Local Resources

*If you don't have the HAVEN directory, please send questions to OmahaHaven@gmail.com

Omaha HAVEN Directory:

 

Only network members, who are known or contacted by the board, have access to the directory. You may only access this file using your network member email provided to HAVEN when you joined the network. 

 

Click HERE for the Directory

 

Co-Ops & Hybrid Schools: 

 

Omaha HAVEN Microschool:  To open late summer 2024. This will be held on Mondays from 9 am - 3:30 pm and a second day option for study hall/group activities. Location & Costs are to be determined.

• Offerings:
• Angie Blad - Science/History/Leadership/Project Learning/etc. 3rd-8th. These will change from year to year. Additional info for fall 2024 is forthcoming.
  
• Katie Burton - Language Arts for 3rd-8th. Includes ALL language arts (memorization, spelling, vocab, grammar, writing, public speaking, literature, etc). Work will be provided for the entire week. 
• Rachael Chappell - High school mentoring utilizing American Heritage Online High School and BYUi concurrent enrollment. Full high school program option is available. 

• Angie and Katie will swap age groups (3-5 & 6-8) after lunch. A more extensive calendar plan is forthcoming.

 

Cheyenne Robertson Preschool Co-Op: Mondays and Wednesdays from 9a-11a. Parents take turns teaching. Please contact Cheyenne at cheyenne.robertson@gmail.com for additional information.

 

Family School - I: Thursday afternoons in West Omaha; parents teach. Minimal cost. For additional information, please contact Kristyn Ostler through the HAVEN Directory.

 

Family School - II:  Thursday afternoons in NE Omaha; parents teach. Minimal Cost. For additional information, please contact Cassandra Astle through the HAVEN Directory. 

• For assistance in starting up your own Family School, please contact Angie Blad through the HAVEN Directory

Gold Education: For motivated 9-12 graders. Combined language arts w history, music, & art. For information, please contact Sue Ellen Gold in the HAVEN directory. @ 1deve4gold@cox.net

 

Latter-Up: A Latter-day Saint Virtual Co-op:  This group operates online courses for minimal fees. Click their Come And See pages for class information.

Omaha Homeschool Learning Center: Offers a variety of classes for a fee.

 

Home Schooling Support:

 

HSLDA Home School Legal Defense Association:  This group provides a variety of services for homeschooling families including grant information, legal information regarding local and national homeschooling issues, legal protections, etc. 

Heartland Home Schoolers: This group offers a variety of events and support to home schooling families in the Lincoln, NE area.

 

NCHEA - Nebraska Christian Home Educators Association: This group offers guidance if you're new to homeschooling, provides homeschooling conferences and curriculum fairs, provides legislative information regarding homeschooling, etc. 

Seasonal Activities:

 

General Activities Calendars:

Family Fun In Omaha: This website updates their fun things list every month. You can also sign up for their free newsletter to receive updates about local activities.

Omaha Magazine: This provides an extensive list of activities in the Omaha area by date. The calendar for the month can be found along the right side of this site.

Omaha Parks and Recreation: A variety of indoor and outdoor activities in the Omaha area by date. 

Omaha Performing Arts Student Matinees: Omaha Performing Arts provides "Student Matinees" geared towards K-12, at a reduced price. Virtual options are also available for some performances.

Omaha Performing Arts: Performing Arts for all ages.

Omaha World Herald: This provides an extensive list of Omaha activities by date.

Visit Omaha: This website provides information about activities and events available in the Omaha area. A calendar list of events is available HERE. 

 

Spring:

 

Nebraska Outdoor Discovery Program: This no-cost program provides a variety of outdoor activities, including archery, backpacking, wildlife identification, outdoor cooking, and much more. In the past, home-school children 4th-6th grade have been able to attend. Registration takes place in February (slots fill up quickly so be prepared to register your family or group as soon as registration opens). Activities are held for limited days in March and April. Contact Julia Plugge or call her at 402-471-6009 for registration details and questions.

 

Summer:

 

Nebraska Passport: This no-cost program is intended to help travelers discover the "hidden gems" of Nebraska. All ages may participate. Participants collect stamps at each location on the passport which may then be turned in for prizes. The Passport program runs from May 1st to September 30 of each year.

 

Fall:

 

Vala's Pumpkin Patch: This popular "fall festival" location offers several educational opportunities during September and October of each year. Special homeschool discount days are offered.

 

Winter: 

Art:

 

General List of Omaha Area Art Museums and Galleries: Omaha is a home to several art museums and galleries, some with a focus on specific cultures or type of art, others which host a variety of exhibits year round. 

Jocelyn Art Museum offers art classes throughout the year for all ages.

Heart & Soul Art Studio offers small group art classes provided at a private home.

 

The Makery...A Local Crafting Studio: They provide supplies and you create. They do offer project examples and take-home kits.

 

Omaha Community Playhouse offers theater classes  and showcase opportunities to homeschooling students.

Rose Theater offers a wide variety of dramatic artistic learning including acting, singing, dancing, puppets, story creation, play production, theater design, and more.

 

Athletics:

 

Kicking Tigers Tae Kwon Do: Offers training in martial arts for all ages.

 

Metro Warriors: Omaha Metro Homeschool Girls Volleyball and Basketball. Grades 5-12 The current calendar shows no practices on Sundays for Volleyball. Basketball was not yet on the calendar.

