Summerlin high schools go beyond the classroom

Summerlin has delivered on its promise of quality of life for 35 years via expertly designed neighborhoods and homes, more than 300 parks, 200-plus miles of trails, its own downtown with shopping, dining and entertainment, and more educational offerings than any other community via 26 public, private and charter schools. Each of the community’s six high schools offer a range of unique academies, clubs and programs that take traditional education well beyond the classroom, providing hands-on training for future vocations and catering to students’ special interests from sports and technology to the arts and science.

According to Danielle Bisterfeldt, senior vice president of marketing and consumer experience for Summerlin, schools have long played an important role in the community’s evolution.

“Planning for schools was incorporated into Summerlin’s original master plan from the very beginning,” Bisterfeldt said. “In fact, the Meadows College Preparatory School was the very first building in the community, constructed on land donated by Howard Hughes’ predecessor and opened in 1988. That single act helped to put Summerlin on the map and drove home the message that quality education would forever be a cornerstone of the community.”

Faith Lutheran High School, Nevada’s largest private school, offers an Academies experience that is designed for students to investigate and engage with real-life industries and careers. Academies include business and entrepreneurship, fine arts, film and broadcasting, justice and advocacy, STEM, theology, hospitality and tourism and flight. The Flight Academy, funded by a generous donation from the family of David Oder, founder of Shift4, offers aviation instruction for aspiring pilots, flight mechanics and studentsinterested in roles in the field of aviation. The certifications and endorsements students earn through participation in the Flight Academy give them a real advantage when applying to flight programs and universities that offer aviation degrees. This year, there are more than 70 students enrolled in the Flight Academy and a combined 441 enrolled in all Faith Lutheran Academies.

At Bishop Gorman High School, a private Catholic high school known nationwide for its athletic prowess in football, baseball, golf and more than a dozen other sports, 40-plus on-campus clubs cater to a wide range of student interests from speech and debate, robotics, military leadership and theatre and film.

The Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson School, the only Pre-K through grade 12 Jewish school in Nevada, offers high school students a distinct advantage through small class sizes. Focus area electives are offered in five categories, including TechBiz, which incorporates robotics, cybersecurity and technology entrepreneurship; media arts and communications; pre-law; pre-med; and Jewish studies. The Adelson School also offers robust performing arts programs and a variety of clubs and organizations, including Future Health Professionals.

The Meadows School offers a private college preparatory education and has earned a reputation for placing high school graduates in many of the nation’s top universities. Its Upper School, grades 9-12, offers a curriculum that is ranked by The Washington Post among the nation’s most challenging. The school features a college counseling team that works individually with Upper School students, and students are encouraged to engage with the school’s robust arts and athletics programs.

Palo Verde High School, one of two public high schools in Summerlin, offers Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) classes for advanced students, Junior ROTC, performing and visual arts programs and a variety of career and technical education programs in more than 14 subjects — from mechanical engineering, photography, video production and forensic science, to name a few. The school also boasts a strong athletic program with several state titles to its name, and dozens of clubs that run the gamut from chess, wilderness and human rights.

West Career &Technical Academy, a public magnet school, prepares students via a college preparatory education focused on project-based learning, real-world applications and innovative technology. Specialty programs include biomedical sciences, biotechnology, business management, cybersecurity, digital art and design, engineering, environmental science, nursing and sports medicine.

“We applaud our community’s high schools for providing students with so many opportunities to learn and have fun while figuring out their future careers and areas of post-high school study,” Bisterfeldt said. ‘While each Summerlin high school is unique, they share a common goal to encourage students to explore and dream big, laying a solid foundation for their futures.”

Now, in its 35th year of development, Summerlin offers more amenities than any other Southern Nevada community. These include 300-plus parks of all sizes; 200-plus miles of interconnected trails; resident-exclusive community centers; 10 golf courses; 26 public, private and charter schools; a public library and performing arts center; Summerlin Hospital Medical Center; houses of worship representing a dozen different faiths; office parks; and neighborhood shopping centers. Downtown Summerlin offers fashion, dining, entertainment, Red Rock Resort and Class A office buildings. City National Arena is the home of the Vegas Golden Knights National Hockey League practice facility. The Las Vegas Ballpark is a world-class Triple-A baseball stadium and home of the Las Vegas Aviators.

In total, Summerlin offers over 100 floor plans in nearly 20 neighborhoods throughout eight distinct villages and districts. Homes, built by many of the nation’s top homebuilders, are available in a variety of styles — from single-family homes to townhomes, priced from the $400,000s to more than $1 million. For information on all actively selling neighborhoods, visit Summerlin.com. Before you visit, call the builders to check hours of operation. Phone numbers for each neighborhood are on Summerlin.com.