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Education Notebook, Oct. 9-15, 2014

UNLV PLANS CONSTRUCTION CAREER DAY OCT. 10

The Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering at UNLV, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway, plans to host a Construction Career Day from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 10 in the parking lot west of the Science and Engineering Building. More than 1,000 high school and middle school students from Clark County will explore careers in the construction industry and construction-related fields as well as exploring the UNLV campus. Students will observe demonstrations of different types of construction machinery, participate in engineering laboratories and learn about internships, apprenticeship programs and higher education opportunities.

For more information, visit tinyurl.com/o9xmx2y.

WESTERN HIGH SCHOOL TO HOST 50TH REUNION

Western High School’s class of 1964 plans to host its 50th reunion, the Warrior Dinner and Dancing Party, at 6 p.m. Oct. 11 at the Aliante, 7300 Aliante Parkway.

The class is one of the four founding classes of Western, 4601 W. Bonanza Road. A meet-and-greet event is scheduled for 7 p.m. Oct. 10 at Aces & Ales, 2801 N. Tenaya Way.

A block of rooms at the Aliante will be reserved for out-of-town attendees. For more information, call Connie Arnoldsen Davis at 702-450-9192, Lynda Craner Carson at 702-878-6186 or email dancinglit@aol.com.

SOLAR FESTIVAL SET FOR OCT. 11 AT LIFELONG LEARNING CENTER

The Conservation District of Southern Nevada plans to host the third annual Solarbration Solar Festival from noon to 4 p.m. Oct. 11 at the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension’s Lifelong Learning Center, 8050 Paradise Road. The purpose of the free festival is to blend art, technology and outreach to promote renewable energy, inspire conservation and support sustainable communities. Solar-powered art, demonstrations, information on sustainable energy and live music are planned.

For more information, visit solarbration.org.

UNLV FOUNDATION DINNER SET FOR OCT. 13 AT BELLAGIO

The UNLV Foundation Annual Dinner is planned for Oct. 13 at the Bellagio, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. South, to honor Las Vegas Sands chairman Sheldon Adelson and the late philanthropist Kitty Rodman.

The event began in 1989 as a way to celebrate individuals and organizations that advance UNLV’s mission through their private support.

The keynote speech at the event is scheduled to be given by former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

For more more information, visit unlv.edu/foundation.

STATEWIDE POSTER AND ESSAY CONTEST UNDERWAY

As part of Nevada’s Sesquicentennial celebration, the fourth annual statewide poster and essay contest is now open to all Nevada students in grades kindergarten through 12. This year’s theme will celebrate Nevada’s 150th Anniversary of Statehood with the state motto “All for Our Country.”

Students in kindergarten through third grade should create an 11-inch by 17-inch Nevada state poster and include its motto. The poster can be done in any medium.

Students in grades four and five should write a handwritten or typed essay of 250 words or less explaining how Nevada earned its motto and how they can apply it to better their community.

Students in grades six through eight should write a typed, double-spaced essay of 500 to 750 words explaining how Nevada earned its motto and how they can apply it to better their community.

Students in grades nine through 12 should write a typed, double-spaced essay of 750 to 1,000 words explaining how Nevada earned its motto and how Nevada can apply it to better the nation today.

Awards for each grade group are: first place, $100 gift card; second place, $50 gift card; and third place, $25 gift card. All prize funding provided by private donations.

All entries must include the child’s name, address, grade, home phone number and school. Entries should be mailed to Governor’s Poster and Essay Contest, P.O. Box 20743, Carson City, NV 89721. All entries must be received by Oct. 14.

GRIMALDI’S PIZZERIA SPONSORING ESSAY CONTEST FOR KIDS

Grimaldi’s Pizzeria has partnered with the Clark County School District School-Community Partnership Program to host a Perfect Pizza Art and Essay Contest for all elementary and middle school students.

Students are encouraged to express in a one-page essay their vision of the perfect pizza along with a picture of what that pizza would look like. The school with the most entries will receive a $1,000 donation from Grimaldi’s. Three winning students and their teachers will be selected to receive the following prizes: first place, $250 cash prize and pizza party for entire class; second place, $100 Grimaldi’s gift card; third place, $50 Grimaldi’s gift card. Every student who enters will receive a $5 Grimaldi’s gift card.

The deadline is Oct. 30. All entries must be mailed or hand-submitted to the attention of Cheryl Wagner at the School-Community Partnership Program, No. 145, Western High School, 4601 W. Bonanza Road, Las Vegas, NV 89107.

NEVADA RECYCLES PLANS RECYCLED ART CONTEST

The Nevada Recycles program has partnered with Las Vegas Sands Corp. to support a statewide recycled art contest to increase Nevadans’ awareness and interest in recycling.

Entrants must be Nevada residents, and projects must be composed of used recyclable materials. In addition to a $200 prize to the first-place class project, Las Vegas Sands Corp. will provide first-, second- and third-place winners (who will receive $250, $100 and $50, respectively) prizes in four categories: kindergarten through fifth grade, grades six through eight, grades nine through 12, and adult.

