Education Notebook, Dec. 11-17, 2014

AT-RISK STUDENTS START GARDEN PROJECT

Three at-risk schools with 90 percent of their students receiving free or reduced-cost lunch have started an outdoor garden classroom, funded through a $20,000 grant awarded to Keep Las Vegas Beautiful.

The participating schools are Vegas Verde Elementary School, 4000 El Parque Ave.; Gibson Middle School, 3900 W. Washington Ave., and Kelly Elementary School, 1900 J St.

Students and teachers, along with Lowe’s Heroes employee volunteers from Lowe’s Store No. 2477, 2465 N. Nellis Blvd., assisted. KLVB was awarded the Keep America Beautiful/Lowe’s Community Improvement grant to support its mission to engage individuals in building and sustaining vibrant communities. Future gardens are planned for Hollingsworth Elementary School, 1776 E. Ogden Ave., and the Las Vegas Boys and Girls Club, 2801 Stewart Ave., and will be installed after the first of the year.

Last year, KLVB installed a garden at Hewetson Elementary School, 701 N. 20th St., and is working on expanding it after the first of the year. KLVB and its team members will work with teachers to adapt traditional lessons to be taught in the gardens, to assist the schools to run farmers’ markets, to create community harvest parties and to partner schools with local chefs to demonstrate how to cook food from the gardens.

To volunteer for KLVB, contact Lisa Campbell at 702-229-5406 or lcampbell@lasvegasnevada.gov.

DOWNTOWN ACHIEVES PROGRAM NAMES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The city of Las Vegas has hired Michelle Layton as executive director of the Las Vegas Downtown Achieves Program, a collaborative public/private partnership designed to improve the academic outcomes of children attending schools in the downtown Las Vegas area.

Layton will oversee and direct all administration of the organization. She is the former community affairs executive director and community promotions director for CBS television affiliate KLAS 8 News NOW and previously served on LVDA’s teacher engagement committee.

FREE CODING CLASS PLANNED FOR DECEMBER

In celebration of Computer Science Education Week, TechBrainiacs plans to offer a free Hour of Code Workshop for children ages 5 to 18 at various Las Vegas-Clark County Library District branches. Parents should plan to attend with their child. Walk-ins will be welcome, although RSVP is recommended as space is limited.

Workshops are scheduled for: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 11 at the Summerlin Library, 1771 Inner Circle Drive, and from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Dec. 13 at the Centennial Hills Library, 6711 N. Buffalo Drive.

At the event, children can explore the binary number system and how it relates to computing. All attendees will participate in a fun, hands-on unplugged activity to help reinforce their understanding. Raffle prizes and other surprises from sponsors, as well as refreshments and discounts on registration to full-length classes, are planned.

For more information, visit techbrainiacs.com.

CSN BEGINS OPEN ENROLLMENT

Open enrollment for all admitted students is underway at the College of Southern Nevada. In addition to popular core classes such as biology, math and communications, CSN is also offering courses on smartphone application development, IRS-certified tax preparation and the cultural origin of and fascination with zombies.

Classes for the spring 2015 semester are set to begin Jan. 20. Students are reminded that CSN no longer allows late registration except in unusual circumstances. All registration must be complete before midnight Jan. 19.

For more information, visit csn.edu.

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.

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.

LOCATIONS ANNOUNCED FOR CHILD AND ADULT CARE FOOD PROGRAM

The Culinary Academy of Las Vegas has announced locations for the 2014 Child and Adult Care Food Program, a federally funded program administered by Nevada’s Department of Agriculture to youths living in low-income areas. The academy, 710 W. Lake Mead Blvd., is providing the free and nutritious after-school meals to children 18 or younger Monday through Friday.

The academy prepares about 500 meals a day for 14 sites. The following six sites are open to any child, with no registration required: Doolittle Community Center, 1950 N. J St.; Fresh Wind Ministries, 3660 N. Rancho Drive; Pearson Community Center, 1625 W. Carey Ave.; Richard Steele Boxing Club, 2475 W. Cheyenne Ave., Suite 110; The Salvation Army Citadel Corps, 2900 Palomino Lane; and Stupak Community Center, 251 W. Boston Ave.

For more information, email zshah@theculinaryacademy.org or call 702-924-2102.

AFTER-SCHOOL TUTORING AVAILABLE AT CIMARRON ROSE COMMUNITY CENTER

The Cimarron Rose Community Center, 5591 N. Cimarron Road, offers after-school tutoring in mathematics, science and reading to students in grades one through six. Weekly 30-minute sessions may be scheduled from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday, Wednesday or Thursday and from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday.

The cost is $45 per month during the school year (prorated for holidays). A licensed Clark County School District substitute teacher is the tutor. To register, visit the center or call 702-229-1607.

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.

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.