At-risk Las Vegas students greet Station Casinos’ gift of computers with tears, surprise
Entering a surprise luncheon hosted by Station Casinos April 12, 300 at-risk Las Vegas elementary students had no clue what was in store for them: their very own computer.
Through its Smart Start program, the company has partnered with the Clark County School District to provide children with needed resources, varying from financial assistance to mentors. With the help of the Outlook Foundation — a local nonprofit that provides refurbished computers to students with limited resources — Station Casinos added an extra bonus by donating 300 refurbished Dell desktop computers with new LCD monitors for the students.
“You get a computer, and you get a computer, and you get a computer,” said Lori Nelson, Station Casinos vice president of corporate communications, giving her best Oprah Winfrey impression.
Smart Start has been ongoing for 16 years. Schools that take part in the program are from across the valley and include Sewell and Taylor elementary schools in Henderson; Bell, Dearing, Detwiler, Hollingsworth and Whitney elementary schools in east valley; Diskin Elementary School in the Summerlin area; and Fitzgerald and Squires elementary schools in North Las Vegas.
Different casinos partner with a particular at-risk school and provide it not only with ongoing financial assistance but volunteers, as well.
More than $2.5 million has been raised for the schools.
For the last 12 years, Sherrie Gahn, principal for Whitney Elementary School, 5005 Keenan Ave., has watched as her students were impacted by the Smart Start program.
“Yes, the financial assistance helps,” she said, “but it’s the human contact that really makes a difference for the kids.”
Throughout the years, volunteers from Station Casinos corporate and Wildfire Gaming have come to help out at school functions such as the fall festival or bring the students Valentine’s Day cookies.
“Some come in to read to the kids,” she said.
The students come to know the casino employees closely.
“To know that people care about them is instrumental,” Gahn said. “Our students have developed a relationship with many of the employees.”
The Boulder Station event was a bonus.
“A lot of our kids don’t have a phone or iPad, let alone a computer,” Gahn said. Having access to technology is pivotal to their future in education, she added.
With the digital divide — the gap between demographics with access to technology and those who don’t — there are many contributing factors to why a student may or may not succeed. Gahn said donations such as the computers impact students and help give them more tools to succeed.
“We want to eliminate any barrier that prevents them from graduating high school,” she added.
The students were chosen as recipients because they showed drastic improvement in their grades and class work over the last few months and are being awarded accordingly.
Filing into the Railhead inside Boulder Station, 4111 Boulder Highway, children thought they were getting only a free lunch. That was until Nelson took to the stage to give them the surprise.
When the curtain was pulled back, it was made clear that each student would be taking home a new computer. The moment was timed with a balloon drop and culminated with a roar of excitement from the kids.
In a crowd of mixed-grade students, some got teary-eyed while others cupped their mouths in shock as they realized what was happening.
Lamark Mikell Sr., whose son is a first-grader at Bell Elementary School, 2900 Wilmington Way, said having these resources is crucial.
“The way everything is going, access to the Internet is essential,” he said. “Having the computer will go a long way.”
Each school is working out the details with parents to make sure they are aware of the gift.
Children who received the computers were also offered discounted Internet service through Connect2Compete, a program through Cox Communications that helps students.
To reach Henderson View reporter Michael Lyle, email mlyle@viewnews.com or call 702-387-5201. Find him on Twitter: @
