Carol Van Metre “Active in Making Lives Better”

Jan 17, 2018 | Scholarships

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Carol Van Metre contributed in a big way: She was involved in fundraising for more than $35 million in sports-related projects, most aimed at giving inner-city kids a stronger foothold on the field and in life. She was a champion of the children and families of the Omaha Public Schools and neighboring communities.

In honor of Carol’s contributions, a Scholarship Fund has been created in her honor. Donations can be made online through the Omaha Schools Foundation secure payment gateway. Please designate “The Carol Van Metre Scholarship” when donating.

Carol Van Metre Scholarship Fund

Purpose:          To provide financial assistance to a student seeking post-secondary education in the memory of Mrs. Carol Van Metre, a strong advocate for quality education and supporter of Omaha South High School.  Carol and her husband Dave have worked tirelessly over the years to level the playing field for OPS students with their suburban counterparts, ensuring the highest quality facilities and enrichment east of 72nd Street. Carol was a beloved teacher in the Denver Public Schools for many years and it was always an important part of her life to support education.

Eligible School:            Omaha South High School

Selection Criteria:

  1. Recipient must demonstrate financial need;
  2. Recipient must have shown good citizenship and participated in extra- curricular activities throughout high school;
  3. Preference will be given to students pursuing a career in Education;
  4. Recipient must intend to pursue a 4-year post-secondary education at an accredited institution; and
  5. Student should present two letters of recommendation from faculty (no relatives of the student will be accepted).

Selection Process:          

Selection will be made by the South High School Principal and the school’s scholarship committee, with input from the counseling department.  Amount will be payable to the college or university upon the Omaha Schools Foundation’s receipt of verification of enrollment from the institution chosen by the recipient. A “Thank You” note to the donor is required and can also be sent to the Foundation.

Amount:          $2,000.00

Administered By: Omaha Public Schools Foundation

Core Bank Scholarship

Aug 23, 2021 | Scholarships

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Purpose:

To provide a scholarship for an Omaha Public Schools graduating senior from Benson, Bryan and South High Schools to a student who demonstrates a strong work ethic, passion for volunteering in their community and helping others, and commitment to post-secondary education.

Amount:

$2,000.00 each

Selection Criteria:

  1. Character/Citizenship
  2.  Minimum GPA 2.75/Self-motivated
  3.  Submit Financial Aid Form
  4.  Submit student’s transcript and resume
  5.  Submit a short essay (500 words) Describe a volunteer opportunity you have been involved in that demonstrates passion and willingness to serve your community and to help others.
  6.  Submit a letter of recommendation from a teacher and/or administrator.

Selection

Process: 

Up to three students may be nominated by each school.  Applications that have not strictly followed the guidelines will not be considered. The recipient will be chosen by sponsors of the scholarship.  Sponsors may also wish to meet with recipient.

The award will be forwarded to the recipient’s college of choice upon receipt of proof of enrollment and a “Thank You” note directed to the donor.

*Please note that the donors would like to see financial information as well as a letter of recommendation from the counselor or a teacher.

Administered By: 
Omaha Public Schools Foundation
Toba Cohen-Dunning, Executive Director
Omaha Public Schools Foundation
By: March 1, 2022

Davis Scholarship

Nov 12, 2018 | Scholarships

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Alfonza W. Davis Middle School – SOAR ABOVE SCHOLARSHIP

Purpose: To provide a one-time scholarship assistance for no more than two Omaha Public School seniors that attended and earned their wings at Alfonza W. Davis Middle School.

Amount: $350.00 payable to an educational institution of recipient’s choice. Verification of enrollment should be sent directly to the Omaha Public Schools Foundation for payment directly to the educational institution.

Eligible Recipients: 2 graduating seniors from an Omaha Public High School who attended for at least one year and earned their wings at Alfonza W. Davis Middle School.

Selection Criteria:

  1. Student must submit the Davis Scholarship Application with all its requirements.
  2. Student must submit a letter of recommendation from a teacher or school administrator.
  3. Student must submit a current transcript.
  4. Student must submit a short essay (maximum 3 paragraphs). Essay is to focus on one of the Six Soar Above – Tuskegee Pillars. Student should focus essay on how one of the six pillars played a role in his/her education preparation and his/her future college endeavors. Aim High, Be Ready To Go, Expect To Win, Use Your Brain, Never Quit, Believe In Yourself.

Selection Procedure: Final recipients will be chosen by the Scholarship Committee of the Alfonza W Davis Middle School.

