Our Impact: What We Do
The Central High School Foundation is dedicated to maintaining Central High School’s Tradition of Excellence by connecting past, present and future Eagles. We strive to close the Opportunity Gap by providing CHS graduates with an unrivaled college preparatory education. Because of your support, we are able to support our hard-working students & tremendous staff at Omaha’s downtown high school.
We are excited to share that Dorrie Mattson Chiarella, CHS 1962 will be matching all donations received for the Central High School Foundation during Give-Education Day, dollar for dollar, up to $25,000! Thanks to this challenge fund, your donation will double and make twice the impact!
As a liaison between Omaha Central High School and the Omaha community, some of the Central High School Foundation’s efforts include:
Don’t just take our word for it – read about how your donation is impacting students, faculty, and alumni of Central High School!
“The DePorres Club Bus Tour localized many of the historical issues we’ve discussed in class, highlighting the ubiquity of topics such as civil rights, racial justice, and progressive urban development. Exploring how these issues have shaped our own city and neighborhoods was incredibly valuable, and I am grateful to the Foundation for making this experience possible.” Evalina Sain, Class of 2025
“Thanks to the CHS Foundation, I was able to compete against different football teams outside of Nebraska, and that helped better my skills and bond with my coaches and teammates.” Bernard Newsome Jr., Class of 2026
“Once Upon a Mattress was my final show at Central, and in putting together the sound design, I grew to truly realize how lucky I was to attend Central and work with the equipment we have. We truly, at least from an audio perspective, are on a completely different tier than every other school in the state without question. Our facilities put us on level with some of the best theaters in Omaha. I truly can never be thankful enough that I was able to produce such high-level work at Central due to the support of the Foundation.” Jack Wilderman-Nielsen, Class of 2026
“Visiting the Jazz Museum was almost like visiting the past, experiencing the jazz age in modern day time, engraving our memories better than any book or lecture could, helping us grasp what we are learning in class fully. Being invited into “The Blue Room” was such a surreal and beautiful experience for both watching and listening. The museum was also beautiful, seeing the evolution of jazz first-hand. The American Jazz Museum was truly an unforgettable experience.” Jayda Lee, Class of 2026
“The biggest impact for me visiting the Holocaust Museum was being able to go to a place that’s much larger than where I am to learn about something so important. I’d like to thank the Foundation for this amazing experience.” Cash Davis, Class of 2025
“Using this equipment was a real-life experience. I didn’t expect blood pressure to sound like that, and I want to thank the donors for providing this equipment for our class.” Hsa Knyaw, CHS 2027
“Going to the UNO Language Celebration was a great first-hand experience to see students from other schools. I could see not only how they’re using language in class, but how they use it creatively.” Vivian Dauner, Class of 2026
“The Omnium Circus showed me that education doesn’t always have to be serious – there’s room for laughter and imagination, too. It helped me see how art and performance can be both meaningful and fun. I am thankful to the Central Foundation for making this experience possible.” Isabella Grace, Class of 2028
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Sponsoring the Central High School Hall of Fame, Rock the Nest Trivia Night, Senior Recognition Night, CHS Golf Outing, and Passing Periods Alumni Luncheons
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Managing the scholarship endowment fund and honoring a Student and Teacher of the Year
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Writing grants to provide our teachers with tools to offer their students the best learning experience possible
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Maintaining an extensive database - 59,000 person strong - of alumni, parents, staff, and friends
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Raising money for Capital Projects for Central High School, including the Arts and Library Addition
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Establishing an Emergency Fund to make an immediate impact to secure needed resources for Central High School students and staff during times of crisis
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Providing class reunion assistance, including planning and mailing
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Operating the Central High School Foundation office in the Mastercraft, 1111 N 13th Street Suite 318, Omaha, NE 68102
"The Omnium Circus showed me that education doesn’t always have to be serious – there’s room for laughter and imagination, too. It helped me see how art and performance can be both meaningful and fun. I am thankful to the Central Foundation for making this experience possible."
Isabella Grace, Class of 2028
“We had the opportunity to meet with collegiate-level clinicians at the Worlds of Fun Choral Festival. The feedback we received really improved our technique, and we gained valuable insight. Thank you, CHS Foundation, for this experience!”
Tha Dah Si, Class of 2025
“In my ACP class, I wanted to learn how to make a pie. My mom is a baker, and I want to learn how to bake like her. I am excited that we got new cooking things like this pie pan!”
Zuhur Farah, Class of 2026
“I want to express my deepest gratitude to the CHS Foundation for sponsoring my trip to the FBLA national conference. Their contributions mean the world to me and the hundreds of other students they support. I had the most incredible experience in Anaheim this summer representing Central, and I am extremely grateful that the CHS Foundation was able to help me participate in this opportunity.”
Sienna Maskin, CHS 2026
“Central has allowed me to grow in ways I never thought possible, whether in leadership positions like class president or drama club president. I’ve grown a considerable amount throughout these 4 years. My passion for performance and entertainment has tripled as well, leading me to continue striving to make my mark on the artistic world. Special shoutout to Mr. Bouma, Ms. Cowan, Mr. Mead, and Mr. Baker for consistently pushing me to work hard.”
DeVon Richards II, Class of 2025