Omaha Lightning Basketball: Competitive Basketball for home-school families from elementary through high school. Practices and games are not held on Sundays.

Omaha Lightning Flag Football: Competitive Flag-Football for grades 6-12. Practices are not held on Sundays. Game schedule was not yet on the Calendar.

 

Omaha Lightning Volleyball: Competitive Volleyball for home-school families 5th grade through high school ages. Practices and games are not held on Sundays.

Omaha Roadrunners: Competitive, christian-based, volleyball and basketball program for ages 8-18yrs.

 

Omaha Wildcats: Competitive Flag Football for grades 6-12. Practices are Mon, Tues, Thur evening. Games are Saturdays with one one Friday.

 

Premier Gymnastics: Offers supervised open-gym times. 

 

Sides Sisters Swim School: Offers a variety of swimming lessons. Discounts provided to home-school families who take lessons Mon. - Thurs between 9:30am and 12:15pm. Please contact for details.

Crafts/Hands-on Projects:

 

Makerspace: Offers a variety of hands-on projects from stained glass to upholstery. Check classes and/or contact for appropriate age groups.

 

MCC Prototype Design Lab: "The Prototype Design Lab is an open-access makerspace focused on developing prototypes from initial conceptualization to final fabrication; in other words, it's a place to just make cool stuff. 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC routers, a plasma cutter and a vinyl cutter are among the many types of equipment available for use. Technicians are available for assistance." Lab is open by appointment only. Click HERE to schedule.

Debate/Public Speaking:

 

(If you know of a group in the Omaha area, please email us at OmahaHAVEN@gmail.com)

History:

 

Czech and Slovak Educational Center and Cultural Museum:  The name says it best. The museum includes a gift shop with a variety of hand crafted item.

 

Mormon Trail Center at Winter Quarters: This center provides a look into the westward migration of pioneers many of which passed through Nebraska. 

 

The German-American Society: A variety of activities are held throughout the year for the purpose of preserving and sharing German heritage in the Omaha area.

Music:

 

Let's Play Music provides a three year musicianship program which includes piano, music theory, ear-training, sight-singing, and classical music training. To learn more, contact Emily Call either through her website or directly using the HAVEN directory.

Omaha Homeschool Orchestra and Band provides options for beginners as well as those ready to perform. For additional information, sign up to receive their emails or contact them HERE.

 

Sing Omaha: Offers daytime voice, piano, and guitar lessons as well as choral performance opportunities in the Omaha area.

  

Science/Hands-on:

 

Henry Doorly Zoo: "Unleash your sense of wonder across 160 acres of plants, animals and unique habitats from around the world right here in Omaha, Nebraska."

 

Kiewitt Luminarium: Hands on science activities for people of all ages intended to help us all "explore the astonishing phenomena that shapes our world, our communities, and ourselves".

Quick Study Labs: Courses created to encourage kids into the field of electronics engineering. 

Omaha Children's Museum: "The exhibits at Omaha Children's Museum provide a wealth of opportunities for learning through play. All of the museum's exhibits are designed to inspire, educate, and delight."

 

Science For Life: Private/small group science lessons. Please contact Cherri Klauser at ckklauzer@me.com

 

Young Nebraska Scientists: Provides opportunities for middle and high school students to attend Science camps in the Nebraska area. 

Competitions:

 

Comprehensive Competition Lists:

Nebraska Department of Education “Academic Competitions”: Comprehensive list of competitions throughout the nation.

TeAchnology: Multiple competitions in multiple fields of interest. 

Art:

Audobon Student Art Contest: Annual art competition designed to encourage awareness of wildlife in our communities. All submitted artwork will be displayed. Submissions are due late February.

Constitution Day Poster Design is an annual competition. Entries are typically due by October1st.

Debate:

 

NCFCA: (For more info, See Debate/Public Speaking above)

 

Writing: 

 

Virginia Frank Memorial Writing Contest: This is a creative writing contest 5th - 8th graders who live in Douglas or Sarpy Counties. Cash prizes. Deadline for 2022 is February 25th.

Science:

Nebraska Severe Weather Awareness Poster Contest: The Deadline for 2022 is February 11. Cash Prizes. 

Internships

 

Young Nebraska Scientists: Offers opportunities for grades 9-12 to apply to be High School Researchers. A few of these will be offered paid internships.

Scholarships

 

General List of Scholarships: This is a list of scholarships maintained by MCC but not provided by MCC. A good general resource for scholarships.

The Coolidge: A Scholarship for America: This is a merit-based, "annually awarded, full-ride, presidential scholarship that covers a student’s tuition, room, board, and expenses for four years of undergraduate study." Only Juniors who intend to enroll full-time, fall of the following year (i.e. 2022 applicants apply for fall 2023) may apply. Additional merit-based scholarships can be HERE, on their website. *The deadline for 2022 has already passed.

Daughters of the American Revolution Scholarships: The DAR offers several scholarships to graduating high-school Seniors. Application for the fall 2022 was January 31st 2021

 

Metropolitan Community College Scholarships: These are for current students. Home school students may apply at 16 years old.

 

Rotary Club Scholarships: These scholarships are available to secondary, undergraduate, and graduate students. 

Veterans of Foreign Wars Youth Scholarships: The VFW offers several scholarships annually to patriotic youth. Middle school students may apply for a $5000 scholarship. High school students may apply for a $30,000 scholarship. The deadline for submission is October 31st of each year.