Stan Standifer taught P.E. at Omaha Central from 1971-2003. He also coached football, girls volleyball, and girls and boys basketball. Stan grew up in OPS and was football star at UNO, even earning a roster invite from the Oakland Raiders before settling in to his career at CHS. Stan also served during Desert Storm with the US Navy Reserves. Coach Stan remains a positive memory for so many in the Central community! We know you'll enjoy hearing his story.

(2:02) an Omaha kid and football star

(9:40) The Autumn Wind: NFL dreams with the Oakland Raiders

(15:30) starting his teaching career at CHS

(20:52) great colleagues at CHS

(29:10) called up for Desert Storm 1991 with USNR

(39:45) being a mentor to young teachers in PE

(43:19) retiring in 2003 and life beyond

(48:15) What CHS means to Stan

Please share the pod far and wide! Thanks for listening!

Host: Scott Wilson

Art: Beth Wilson

Music: Drew Ruchti

Thanks for listening to the show! "Chatting at the C" is supported by the Omaha Central High School Foundation. Consider supporting the CHSF by joining ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠"Generation C" ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The incomparable Rita Ryan taught Latin at Omaha Central for 42 years, from 1971-2013. Rita was inducted the following year into the Central Hall of Fame. She took Eagle students and families to Europe 15 times, and ran the country's oldest Latin Club while at CHS. For generations of Eagles, a Rita Ryan mention brings a smile to their faces everytime.

Rita passed away in 2022.

The Register on her retirement in 2013

This archival interview was conducted in November of 2011 by:

Barry Combs (1950) HOF

Dr. Orville Menard (1951) HOF

Dr. Jim Wigton (1966)

(2:44) from Emmettsburg to Omaha

(10:00) teaching Latin at Central

(30:34) Latin Club and European travel

Host: Scott Wilson (introduction only)

Art: Beth Wilson

Music: Drew Ruchti

We are joined by legendary 1992 Omaha Central grad and former basketball coach Eric Behrens to talk about his days as a student at CHS, his historic run as coach, a member of CHS' blue ribbon chain crew, and then moving on to being a college coach and now a principal in OPS.

Join us for a great, extended conversation with Eric. Stay tuned for some orginal music from some talented CHS musicians to play us out of the pod!

(00:40) growing up a coach's kid in Omaha

(4:25) Central Eagle days and playing for his dad

(10:50) becoming a teacher in OPS/ head coach at CHS

(18:45) the start of "the run": 7 of 8 state titles

(44:00) 30-0 season in 2011-2012

(51:10) City of Palms Tournament/ Oak Hill game

(1:08:08) moving to college coaching at Peru State

(1:14:04) returning to Central and more elite players

(1:28:42) having great assistant coaches at CHS

(1:34:12) moving into administration

(1:42:35) Eric reflects on CHS

Host: Scott Wilson

Art: Beth Wilson

Intro/ Promo Music: Drew Ruchti

Outro Music: Tallulah Hoeft- CHS '28 (sax and composition) and Luna Escalera - CHS '28 (piano). Produced by Gabriel Escalera

Thanks for listening to the show! "Chatting at the C" is supported by the Omaha Central High School Foundation. Consider supporting the CHSF by joining ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠"Generation C" ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Dan Daly taught English at Omaha Central from 1962-1999 and served as Department Chair from 1976-99. Dan discussed his approach to English teaching, his success in the AP program, and other thoughts about changes at CHS during his tenure.

Dan was a 1989 Alice Buffett Award winner and was Central's Teacher of the Year for 1972. He was inducted into the ⁠Central Hall of Fame in 2011.⁠

This interview was conducted in November of 2012 by:

Barry Combs (1950) HOF

Dr. Orville Menard (1951) HOF

Dr. Jim Wigton (1966)

(2:15) hired at CHS in 1962

(9:35) English Department Chair

(13:38) Central's "Mini Magnet"

(19:00) teaching AP English

(24:28) Central's writing tradition

(37:32) 'Future of Central' Committee

(39:15) Central journalism

(43:25) Dan's advice to future superintendents

(46:10) Dan and technology

(50:42) Dan's unsung colleagues

This interview was also edited from the original.

