Education Notebook, Nov. 20-26, 2014

CENTURYLINK OFFERS GRANTS FOR TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM

CenturyLink Inc. is offering $35,000 in grants to seven teachers in the Las Vegas Valley for a second year. The CenturyLink Clarke M. Williams Foundation’s Teachers and Technology grant program has opened its application process for teachers in CenturyLink’s local service areas who want to implement technology in their classrooms to increase student achievement.

Last year’s campaign received nearly 100 applications. The winner, librarian Charlotte Severe of Sewell Elementary School in Henderson, was awarded $5,000 to purchase Google Chromebooks for the school’s Digital Library initiative, as well as management systems for these computers, allowing students access to a greater volume of information through technology.

Full-time, pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade classroom teachers in public or private schools in CenturyLink residential service areas can apply at centurylinkteachersandtech.com. The deadline is Jan. 2. CenturyLink service is neither required nor considered in the review of applications. Grant winners will be announced between April 1 and May 15.

CAESARS PARTNERS WITH DISTRICT TO BEAUTIFY REED ELEMENTARY

Caesars Entertainment has partnered with the Clark County School District to beautify Reed Elementary School, 2501 Winwood St., which was built in 1986 and is in need of repairs. Volunteers gathered Nov. 8 to paint, clean, organize, build and perform restoration work across the school’s campus.

ADELSON EDUCATIONAL CAMPUS TO HOST GALA NOV. 22

The Adelson Educational Campus, 9700 Hillpointe Road, plans to honor activist, writer and politician Ayaan Hirsi Ali at the 11th annual In Pursuit of Excellence Gala, scheduled for 6 p.m. Nov. 22 at The Venetian. Hirsi Ali will be honored with the campus’ highest recognition, the In Pursuit of Excellence Award, for her support of human rights and access to education for all people. She is the founder of the AHA Foundation, which works to protect and defend the rights of women and girls in the United States from harmful traditional religious and cultural practices such as honor violence, forced marriage and female genital mutilation.

Tickets are $250 or $125 for university students, educators, military personnel, retirees, nonprofit employees and Adelson Educational Campus parents. Corporate sponsorships and tables are available. Proceeds are set to benefit the school’s scholarship program to provide funds for students in need.

To purchase tickets or make a donation, visit adelsoncampus.org or call Davida Sims, director of development, at 702-515-8203.

RECYCLED ART CONTEST WINNERS ANNOUNCED

In celebration of America Recycles Day, the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection’s Nevada Recycles program partnered with the Las Vegas Sands Corp. in a statewide recycled art contest to raise awareness of and interest in recycling. More than 100 artists statewide, ranging from students in kindergarten through 12th grade to adults, submitted photos of their artwork composed of recyclable materials. Entries included artwork using materials such as tires, electronics, appliances, plastic bags, bottles, batteries, discarded paper, cardboard and aluminum cans. Entries were judged based on overall appearance, originality, workmanship and use of recyclable material.

Winners from the Las Vegas Valley are:

Kindergarten through fifth grade

First place, Paper Dog by Andrea Lopez; second place, Maui Rainbow Tree by Brayden Stidham

Grades six through eight

First place, U.S.S. Dingymahathia by Rajeev Jayaweera; second place, Chaos by Jace Ricciuti; and third place, Recyclebot by Ty Carlson

Adult

First place, Trumpeteer by Michael Davies; second place, Reintroduce Coin Contest by Angie Morelli; and third place, Wonka, Ace Ventura, Bowie by Carina Arriaga.

To view entries, visit flickr.com/photos/nevadarecycles/sets.

WEST CHARLESTON LIBRARY TO HOST COLLEGE KICK START PROGRAM

The West Charleston Library, 6301 W. Charleston Blvd., plans to host a free Nevada College Kick Start Program from 11 a.m. to noon Dec. 5. Learn how to establish a college savings account with an initial deposit of $50 for all public school kindergarten students in Nevada.

For more information, call 702-507-3964 or visit lvccld.org.

STUDENTS INVITED TO ENTER LEIF ERIKSON DRAWING CONTEST

Children in grades one through five are invited to enter the Leif Erikson drawing competition sponsored by the Vegas Viking Lodge of the Sons of Norway. Drawings should depict the Viking Leif Erikson and his men traveling to America. The four key traits of Erikson and his men should be incorporated: imagination, vision, collaboration and fearlessness.

Drawings must be submitted on 11-inch by 8½-inch or 11-inch by 17-inch paper using any medium. The winning students in each grade will receive Target gift cards valued at $100, $50 and $25 for first, second and third place, respectively.

Entries must be postmarked by Dec. 15 and mailed to the attention of Christian Schoyen, Leif Erikson drawing competition, 1930 Village Center Circle, No. 3-211, Las Vegas, NV 89134. All entries must include the child’s name, address, grade, home phone number and school.

LOCATIONS ANNOUNCED FOR CHILD AND ADULT CARE FOOD PROGRAM

The Culinary Academy of Las Vegas has announced locations for the 2014 Child and Adult Care Food Program, a federally funded program administered by Nevada’s Department of Agriculture to youths living in low-income areas. The academy, 710 W. Lake Mead Blvd., is providing the free and nutritious after-school meals to children 18 or younger Monday through Friday.

The academy prepares about 500 meals a day for 14 sites. The following six sites are open to any child, with no registration required: Doolittle Community Center, 1950 N. J St.; Fresh Wind Ministries, 3660 N. Rancho Drive; Pearson Community Center, 1625 W. Carey Ave.; Richard Steele Boxing Club, 2475 W. Cheyenne Ave., Suite 110; The Salvation Army Citadel Corps, 2900 Palomino Lane; and Stupak Community Center, 251 W. Boston Ave.

For more information, email zshah@theculinaryacademy.org or call 702-924-2102.

AFTER-SCHOOL TUTORING AVAILABLE AT CIMARRON ROSE COMMUNITY CENTER

The Cimarron Rose Community Center, 5591 N. Cimarron Road, offers after-school tutoring in mathematics, science and reading to students in grades one through six. Weekly 30-minute sessions may be scheduled from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday, Wednesday or Thursday and from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday.

The cost is $45 per month during the school year (prorated for holidays). A licensed Clark County School District substitute teacher is the tutor. To register, visit the center or call 702-229-1607.

DISCOVERY CHILDREN’S MUSEUM AND SPREAD THE WORD PLAN BOOK DRIVE

The Discovery Children’s Museum, 360 Promenade Place, has partnered with nonprofit Spread the Word Nevada to host a book drive through Jan. 4.

The museum will collect new or gently used books targeting a pre-kindergarten to eighth-grade reading level, to be distributed to children in Southern Nevada. Anyone donating a book will receive $2 off museum admission.

The book drive is being held in conjunction with the literacy-based traveling exhibit “Storyland: A Trip Through Childhood Favorites,” which features seven beloved children’s books. It will be at the museum through Jan. 4.

For more information, visit discoverykidslv.org. For more information on Spread the Word Nevada, visit spreadthewordnevada.org.