Omaha North High School first opened in September 1924 for eighth through twelfth grade students. Edward E. McMillan served as North’s first principal with 650 students in attendance according to the Omaha Public-School website.
In 1992, as North began renovating and growing in population, the Omaha North High School Foundation was created. They strive to provide both scholarships opportunities to seniors and educational opportunities for all students at North.
The Executive Committee for the foundation, Tony Gum, Judith Wells, Mark Nielsen, and Jabin Moore review each grant application for both complete information as well as clarity. They look at how many students would be affected by a particular grant and the potential changes the grant would have on students if it were awarded.
As of the 2024-2025 school year, North has been welcoming and teaching students for one hundred years. Because of this, the Omaha North High School Foundation was given a centennial grant, in the amount of one hundred thousand dollars, from the Lozier Foundation according to the Omaha North High School Foundation website.
Tony Gum, current president of the Omaha North High School Foundation and North alum Class of 1966 says, “The Lozier family has a long history of supporting North High that goes back generations. In prior years, the Lozier family has supported North by providing matching funds for scholarships and individual projects.”
The grant from the Lozier Foundation specifies that the funds must be used to provide an enriching school experience for all students in academic, extra-curricular and social activities that tie North to the surrounding community according to Tony Gum. The funds provided by this grant will be used to support centennial activities throughout the 2024-2025 school year such as North’s Centennial Homecoming Celebration.
Requests for the use of the grant money are reviewed and voted on during the North High School Foundation quarterly meetings. When approved, the money is distributed to the group requesting the funds according to Tony Gum. For example, Homecoming decorations were given to the Homecoming committee.
Although there is not a timeline associated with the funds, Tony Gum presumes that the bulk of the funds will be used before the 2024-25 school year comes to a close.