Host: Scott Wilson (introduction only)

Art: Beth Wilson

Music: Drew Ruchti

Thanks for listening to the show! "Chatting at the C" is supported by the Omaha Central High School Foundation. Consider supporting the CHSF by joining ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠"Generation C" ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We chatted with the wonderful Jean Whitten who taught science at Omaha Central High from 1996 until her retirement in 2015. Jean was at Lewis and Clark MS for 5 years before that, but her story starts in the state of Texas and winds around the United States until landing in The Nest.

As a Central parent to two Eagles, Science department chair, wilderness expedition leader, and fantastic colleague, Jean elevated all around her.

Alice Buffett Award winner - 1999

Central HS Teacher of the Year - 2014

(2:00) Texas youth *note that accent*

(8:00) North Carolina, Boston, and South Carolina stops

(33:30) hired in OPS

(39:12) the move to CHS from Lewis and Clark MS

(48:10) taking students on science trips to Wyoming

(54:40) award-winning teacher

(1:03:26) Jean's love for Omaha Central

Host: Scott Wilson

Art: Beth Wilson

Music: Drew Ruchti

Thanks for listening to the show! "Chatting at the C" is supported by the Omaha Central High School Foundation. Consider supporting the CHSF by joining ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠"Generation C" ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Virginia Lee Pratt (CHS 1937) taught at her alma mater, Omaha Central High School, from 1941-1982. She was a math teacher and Math Department Chair. Ms. Pratt is in the Central Hall of Fame.

Ms. Pratt was 88 at the time of this interview. She passed in 2015 at 96 in Omaha.

This interview was conducted in August of 2007 by:

Barry Combs (1950) HOF

Dr. Orville Menard (1951) HOF

Dr. Jim Wigton (1966)

Special thanks to Drew Ruchti for helping to salvage this audio. There are some parts that are still harder to understand, but Drew did great work to bring it back to this level. Also thanks to Josh Bucy at the CHSF for helping Dr. Wigton with the file transfer.

This interview was also edited from the original.

Host: Scott Wilson (introduction only)

Art: Beth Wilson

Music: Drew Ruchti

Thanks for listening to the show! "Chatting at the C" is supported by the Omaha Central High School Foundation. Consider supporting the CHSF by joining ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠"Generation C" ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Matt Shafer taught business and coached at Omaha Central from 1997-2004. Matt's son and daughter both later attended CHS, and his son Jackson returned as a Math teacher in 2019, another one of Central's faculty members from the alumni ranks.

(1:10) Matt's youth and influential teachers

(11:35) hired at Lewis and Clark MS

(19:40) moving to Central HS

(27:30) moving to Alice Buffett MS

(36:00) kids picking Central over other OPS schools

(41:50) Jackson's CHS student experience

(45:20) Jackson deciding on a teaching career

(50:00) Jackson hired at CHS

(1:00:45) Central pride in the Shafer family

Please share the pod far and wide! Thanks for listening!

Host: Scott Wilson

Art: Beth Wilson

Music: Drew Ruchti

Thanks for listening to the show! "Chatting at the C" is supported by the Omaha Central High School Foundation. Consider supporting the CHSF by joining ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠"Generation C" ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

On this “Hall of Fame Week” episode we talk about Omaha Central Hall of Fame Distinguished Educator Paul Semrad. Paul was at CHS from 1973-2005. He taught Social Studies, was Central's very first Girls Basketball coach (where he won back-to-back titles and a Class A record 58 straight wins in 1983 and 1984), and then finished his career as an Asst. Principal.

Paul passed away in 2020, but we sat down with his two daughters, Kerri Murtaugh and Cindi Brown, both of whom are OPS elementary principals. All 3 of us coached Central softball together…with Paul!