Materials that can be used include, but are not limited to, tires, electronics, appliances, plastic bags, bottles, batteries and aluminum cans. Fastening materials may include tape, glue and/or string.

The entry form and photos of artwork are due by Oct. 31. Winners will be announced before America Recycles Day on Nov. 15. For more information, visit nevadarecycles.nv.gov.

YES! PARTNERS WITH SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR THINK CLEAN CONTEST

Yes! Air Conditioning & Plumbing is partnering with the Clark County School District-Community Partnership Program to raise water conservation awareness in schools through the Think Clean contest.

The contest encourages students in kindergarten through 12th grade to submit their best creative ideas on how to conserve water in the form of essays, drawings and models, showcasing what the impact would be on the community. Two winners will be selected in each category and rewarded with cash prizes. The first-place winners from the high school level will receive $250, the second-place winners from middle school $150, and the elementary school winners will receive third place and $100. In addition, Yes! will donate $100 to each of the winners’ schools.

Submissions will be accepted Oct. 13 through Nov. 14. All entries must include a thorough explanation of the idea, the potential impact of the idea on the economy and community and how the idea can be implemented throughout the community. Projects must be submitted via email to toyesthinkclean@boltpr.com or mailed to Yes! Think Clean, 9731 Irvine Center Drive, Irvine, CA 92618.

For more information, email yesthinkclean@boltpr.com or visit ccsd.net.

UNLV TO HOST FALL CAREER FAIR

A Fall Career Fair is planned from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 14 in the ballroom of the UNLV Student Union, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway. Students can connect with potential employers and network for future jobs or internship opportunities.

The event is free for current UNLV students and alumni. Employers interested in having a table must register and pay an advance registration fee. To register, visit tinyurl.com/lq3naqd.

CHANGE REACTION PROGRAM KICKS OFF IN CLARK COUNTY SCHOOLS

A kickoff presentation for the inaugural Change Reaction outreach effort with the Clark County School District was held Sept. 30 at McWilliams Elementary School, 1315 Hiawatha Road.

The yearlong pay-it-forward campaign involves a chain reaction of local schools and students giving back by giving gifts to other schools. The campaign is spearheaded by Matt Smith Physical Therapy to help change lives in a positive manner.

The event included the giving of the first gift: several vegetable/fruit baskets with recipes and notes from students at McWilliams to students at Miller Elementary School, 4851 E. Lake Mead Blvd. In October, Miller’s gift will be to Hayden Elementary School, 150 Rome Road, loaning its Planetarium Lab for students to view the solar system. In November, Hayden plans to create and buy rainbow loom rubber band bracelets for each of the more than 800 students at Sewell Elementary School, 700 E. Lake Mead Drive.

WE R COMMUNITY KICKS OFF SEVENTH YEAR WITH WORKSHOP

The Public Education Foundation kicked off the seventh year of the We R Community program, the foundation’s service-learning initiative that aims to turn teens into philanthropists, with a workshop Oct. 2 at Las Vegas City Hall. More than 160 students and 20 teachers and administrators from the 16 high schools are participating.

Launched in 2008, We R Community teaches high school students about community service, philanthropy and volunteerism by incorporating the program into classroom learning and into students’ daily lives. Students learn how to create a mission statement, conduct a needs assessment, research nonprofit organizations, review grant applications and fund grants.

BANK OF NEVADA PROGRAM TO PROMOTE FINANCIAL LITERACY

Bank of Nevada plans to promote financial literacy for students and parents through its 20 for 20 Financial Literacy Program, which is providing $40,000 to fund financial literacy programs at 20 Title I elementary schools in the Clark County School District for the 2014-15 school year.

The program launched on Sept. 30 at Crestwood Elementary School, 1300 Pauline Way.

ANDSON ACADEMICS RECEIVES GRANT

The Dollar General Literacy Foundation recently awarded a youth literacy grant to local nonprofit Andson Academics. The program serves to increase students’ proficiency in reading by providing no-cost after-school homework help and tutoring based on common core standards, delivered by licensed Clark County School District teachers.

The grants help provide teachers, schools and organizations with the funding and resources needed to begin the school year.

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, 2015.

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.

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. Leif Erikson Day is Oct. 9.

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.

UNITED WAY GRANTS TO HELP PROVIDE EARLY CHILDHOOD SCHOLARSHIPS

United Way of Southern Nevada was awarded a $1 million grant to provide children 5 or younger with an opportunity to attend high-quality preschool programs. Windsong Trust, a private foundation for children’s education, funded the grant that will provide 250 full-time scholarships for one full year, as well as teacher training and professional development for 135 teachers. This is the fourth year that United Way has received the grant.

Licensed centers interested in partnering with the United Way should call 702-892-2309. Scholarships are available now. Interested applicants may apply at uwsn.org/taps.

For more information, contact Angela Rose, director of community development, at 702-892-2324 or angelar@uwsn.org.

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