressed, struggles and/or successes, any interesting anecdotes, changes in goals, changes in perception of the world, etc. This letter is also due to OPSF by July 31st of each year.
  3. Said award shall be paid to the college, university or trade school as before.
  4. These criteria must be met in consecutive years. If, in any year, the recipient does not meet these criteria, the recipient is no longer eligible to renew this scholarship.

Selection of Recipients By:

The Getzschman Family and Selected Friends of the Family/Ricki.

Administered By:

Omaha Public Schools Foundation (OPSF).

Saddlebrook Elementary School PTA Scholarship

Purpose:

To provide one time financial assistance, for two Omaha Public Schools seniors, who attended Saddlebrook Elementary School.

Amount:

$500 (each student) payable to an educational institution of recipient’s choice. Verification of enrollment should be sent directly to the Omaha Schools Foundation for payment directly to the educational institution.

 Eligible Recipients:

Graduating seniors from an Omaha Public High School who attended Saddlebrook Elementary School for a minimum of two years and have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.

Selection Criteria:

  1. Student must submit a letter of recommendation from a teacher or school administrator.
  2. Student must submit a current transcript.
  3. Student must submit a short essay (maximum 3 paragraphs) answering the questions, “What is a life lesson I have learned while being an OPS student? How did that experience make me OPS proud?” and “Why do I want to further my education?”
  4. Student must include a resume listing activities, volunteer and job experiences.

Selection Procedure:

Final recipients will be chosen by the Scholarship Committee of the Saddlebrook Elementary School PTA.

Should you be selected for this award, please send verification of your enrollment at the college or university of your choice and a “Thank You” note directed to the donor to Omaha Public Schools Foundation. The award will be forwarded to the college of choice upon receipt.

Administered By:

The Omaha Public Schools Foundation
Toba Cohen Dunning
3861 Farnam St.
Omaha, NE 68131
402.502.3032

Soaring Eagles Pathway Scholarship

This scholarship will benefit a graduating OPS senior who spent their K-12 education attending Spring Lake Magnet, Marrs Magnet and Omaha South High School.

Purpose:

To provide a scholarship for a graduating Senior who has attended Spring Lake, Marrs, and South and is bi-literate in both English and Spanish

Requirements:

  1. Must have an unweighted GPA of 2.5-3.25- through Senior Year (first semester)
  2. Must have spent fours years at South High School and a minimum of 6 years between Spring Lake Magnet and Marrs Magnet
  3. Must provide two letters of recommendation-one from a staff member of a Pathway School (Spring Lake, Marrs or South) & 1 letter from a non-relative who can speak to the student’s character and community involvement.
  4. Must provide a current official transcript.
  5. Student must be bi-literate in English/Spanish.
  6. Must provide a 500 word essay in English-“How will you use your passion to serve others?”
  7. Must provide a 500 word essay in Spanish-“How will your bi-literate skills benefit your passion to make the world a better place?”

Amount:

$1000

Selection Process:

An award letter will be presented to the recipient at the Omaha South High School Scholarship Awards Night by scholarship committee member(s).

Should you be selected for this award, please send verification of your enrollment at the college or university of your choice and a “Thank You” note directed to the donor to Omaha Public Schools Foundation. The award will be forwarded to the college of choice upon receipt.

Administered by:

The Omaha Public Schools Foundation
Toba Cohen Dunning
3861 Farnam St.
Omaha, NE 68131
402.502.3032

Susie Landow Memorial Scholarship

Susie Landow was a dedicated and beloved teacher in the Omaha Public Schools. This scholarship has been created by family and friends to honor her memory and provide financial assistance to a student seeking post-secondary education who had formerly attended Liberty or Jackson Elementary Schools.

Eligible Recipients:

A graduating senior from an Omaha Public High School who formerly attended Liberty or Jackson Elementary for a minimum of four years.

Selection Criteria:

  1. Student must demonstrate a financial need and submit a Scholarship financial statement.
  2. Student must submit a short essay stating their personal and professional goals, including their reason for continuing into post-secondary education.
  3. Student must submit a letter of recommendation from a teacher or an administrator.
  4. Student will submit a current transcript.
  5. Student will state which years he/she attended Liberty or Jackson Elementary Schools.

Selection Process:

Selection will be made by the principal of Jackson and/or Liberty Elementary and the School’s Scholarship Selection Committee. Amount will be payable to the post-secondary institution registrar upon the Omaha Schools Foundation’s receipt of verification of enrollment from the institution chosen by the recipient and a “Thank You” note directed to the donor.

Amount: $2000.00

(1) $1000 scholarship to Jackson student
(1) $1000.00 scholarship to a Liberty student

Administered by:

Omaha Public Schools Foundation
Toba Cohen-Dunning, Executive Director Omaha Schools Foundation
3861 Farnam St.
Omaha, NE 68131