Centennial High School (Oregon)

Centennial High School (CHS) is a public high school located in Gresham, Oregon, United States.^[4] It is the only high school in the Centennial School District.

Centennial High School
Location
3505 SE 182nd Ave Gresham , Oregon 97030 United States
Coordinates	45.496383°N 122.475838°W / 45.496383; -122.475838
Information
Type	Public
Opened	1959
School district	Centennial School District
Principal	Marin Miller
Grades	9–12
Number of students	1,731 (2023-2024)[1]
Student to teacher ratio	25.71[1]
Color(s)	Scarlet and blue   [2]
Athletics conference	OSAA Northwest Oregon Conference 5A-1[2]
Mascot	Eagle[2]
Rival	Parkrose High School[3]
Newspaper	Talon
Feeder schools	Centennial Middle School, Oliver Middle School
Website	Centennial High School

Academics

In 1989, Centennial High School was honored in the Blue Ribbon Schools Program, the highest honor a school can receive in the United States.^[5]

In 2008, 76% of the school's seniors received a high school diploma. Of 411 students, 311 graduated, 73 dropped out, eight received a modified diploma, and 19 were still in high school in 2009.^[6][7]

In 2012, Kevin Ricker was named the Oregon High School Principal of the Year. Along with making other improvements in the school, he was awarded this title primarily for leading CHS students to raise both reading and math test scores by 12% in one year.^[8]

In February 2014 the school hosted Unity Week.^[9]

In 2016, Katharine Dean, a science teacher of Centennial High School won Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.^[10]

In 2018 Chris Knudsen, a 158-158 head coach, had resigned after 32 years of service.^[11]

Activities

Centennial's marching band has won the Portland Grand Floral Parade more than 20 times, including 12 times consecutively. The band's 2000 fall field show, "Gloria", held the record for the highest scoring show in the Northwest Marching Band Circuit.^{[citation needed]}

Centennial's Future Business Leaders of America chapter has won the 6A Chapter of the Year title for five years in a row.

In 2016, a Centennial High School senior Grace Ramstad was crowned the 2016 Rose Festival Queen.^[12]

As of 2025, the centennial High School has multiple active clubs; Band, Choir, Drama, FBLA, HTAC, Key club, MECHA, Racquetball, Speech and Debate, Student Council, Yearbook, Book club, Screen Printing club, Homework and Tutoring, and Spanish language Arts.^[13]

Sports

Centennial hosts a track meet called the Centennial Invitational, which is one of the largest high school track meets in the region.

State championships

• Football: 1972^[14]
• Boys' track and field: 1967^[15]
• Girls' track and field: 1976^[16]
• Boys' soccer: 1983^[17]
• Girls' soccer: 2000^[18]
• Dance and drill: 1988, 1990, 2003, and 2010^[19]
• Winterguard: 2010^[20]
• Marching band: 1999, 2000
• Choir: 1993, 1994
• Bowling: 2008^[21]
• Bass Fishing Championships^[22]

Notable alumni

• Scott Benedetti, soccer player
• Earl Blumenauer (1966), Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oregon's 3rd congressional district^[23][24]
• Josh Cameron, soccer player^[25]
• Marco Farfan, soccer player
• Todd Field (1982), six-time Academy Award-nominated filmmaker^[26]
• Robert Garrigus, golfer^[27]
• Katie Harman (1999), Miss America 2002^[28]
• Rick Metsger, Oregon politician^[29]
• Nico Santos, Filipino-American actor^{[citation needed]}
• Megan Langenfeld, former collegiate All-American, softball pitcher and current assistant coach
• Corbin Burnes, Major League Baseball Cy Young Award winner and All-Star starting pitcher
• Tammy Munro, actress

Major events

Three of the main feeder elementary schools into Centennial Middle School and therefore Centennial High School have been renamed, with some controversy. Lynch Wood Elementary, Lynch View Elementary, and Lynch Meadows Elementary were named after the Lynch family who originally donated the land, but renamed after a school board vote due to the word's connotations with racial violence. Today, they are known respectively as Powell Butte Elementary, Patrick Lynch Elementary, and Meadows Elementary.^[30]