Education Notebook, Jan. 22-28, 2015

PROGRAM TO TEACH ELEMENTARY STUDENTS FINANCIAL SKILLS

United Way of Southern Nevada was scheduled to launch its second Piggy Bank program at Hollingsworth Elementary School Jan. 21.

The financial literacy program is designed to teach students how to save money by simulating a traditional banking experience and is a collaboration between United Way’s Young Philanthropists Society, Silver State Schools Credit Union, the Andson Foundation, Hollingsworth Elementary and various volunteers who donated time and materials to build a kid-friendly bank that includes a bank teller counter and decals on the walls with money-saving tips.

More than 100 students at Hollingsworth, 1776 E. Ogden Ave., are homeless, and all of the students qualify for free or discounted lunches.

For more information about the program, visit uwsn.org.

CSN TO OPEN RENOVATED HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER

The College of Southern Nevada plans to reopen its renovated Claude I. Howard Health Science Center during a dedication ceremony set for 4 p.m. Feb. 11. The building is the oldest on the school’s Charleston campus, 6375 W. Charleston Blvd., and was renovated to include three new classrooms and six labs. Nearly 5,000 square feet of new space is set to house ophthalmic dispensing, radiation therapy and physical therapy. The project cost $10 million and included modern, new equipment for physical therapy, radiation therapy and ophthalmic assistant programs, along with smaller renovations to the veterinary tech area in an adjacent building.

College officials and members of the health care industry are set to attend the celebration.

For more information, visit csn.edu.

MINI-INTERNSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN MARCH

The Clark County Medical Society is offering a spring break mini-internship program March 9-26 for high school students.

For more information, visit 702-739-9989.

SUMMER BUSINESS INSTITUTE TAKING APPLICATIONS

The Summer Business Institute is accepting online applications from high school sophomores, juniors and seniors Feb. 2-27. The program is a collaborative effort between the Clark County Human Resources Department, the Clark County School District, UNLV and the local business community. The focus of the program is to give youths opportunities to experience a corporate environment. Internships are eight weeks and include business mentoring, life skills training, financial management and a civic engagement project.

A high school transcript, high school statement and two letters of recommendation are required to apply. Qualifying students will be interviewed over spring break in March.

To apply, visit tinyurl.com/7ukno22.

MAGNET SCHOOLS APPLICATION DEADLINE EXTENDED

The Magnet Schools & Career and Technical Academies Department has extended its application deadline until 3 p.m. Feb. 3.

For more information or to apply online, visit magnet.ccsd.net.

COASTER OFFERS DEAL FOR STRAIGHT-A STUDENTS

The Big Apple Coaster at New York-New York, 3790 Las Vegas Blvd. South, plans to offer two-for-one ride passes to Clark County School District students who bring in their most recent report cards showing straight A’s. The offer is valid for one-time use through August. Guests must be at least 54 inches tall to ride.

For more information, visit nynyhotelcasino.com.

SPLASHDOWN FOR KIDS TO RAISE FUNDS FOR NONPROFIT GROUPS

Communities In Schools of Nevada and After-School All-Stars Las Vegas announce that tickets for the second annual Splashdown For Kids are on sale. The event is planned for April 25 and 26 at Wet‘n’Wild water park and offers a preview to summer with proceeds benefiting both local nonprofits.

Tickets are $25 and include entry to Wet‘n’Wild. For tickets, visit shop.omniticket.com/WWL/index.cfm and use the promo code “CISASASDAY.” Select general admission tickets, enter the code, and ticket options will become available.

For more information about Communities In Schools, visit cisnevada.org.

For more information about After-School All-Stars, visit www.ASASLV.org.

HENDERSON LIBRARIES SPONSORS TEEN WRITING CONTEST

Henderson Libraries is accepting entries for its sixth annual Teen Writing Contest through Feb. 28. Students in grades six through 12 are invited to compete. One work per student will be accepted (no school assignments). The entry can be in one of the following categories: poetry; one-act play; short story; or essay (up to 2,000 words). All work must be original and unpublished.

Winners will be chosen by a panel of Henderson District Public Libraries librarians and collected and published as a digital literary magazine, which will become part of the library district’s Digital Collections. Winners will be notified by the end of March if their work has been selected for publication.

