Education notebook

COLLEGE FAIR SET AT CASHMAN CENTER

The Clark County School District's 34th annual College Fair Plus is scheduled from 5:30 to 8 p.m. today and Wednesday at the Cashman Center, 850 Las Vegas Blvd. North.

The fair will provide students the opportunity to meet local and out-of-state representatives from universities, colleges and the military. Students and parents can attend workshops to learn about financial aid and scholarships.

The event is free and open to all of the district's students and parents. For more information, visit ccsd.net/collegefair.

FOUNDATION TO HOST ART AUCTION

The Foundation for Education Hope plans to host its third annual Un-Masking the Mind Art Auction and Fundraiser at the Stan Fulton Building at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway, from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday.

The live auction is set to feature more than 25 Mardi Gras-style masks, some designed and painted by local artists and celebrities. Antonio Fargas, who portrayed Huggy Bear in the 1970s "Starsky and Hutch" TV series, will be the master of ceremonies.

In addition to the live auction, a silent auction is planned. Funds raised will go toward the purchase of classroom supplies at Innovations International Charter School of Nevada.

Advance tickets are $35 or $50 for two by calling 216-4337 or emailing info@unmaskingthemind.org. Tickets also will be available at the door.

TREE-DECORATING CONTEST COMING TO VALLEY AUTOMALL

Valley Automall, 300 Auto Mall Drive in Henderson, is accepting entries for its 14th annual tree-decorating contest. Entries are due Nov. 11 and will be accepted in the order they are received. The event is scheduled for Dec. 1, and one team per school will be selected at random if there is more than one entry.

Teams of students will be given money to purchase decorations of their choice and asked to decorate trees at participating dealerships. Winning trees, as voted on by judges, will receive $3,000 for first place, $2,000 for second and $1,000 for third.

For more information, call 568-1487 or email manager@valleyautomall.com.

PHOTO CONTEST OPEN TO ALL MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS

The Clark County School District is accepting submissions through Nov. 11 for the Middle School Electronic Photo Contest.

Entries must be original photos taken by a middle school student in JPEG format no smaller than 200 DPI. The student's name, photo title, school, grade and a teacher's name should be emailed to mnelson2@interact.ccsd.net.

Categories include Show Off Your School, It's a Small World, Favorite Places, Pets and Computer Madness. There is a limit of one entry per category, per student, and each entry requires a separate email.

Prizes include a framed photo, a gift card and acknowledgement at a December Clark County School Board of Trustees meeting.

For more information, visit ccsd.net.

ESSAY CONTEST, $1,000 UP FOR GRABS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

The Bill of Rights Institute in Washington, D.C., is hosting a nationwide essay contest for all high school students, with cash prizes of up to $1,000.

The Being an American Essay Contest explores the founding principles outlined in the Constitution, specifically, "How does the Constitution establish and maintain a culture of liberty?"

Three students from each of five geographic regions will win first-, second- and third-place prizes. Essays should be 1,000 or fewer words.

For more information, visit billof rightsinstitute.org/contest. Deadline for submissions is Dec. 15.

COMPUTER CLASSES FOR SENIORS SET TO BEGIN IN NOVEMBER

The Las Vegas SeniorNet Learning Center, 6615 S. Eastern Ave., Suite 104, plans to offer two-hour computer courses once a week for six weeks beginning Nov. 7.

Classes are peer-taught by computer-fluent senior volunteers in subjects such as Computer Fundamentals, Email Basics, Microsoft Windows Basics, Internet, and Scanning and Digital Imaging.

SeniorNet, a nonprofit group started in 1986, is available for adults 50 or older. Membership is $40 for the first year and $30 thereafter. Some classes may require an additional $15 fee.

For more information or to sign up for classes, call Mary Myers at 279-4939.

LIBERTY HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER RECEIVES EXCELLENCE AWARD

Liberty High School theater teacher Sharon Chadwick received the Myra Greenspun Teacher Excellence Award, presented by the Public Education Foundation and Myra Greenspun.

Chadwick received $3,000 to put toward the theater program, school or professional development and an honorarium of $1,000 to the foundation's Teacher EXCHANGE, a resource center for teaching materials.

Chadwick is the Nevada Thespian Chapter director and a member of the Educational Theatre Association. She was the 2003 and 2011 Nevada Thespian Theatre Teacher of the Year.

Assistant principal Kathleen Morse nominated Chadwick.

Applications for next year's award will be available at thepef.org.

COLLEGE FAIR PEP RALLIES SET AT THREE HIGH SCHOOLS

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, plans to sponsor the Got College! pep rally from 2:15 to 5 p.m. today at Canyon Springs High School, 350 E. Alexander Road; Desert Pines High School, 3800 Harris Ave.; and Rancho High School, 1900 Searles Ave.

The rally and tailgating event is set to include food, entertainment and prizes leading up to the 34th annual College Fair Plus, scheduled from 5:30 to 8 p.m. today and Wednesday at the Cashman Center, 850 Las Vegas Blvd. North. Got College! is a federally funded program to increase enrollment of at-risk students in college.