Centennial High School (Oregon)

Centennial High School
Location
3505 SE 182nd Ave Gresham , Oregon 97030 United States
Coordinates	45°29′47″N122°28′33″W / 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

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.

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]

References

1. "Centennial High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
2. "Schools". OSAA.org. Archived from the original on May 2, 2010. Retrieved July 10, 2012.
3. "Kobe Hein, Akari Harris help Centennial run past Parkrose; game called early with Broncos short on players". April 4, 2021.
4. "Gresham Community Plan Map". City of Gresham. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
5. "Archived: Blue Ribbon Schools Program, Schools Recognized 1982-1983 Through 1999-2002 (PDF)" (PDF). Retrieved April 22, 2018.
6. Jerry Casey (June 30, 2009). "State releases high school graduation rates". The Oregonian . Retrieved April 22, 2018.
7. "Oregon dropout rates for 2008". The Oregonian. June 30, 2009. Archived from the original on September 16, 2011. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
8. "Centennial High's Kevin Ricker named principal of the year". The Oregonian. May 15, 2012. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
9. Melissa Binder (January 16, 2014). "Sandy Hook teacher coming to Gresham Centennial High School for Unity Week". The Oregonian. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
10. Teresa Carson (August 23, 2016). "Centennial science teacher wins Presidential Award". Archived from the original on April 23, 2018. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
11. Nick Daschel (April 9, 2018). "Chris Knudsen retires as Centennial football coach after 32-year run". The Oregonian. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
12. Colin Miner (June 11, 2016). "The 2016 Rose Festival Queen is Grace Ramstad of Centennial High School". Patch.com. Patch Media . Retrieved April 22, 2018.
13. School, Centennial High. "Centennial High School". chs.csd28j.org. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
14. "OSAA Football Championships" (PDF). Retrieved April 22, 2018.
15. "OSAA Boys Track & Field Championships" (PDF). Retrieved April 22, 2018.
16. "OSAA Girls Track & Field Championships" (PDF). Retrieved April 22, 2018.
17. "OSAA Boys Soccer Championships" (PDF). Retrieved April 22, 2018.
18. "OSAA Girls Soccer Championships" (PDF). Retrieved April 22, 2018.
19. "OSAA Dance/Drill Championships" (PDF). Retrieved April 22, 2018.
20. "Welcome to www.nwapa.us!". www.nwapa.us. Archived from the original on August 3, 2012. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
21. David Ball (February 26, 2008). "Centennial claims state bowling championship". Theoutlookonline.com. Archived from the original on March 26, 2012. Retrieved July 10, 2012.
22. "Brandon Jensen and Thomas Chen of Centennial High School win the TBF Oregon High School State Championships". High School Fishing. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
23. "BLUMENAUER, Earl - Biographical Information". Bioguide.congress.gov. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
24. Anderson, Lisa K. (April 29, 2014). "Alumnus inspires Centennial Eagles". Portland Tribune . p. A9. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
25. "Timbers Sign George Josten, Josh Cameron". OurSports Central. February 20, 2009. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
26. Levy, Shawn. "You couldn't write a better script". The Oregonian , March 23, 2002.
27. "Biographical information from PGA Tour's official site". Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved October 1, 2011.
28. "Christian News Northwest: News Article Archive: Feature Articles". Cnnw.com. July 18, 2011. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved July 10, 2012.
29. "About Rick" . Retrieved April 22, 2018.
30. "Name 'Lynch' Removed From Schools After Word Deemed Offensive - CBS Texas". www.cbsnews.com. August 10, 2017. Retrieved August 10, 2025.