A reception and unveiling of the magazine is planned for April.

For more information or to enter, visit tinyurl.com/oxqy4js.

NONPROFIT TO OFFER PARENT EDUCATION CLASSES

The nonprofit Secure Parenting Inc. plans to offer free, eight-week parent education classes beginning Jan. 24 for parents of toddlers from 20 to 40 months. Parents will learn preventative practices to guide toddlers in their emotional development, as well as how to strengthen the connection with their children. Parents will attend the first 90 minutes in a group while their children have certified caretakers in another room, then the toddlers will join the parent group for the last half-hour.

Classes are scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays starting Jan. 24 and Sundays starting Jan. 25 in Henderson and from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesdays starting Jan. 28 in Las Vegas. Space is limited to 12 parents and 12 toddlers per class. This will be a pilot test of a new program, so parents will be asked to complete questionnaires to receive the class free.

Preregistration is required and can be completed by visiting secureparenting.org and filling out the “Interest Form” on the Forms page, by emailing karen@secureparenting.org or by calling 702-724-4912.

LEADERSHIP TRAINING SET FOR PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES

Partners in Policymaking plans to offer leadership training for people with developmental disabilities, parents and family members. The training is designed to teach the power of advocacy and change the way people with disabilities are supported, viewed, taught, live and work. The program will provide information about issues and policies related to disability and develop participant competencies to become more effective in influencing policy development at all levels.

Parents of children with developmental disabilities and adults with developmental disabilities are encouraged to apply. Classes are planned from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. once a month through August at the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension’s Lifelong Learning Center, 8050 Paradise Road. Participants are expected to commit to all classes or complete make-up assignments. Remaining dates are: Feb. 28, March 21, April 18, May 16, June 20, July 19 (in Reno) and Aug. 15. Participants will receive a stipend to help with childcare and transportation costs.

For more information or to apply, visit nced.info/pip.

BLACK HISTORY ESSAY CONTEST PLANNED

The 36th annual Black History Month Essay Contest is planned through Feb. 6 for fourth-grade through high school students. In honor of Black History Month, youths are encouraged to submit an original essay, and the top three winners from each division will recite their essays at a banquet planned for Feb. 18 at the East Las Vegas Community Center, 250 N. Eastern Ave.

Essays due no later than 5 p.m. Feb. 6 at the community center. The elementary school division topic is Historical African-American Inventors in the 1800s (minimum 150 words, hand-printed or typed); the middle school division topic is Historical African-American Politicians (minimum 250 words, typed); and the high school division topic is Compare The Civil Rights Issues That People Face Today To Civil Rights Issues The 1900-1970s (minimum 400 words, typed).

For more information, call 702-229-1515.

VEGAS PBS ANNOUNCES LEARNINGMEDIA DIGITAL INNOVATORS PROGRAM

Vegas PBS announced the third annual PBS LearningMedia Digital Innovators Program for tech-savvy kindergarten through 12th-grade educators. PBS LearningMedia is a free media on-demand service of Vegas PBS that offers more than 87,000 digital resources for educators. The program recognizes the nation’s top 100 applicants who are incorporating digital media in classrooms and serving as leaders in educational technology.

Through Feb. 11, educators can apply to the program by submitting a 60- to 120-second video showcasing how they are creatively using digital technology and tools in the classroom to spur student achievement and by completing a profile and two essay questions. To apply online, visit pbslearningmedia.org/digitalinnovators.

The selected teachers will be rewarded with yearlong career-enhancement opportunities, including virtual trainings with a focus on creative instructional strategies and digital best practices, access to premium and exclusive resources from PBS LearningMedia Custom and a free PBS TeacherLine professional development course, invitations to special events, membership in a professional learning community and networking with other innovative educators and thought leaders. They also will receive ongoing support from their local PBS member stations.

The top 30 applicants will be designated as Lead PBS LearningMedia Digital Innovators and will also receive a three-day, all-expenses-paid trip to Philadelphia to participate in the 2015 PBS LearningMedia Digital Summit and the International Society for Technology in Education conference, along with a Samsung Galaxy tablet.

The winners are to be announced in March. For more information, visit pbslearningmedia.org.