Omaha Benson High School Magnet

Omaha Benson High School Magnet, Benson High Magnet, or Benson High, is a public highs 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
Coordinates41°17′09″N 95°59′38″W
Information
TypePublic magnet high school
Established1904
School districtOmaha Public Schools
Staff91.64 (FTE)[1]
Grades9–12
Enrollment1,487 (2018–19)[1]
Student to teacher ratio16.23[1]
Color(s)Green and white
  
MascotBunny
NewspaperBenson High Gazette / Benson High News[2]
WebsiteBenson 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.

Benson is currently participating in NASA's Student Launch Initiative program.

Omaha Benson High School is also one of the Omaha area schools that participates in the yearly Day of Silence event.

Athletics

State championships
State championships[4]
SeasonSportNumber of championshipsYear
Fall Cross Country, boys'22001, 2007
Winter Basketball, boys' 21920, 1992
Basketball, girls'12014
SpringBaseball11974
Golf, boys'11939
Total7

"The N-Word" controversy

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

See also

References
  1. "BENSON MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
  2. "Benson High News > Home". Archived from the original on 2008-12-02. Retrieved 2012-09-05.
  3. "About Benson". Archived 2012-06-16 at the Wayback Machine Benson High School Magnet website. Retrieved 2011-04-15.
  4. "Nebraska School Activities Association" (English). Retrieved June 26, 2012.
  5. 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.
  6. "Jackie Brandt Baseball Stats | Baseball Almanac".
  7. "Tony Veland Past Stats, Statistics, History, and Awards - databaseFootball.com". Archived from the original on 2013-10-21. Retrieved 2013-11-04.
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