Education Notebook, Oct. 2-8, 2014

MAC KING, FOUNDATION TEAM UP FOR ESSAY CONTEST

Harrah’s comedy-magician Mac King and The Public Education Foundation are hosting an essay contest for all Clark County School District fifth-graders. Titled Why Reading is Magical, the contest will kick off this year’s Mac King’s Magical Literacy Tour.

The deadline is end of day Oct. 3. First-, second- and third-place essays will be selected. All three winning students will be given the chance to present their essays on stage with Mac King at the Vegas Valley Book Festival Oct. 18. The first-place winner, along with his/her entire fifth-grade class, will be awarded a trip to see “The Mac King Comedy Magic Show” at Harrah’s Las Vegas, including a meet-and-greet and photos with Mac King after the show.

Students can either email entries to essay@preferredpublicrelations.com by 11:59 p.m. Oct. 3 or mail them to 2630 S. Jones Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89146 (mailed essays must be postmarked by Oct. 3 at 11:59 p.m.).

4-H TO HOST NATIONAL SCIENCE DAY EVENT AT DIAZ ELEMENTARY

The University of Nevada Cooperative Extension’s 4-H youth development program plans to host its National Youth Science Day event, Rockets to the Rescue!, from 4 to 7 p.m. Oct. 8 at Diaz Elementary School, 4450 E. Owens Ave. Each year, 4-H offers a glimpse into S.T.E.M. (science, technology, engineering, and math) programs with interactive learning experiences during the National Science Experiment. This year’s science day will focus on rocketry.

The event, hosted by Diaz Eagle Artists 4-H Club, is family-friendly and will offer demonstrations with air and straw rockets and a family potluck picnic. For more information, contact Karen Best at 702-257-5538 or bestk@unce.unr.edu.

SIZZLER ON THE ROOF TO BENEFIT NEVADA SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

Sizzler on the Roof is planned from 7 to 10 p.m. Oct. 8 at the open-air lounge atop the Downtown Grand, 206 N. Third St. The event will benefit the nonprofit Nevada School of the Arts, 401 S. Fourth St., No. 125, with entertainment, fine cuisine and libations planned. Scheduled performers include Frankie Moreno, DeAnn Letourneau of the Las Vegas Philharmonic and the Nevada School of the Arts Chamber Orchestra. A live auction and raffle also are planned. Extreme artist Jean Francois Detaille plans to create a collectible painting on site.

Tickets are $150 per person and $1,500 for a silver sponsorship of up to eight guests.

For tickets, visit eventbrite.com and search for “Sizzler on the Roof” in the search bar. For more information, call 702-384-2787.

For more information, visit leiferiksonday.com or email drawingcompetition@leiferiksonday.com.

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.

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.