Omaha Bryan High School

History

The building for William Jennings Bryan Senior High School was completed in 1971. It was named after the illustrious Nebraska politician. Bryan's history, however, extends back to 1965 when the first students entered what is now the Bryan Middle School building. That building had been designed as a junior-senior high complex. It was from there that the first Bryan senior class graduated in 1968.

Increasing enrollments at the junior-senior high complex gave the Omaha Public School District the incentive to build a separate senior high, and it was thus that Bryan Senior High came to be.

Bryan High's current enrollment averages 1,700 students; there are approximately ninety faculty members. The student body is a mirror of the national population, with students from various ethnic, cultural, and economic backgrounds.

Renovations to the building have been made to prepare it for the addition of computers and other sophisticated pieces of technology. Bryan High has a history of innovation and change. That tradition continues. Now the school has over 1800 students.

25th anniversary and other changes

In 1993, the school celebrated its 25th Anniversary with a time capsule for future students. The capsule will be opened in 2018.

From 2000 to about 2005, Bryan went through some new renovations and additions. in 2004, the school had a new section built which houses 4 new classrooms: 110a, 111a, 112a, and 113a, since there are already classrooms with those numbers. 4 cottages are outside the building on the left side of the gym. In 2001, 6 more were added to the right side. At that time they added a weight room to the gym. Currently they use the other side as a practice area for the schools wrestling team. In 2004 they also added 2 additional cottages on the side of the building. As of about 2001 Bryan High became a member of the AOF ( Academy of Finance).

Also before 2000, the school was on a normal class schedule. Block scheduling was then created, with the 13 Min Advisement between 2nd and 3rd Block. There are 4 blocks and Advisement with 4 lunches during 3rd Block. Each block is 90 minutes Long. When the Block scheduling was first Introduce Advisement came first then the 4 classes. Then in 2005 The School Decided to make Advisement in between 2nd and 3rd Blocks.The School Also has other schedules for curtain days. Like Pep Rallies,Half days and Extended Advisements.

In 2007 Bryan High School once again had some new changes in and out side of the school including new trees along the front of the building and stones to sit on. The Library also went through changes, a section of library was transformed into a new Rooms for Assistant Princapals, along with that the entry way for the library was extented into double doors to make it easy for student entry.

As of 2006 the school desided to host the Graduating cemormeny at Qwest Center in Downtown Omaha instend of the Omaha Civic Auditorium do to the increasing size of the yearly Senior classes.

Notable Alumni

• Rich Dye, actor
• Tim Vala, owner of Vala's Pumpkin Patch in Sarpy County, Nebraska
• SA Martinez, Douglas Vincent Martinez, vocalist and DJ in the band 311_(band)
• P-Nut, Aaron Charles Wills, bass guitarist in the band 311_(band)
• Charlie Volcek, UPS truck driver

External links

• Omaha Bryan High School
• Bryan High School-Class Reunion Websites at Classreport.com