Education Notebook: School news and events for July 23-29, 2015

Nevada Connections Academy plans information sessions in Henderson

Nevada Connections Academy plans to host two information sessions in Henderson. The academy is a virtual public school, and the sessions will allow interested families to meet with its certified teachers and parents with children currently enrolled.

Sessions are set from 7 to 8:30 p.m. July 21 and Aug. 20 at the Seven Hills Conference Center, 3215 St. Rose Parkway.

Visit connectionsacademy.com/nevada-virtual-school/our-school/home.aspx.

Summer book sale for teachers planned at Clark County Library

Teachers can purchase gently used children's books or text books for 25 cents from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 1 at the Clark County Library District Foundation Bookstore at the Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road. The books usually sell for 50 cents. Teacher identification cards are required for the discount.

Call 702-507-3686.

Summer Transportation Institute planned through July 27

UNLV plans to host the 2015 Nevada Summer Transportation Institute through July 27. The program is free and open to all Nevada high school students. It offers the opportunity to attend lectures, field trips and activities to explore the impact of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) on the transportation industry.

The program is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit tinyurl.com/pb4dweu.

Back-to-school backpacks, supplies needed for children in family services

The Clark County Department of Family Services, Foster Connect, Fostering Southern Nevada and Foster Kinship are asking the community to donate new backpacks, school supplies and school uniforms to children in the care of family services. The back-to-school donation drive runs through Aug. 7. The goal is to receive 1,500 backpacks and school supplies to fill the backpacks.

Donations can be dropped off from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at Peggy’€™s Attic, 701 N. Pecos Road. Donation hours will be extended from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 3-7.

Call 702-455-5424 to make arrangements to drop off donations outside of these hours.

Carrington College plans open house for those interested in health care careers

Carrington College is set to host an open house, offering program information, campus tours and other activities for those interested in health care careers from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. July 28 at its campus, 5740 S. Eastern Ave., Suite 140.

Activities on campus throughout the day are to include the ability to talk with campus leadership, program instructors (Dental Assisting, Massage Therapy, Medical Assisting, Medical Billing and Coding, Pharmacy Technology, Physical Therapist Assistant and Respiratory Care) and current students.

RSVP by visiting carrington.edu/info/openhouse/carrington-college.

HomeAid to collect school supplies, hygiene items for disadvantaged students

HomeAid Southern Nevada is collecting back-to-school supplies and personal hygiene items throughout July in support of Project 150. More than 600 backpacks will be filled with these items will be provided to homeless, displaced, and disadvantaged high school students in Southern Nevada in early August.

Back to School Success Drive opportunities include: "Sponsor a Backpack" for a $60 donation; collecting donations at your office or store or volunteering for one of HomeAid'€™s "€œAssembly Days" set for Aug. 6 and 7.

For more information or to volunteer, contact HomeAid's Caitlin Shea at caitlin@snhba.com or 702-794-0117, ext. 100 or Debbie Harpster, executive director, Project 150 at dharpster@project150.org or 702-721-7150.

Learn more at homeaidsn.org, call 702-794-0117, ext. 100.

Bank of America to host school supply drive through July

Bank of America is hosting a valleywide school supply drive through July for the fifth straight year. During the past four years, the drive collected and delivered more than 33,000 school supply items.

This year, the drive will benefit Miller, 4851 E. Lake Mead Blvd., and Lynch, 4850 Kell Lane, elementary schools and Monaco Middle School, 1870 N. Lamont St.

Collection receptacles will be stationed at each of the 50-plus Bank of America banking centers throughout Southern Nevada. Desired supplies include paper, backpacks, pens and pencils, physical education equipment and school uniform garments.

Visit bankofamerica.com.

UNLV to host Rebel Debate Institute through Aug. 2

The nationally ranked UNLV debate team is hosting the Rebel Debate Institute, a camp for Clark County high school students to hone their skills in public speaking, rapid-fire debate and research, through Aug. 2 at UNLV, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway.

High school students from Desert Oasis, Green Valley, Coronado, Chaparral, Canyon Springs, Bishop Gorman and Palo Verde high schools and Northwest Career and Technical Academy are attending.

Sessions are planned from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Classroom Building Complex.

Visit unlv.edu/debate/rdi.

Fall Safekey registration set to start July 27

Registration for fall 2015 Safekey is set to open at 7 a.m. July 27 at the Safekey main office, 416 N. Seventh St.

Office hours are from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Registration is $20 per child'€™s account, per school year and $7 for a morning pass and $10 for an afternoon pass.

Payments can be made at recreation.lasvegasnevada.gov, by calling 702-229-3399 or in person at the office. The program is a prepaid service. Financial assistance may be available for qualifying families. Hours vary per site, and not all sites offer a morning program.

Call 702-229-3399.

Leadership Academy of Nevada enrolling students

The Leadership Academy of Nevada is expanding and has added a limited number of seats for the 2015-16 school year. It focuses on developing principled leaders through delivery of a liberal arts education using cutting-edge technology. It offers instruction to students in grades six through 12 throughout the state.

Regularly scheduled enrollment information meetings are held online and in Las Vegas so parents and students can learn more.

For meeting dates, times and locations, visit lanv.org.

Spark! Poetry Writing & recitation competition taking entries

Clark County high school students are invited to submit original poems for the Vegas Valley Book Festival'€™s Spark! Poetry Writing & Recitation Competition. Modeled after the national Poetry Out Loud competition and the Scholastic Writing competition, the contest will have students reciting their poetry during the book festival scheduled for Oct. 17.

The first-place prize is $300, second place is $200 and third place is $100. Students are asked to present three original poems to be judged by a panel consisting of poets, authors, educators and other community members. Panelists will use scoring guidelines to assign numerical values to the evaluation criteria.

Three presentation rounds are planned. Students who register through Sept. 30 will be eligible to present one poem in the first round. The top six will present in the second round, and the top three in the third round will determine first, second and third place. Scores will be cumulative. Students must present the poems they submitted on their registration form.

For guidelines and a registration form, visit vegasvalleybookfestival.org. Contact Maryjane Dorofachuk, Nevada Arts Council arts learning coordinator, at 702-486-3738 or mdorofachuk@nevadaculture.org.