Verification of your enrollment at the college or university of your choice and a “Thank You” note directed to the donor should be sent to Omaha Public Schools Foundation, 3861 Farnam Street, Omaha, NE 68131. The award will be forwarded to the recipient’s college of choice upon receipt.

Administered By: Omaha Public Schools Foundation

Future Educator’s Scholarship

Jan 18, 2018 | Scholarships

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The Future Educator Scholarship

One graduating senior from each of the seven Omaha Public High Schools will be awarded a scholarship.

Eligibility:

The senior must have plans to enroll for the summer or fall term as a full-time student in a post-secondary institution majoring in elementary or secondary education.

Amount: $3000.00

Requirements:

  1. Answer all information requested on the application and submit it online through the OPSF Scholarship Portal. Incomplete applications will not be accepted (includes signatures and scores).
  2. Request that ACT scores, a transcript of grades, including courses in progress, be attached to your application.
  3. Request that one letter of recommendation from a teacher, counselor, or administrator be forwarded with your application.
  4. Include a 75-100 word essay explaining why you are choosing teaching as a career.

Selection Process:

The scholarship recipients will be selected by the Omaha Public Schools Foundation Board. Verification of your enrollment at the college or university of your choice and a “Thank You” note directed to the donor should be sent to Omaha Public Schools Foundation. The award will be forwarded to the recipient’s college of choice upon receipt.

Administered by:

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

Saddlebrook Elementary School PTA Scholarship

Aug 23, 2021 | Scholarships

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Purpose:

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

Amount:

$1,000 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 the Saddlebrook PTA Scholarship Application with all of its requirements.
  2. Student must submit a letter of recommendation from a teacher or school administrator.
  3. Student must submit a current transcript.
  4. 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?”
  5. 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

The Simon Says: Live A Better Life Scholarship

Jan 16, 2018 | Scholarships

Apply for the Scholarship Here

Purpose:

The Simon Says: Live A Better Life Scholarship is looking for a student that, despite the struggles of their circumstances, has strived to help others either through volunteer work or by the way they have chosen to make a difference in their community or family and at the same time continued to make school a priority.

Simon Jones graduated from Omaha North Nigh School in the top 2% of his class in 2017. He was an exceptional student who attended AP and Dual Enrollment classes as well as following the Bio-Medical and Engineering Pathways offered at Omaha North. He received the Buffet Scholarship and had been accepted into the Engineering Program at the University of Nebraska Omaha. While at North he also participated in Cross Country, Track and Field, Bike Club and in the Science Club. Outside of school he was president of the Teen Advisory Council at Children’s Hospital and Medical Center, a member of the Florence Christian Youth group and Team Captain for Relay for Life. He also created and began the Simon Says: “Happy Birthday” Toy Drive to benefit the Living Hope Food Pantry. He accomplished these things even though he had cancer.

Simon was diagnosed in January 2013 at the age of 13 with DSRCT, a rare and aggressive soft tissue sarcoma. He underwent numerous chemotherapies, radiation treatments and multiple surgeries while he attended and finished his high school career. In September 2016 he began writing an inspirational Facebook Blog call Simon Says: Live a Better Life. From September of that year until his death he encouraged other with a simple message; “Our struggles do not define who we are, but WE define how we share our struggles with the world”. His wish was for the world to know that we all have something that holds us back from living a better life. It could be an illness like Simons, it could an unfortunate event that caused a detour in our plans or even the circumstances you were born into. Like Simon, we all can choose to be the light and hope in someone else’s path and to Live a Better Life.

This was his mission and now it is ours. We have the privilege of telling the whole world Simon’s story. How cancer died from Simon, not Simon died from cancer, how he held his head high through pain and fear. How he chose to be the light and hope, and to lift everyone else despite his own struggle. Simon’s life has purpose and his struggle was not in vain. How through it all he never stopped believing that God had a greater plan for his journey.

Amount:

$2000.00

Criteria:

  1.  Any OPS high school graduating senior
  2. GPA 3.0 or higher
  3. Essay response to all the following three points:
    • a hardship or struggle that you have overcome or are currently facing.
    • what it means to you to “Live a Better Life” in spite of your circumstance.
    • how through secondary education you plan to make a difference in the life of others.
  1. Two recommendation letters (non-relative) testifying to the personal hardship of the applicant, the character of the applicant, and the achievements in the effort of “Living a Better Life”.

Selection Procedure:

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

**You can donate to the scholarship on our secure donation portal. Use the drop down menu on the form to designate the Simon Says Live a Better Life Scholarship.