(1:35) Paul's youth in Prague, NE

(4:15) Paul the priest?

(6:00) Central High 1973

(8:00) Paul the coach

(13:58) stepping away from coaching

(20:05) Paul the dad

(22:30) Kerri and Cindi coach softball at CHS with Paul

(26:35) retirement

(30:00) Paul's legacy as a mentor

(33:22) Paul Semrad: Hall of Famer

Host: Scott Wilson

Art: Beth Wilson

Music: Drew Ruchti

Thanks for listening to the show! "Chatting at the C" is supported by the Omaha Central High School Foundation. Consider supporting the CHSF by joining ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠"Generation C" ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Another special "Central High history" episode!

This episode focuses on Omaha Central Hall of Famer Marion G. Crandell from the Omaha High School Class of 1889.

Marion, who was a French language teacher, volunteered to go to France during The Great War in 1918 to help soldiers behind the lines recuperate from combat. Marion was killed during the German offensive in March of 1918 and is believed to be the first American woman killed at the front during WWI.

"Time will not dim the glory of their deeds."

-US General John J. Pershing, Nov. 1921

We have two great guests on this episode:

Peter Bock (CHS 2010) he researched Marion's life for his AP US History project during his senior year. Peter's work brought her story to our community...and beyond.

and

Marie Caron is an outstanding interpretive guide for the American Battle Monuments Commission at the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery in eastern France, where Marion is interred. Marie has welcomed visits from Central High multiple times, and she will tell us more about Marion and also what it is like working at the cemetery.

(2:37) Peter talks about "the project" from 2009-10

(7:07) researching Marion in Davenport, IA

(13:47) Marion and the CHS Hall of Fame

(16:30) Marion's legacy today at CHS

(23:45) mission and history of the ABMC

(25:40) Marion Crandell and the Meuse-Argonne Cemetery

(29:58) history of the cemetery

(32:00) Why does Marion have 'California' on her marker?

(32:54) daily efforts of Marie and the ABMC staff overseas

Special thanks also to the ABMC Public Affairs staff for helping greenlight our interview with Marie, notably to Anna Morelock and her office in Arlington, VA. Anna is an Omaha Northwest HS graduate! OPS!

Host: Scott Wilson

Art: Beth Wilson

Music: Drew Ruchti

Thanks for listening to the show! "Chatting at the C" is supported by the Omaha Central High School Foundation. Consider supporting the CHSF by joining ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠"Generation C" ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We are joined by retired Central Social Studies teacher and head football coach, Jay Ball. Jay is a 1980 CHS graduate, who taught and coached in OPS for 30 years, including from 2006-2017 at Omaha Central High School.

Jay was heavily influenced by his father Jerry, but Jay also notes the numerous great teachers, coaches, and colleagues who helped him along the way.

Jay won a State football title with the Eagles, and he was also an award-winning classroom teacher. We think you will enjoy hearing his story.

(1:21) growing up as Coach Ball's kid in Omaha

(4:57) Central High Class of 1980

(8:55) Kearney State and 2nd chances

(11:30) hired at OPS

(16:15) Head Coach at Omaha South

(20:38) remembering Cpl. Shane Kielion (SHS 1999)

(25:25) classroom philosophy

(26:36) Alice Buffett Award for teaching 2006

(28:55) back to Omaha Central as Head Coach

(31:26) 2007 State Champs!

(41:04) 2010 Rosenblatt Stadium football game

(44:49) teaching at CHS

(47:54) retiring and re-retiring

(51:24) What CHS means to Jay

Please share the pod far and wide! Thanks for listening!

Host: Scott Wilson

Art: Beth Wilson

Music: Drew Ruchti

Thanks for listening to the show! "Chatting at the C" is supported by the Omaha Central High School Foundation. Consider supporting the CHSF by joining ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠"Generation C" ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