Education Notebook, July 17-23, 2014

WET’N’WILD LAS VEGAS OFFERS FREE ADMISSION FOR GOOD SCHOOL WORK

As a summer treat to show appreciation for local residents and pass holders, Wet‘n’Wild Las Vegas, 7055 S. Fort Apache Road, is offering several free admission opportunities to enjoy the park.

Wet‘n’Wild is rewarding Clark County students for their good work during school. Students who received straight A’s on their year-end report card can present it at any ticket window to receive a free general admission ticket. This offer is good for K-12 students one time during the 2014 season.

Wet‘n’Wild is also honoring local seniors 65 or older with free admission during July.

For more information, visit wetnwildlasvegas.com.

NEVADA STATE COLLEGE SEEKS STORIES FOR STUDENT-RUN LITERARY JOURNAL

Nevada State College and its Humanities Department are looking for stories to be printed in its student-run literary journal, 300 Days of Sun. It is a print journal featuring poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction and visual art.

It is seeking submissions for its second issue through Sept. 30. The book is slated to be printed in December. Copies of the journal will be available for purchase online and through the Nevada State College Bookstore.

Faculty adviser Dr. Gregory Robinson, chairman of the Humanities Department, said it is looking for original, unpublished work in English with the theme of Las Vegas. All submissions should involve the theme in some way.

Authors should consider this theme liberally, writing about the desert, Southern Nevada and culture outside the Strip.

For more information or to submit, visit https://300daysofsun.submittable.com/submit.

SUMMER BUSINESS INSTITUTE STUDENTS TO COLLECT DONATIONS FOR PEGGY’S ATTIC

Clark County Summer Business Institute interns have taken on the task of generating donations for Peggy’s Attic at Child Haven, which provides free clothes and other items to local foster children.

The SBI program provides business experience for Clark County high school students and college freshmen. The group is seeking donations of new or gently used work clothes for teens to wear to job interviews. The group’s plans include drop boxes at the County Government Center, 500 S. Grand Central Parkway. Other locations are in discussion.

The SBI interns plan to host a summer festival from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 26 at the Child Haven gymnasium, 651 N. Pecos Road. Plans for the festival include a talent show, crafts, and vendors. The cost of admission is a donation of items for children to Peggy’s Attic. Suggested donations include backpacks, new school supplies, khaki pants, collared shirts, new underwear and new socks, paper towels and baby wipes.

The interns also plan to host a fashion show from 2 to 5 p.m. July 26 in the Pyramid Room at the Government Center to bring the community together and help generate additional donations.

For more information, or to make a donation, contact SBI Program Coordinator Kaveida Allen atkal@clarkcountynv.gov or 702-455-2426.

SAFEKEY REGISTRATION TO OPEN AUG. 4

Safekey registration is set to open for fall for students in kindergarten through fifth grade from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 4 at the city of Las Vegas Safekey Office, 416 N. Seventh St. Registration will also be available at recreation.lasvegasnevada.gov.

The fee is $20 per child, per school year. A morning pass is $7 per morning and an afternoon pass is $10 per afternoon. Financial assistance may be available for qualifying families. For more information about financial assistance, call 702-229-3218 or 702-229-3219.

Safekey hours vary by school. For more information, call 702-229-3399.

BACK-TO-SCHOOL FAIRS SET IN AUGUST

A Ward 6 Back-to-School Fair and Movie in the Park event is planned for 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Aug. 8 at Centennial Hills Park, 7101 N. Buffalo Drive. Free school supplies and binders are set to be given out, while supplies last. Light refreshments and beverages will be provided, and a balloon artist, face painters and a jump house are planned. Admission is free. For more information, call 702-229-6154.

A Ward 5 Back-to-School Fair is planned from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 16 at Lorenzi Park, 3333 W. Washington Ave. For more information, call 702-229-5443.

A Ward 1 Back-to-School Community Fair is planned from 7 to 8 p.m. Aug. 21 at West Charleston Lions/Essex Park, 600 Essex Drive. “Frozen” is set to be shown at dusk. For more information, call 702-229-6405.

INTERNATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL EXCHANGE SEEKS HOST FAMILIES

The International High School is seeking host families for exchange students ages 15 to 18 from around the world for the upcoming school year.

Host families are needed for the fall semester and the full school year. Hosts serve as mentors and as a home base for their student. Each student is responsible for spending money and full health insurance coverage.

Applications are due by Aug. 15. For more information, contact Dawn Green at d.green@international-experience.net or call 208-447-8118.

STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM SEEKS HOST FAMILIES

The World Heritage Student Exchange Program is seeking local host families for high school exchange students from more than 30 countries, including Germany, Spain, Thailand, Denmark and France.

Couples, single parents and families with and without children are encouraged to apply to host a student for a semester or the entire school year. Each exchange student is fully insured, has personal spending money and expects to contribute to household responsibilities.

For more information, call 800-888-9040, email info@world-heritage.org or visit whhosts.com.

INCOMING FRESHMEN CAN APPLY FOR VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL IB PROGRAM

The International Baccalaureate programs at the Clark County School District fill quickly, so students should apply soon for an opportunity with Valley High School’s magnet IB program.

Applications will be accepted until Aug. 25. Incoming high school freshmen may print an application at magnet.ccsd.net or fill one out in person at the school, 2839 S. Burnham Ave.

NATHAN ADELSON HOSPICE COLLECTING SCHOOL SUPPLIES

Through Aug. 18, Nathan Adelson Hospice will serve as a drop-off point for school supplies for Robert L. Taylor and Sunrise Acres elementary schools.

Supplies needed include backpacks; paper; crayons; markers; scissors; erasers; glue sticks; tissues; colored pencils; pocket folders; rulers; binders; paper towels; and zippered plastic bags. Items can be dropped off between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. at two hospice locations: 4141 Swenson St. and 3150 N. Tenaya Way, or on the third floor of the MountainView Medical Offices building.

Donations will be delivered to the schools before the first day of classes on Aug. 25. For more information, visit nah.org.

HELEN MEYER COMMUNITY CENTER TO HOST SUMMER PROGRAMS

The Helen Meyer Community Center, 4525 New Forest Drive, plans to offer pre-kindergarten one-week summer programs for children 3 to 5 through Aug. 22.

Programs are scheduled from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. The cost is $65 per week.

Lessons planned include Spanish language, fun with numbers and letters, science, animal adventures, art, music, story book and crafts, sports, exercise and nutrition.

For more information, visit tinyurl.com/3quf388 or call 702-455-7723.

YMCA PLANS SUMMER READING AND SCIENCE PROGRAMS

The YMCA of Southern Nevada is offering summer reading and science programs for campers at all four of its branches. Summer camp participants ages 5 to 11 will participate in an age-appropriate learning program.

Programs include Martha Speaks (ages 5 to 7), emphasizing vocabulary acquisition; Rock Star Readers (ages 8 and 9), to instill a love of reading in children and improve literacy skills; and Design Squad (ages 10 and 11), including designing an experiment.

For more information about the camp and financial assistance, visit lasvegasymca.org.

THREE SQUARE OFFERS SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM FOR KIDS

Three Square food bank and its program partners have launched this year’s installment of the Summer Food Service Program, which runs through Aug. 22. It ensures that children across the Las Vegas Valley have access to nutritious meals during their summer break when free and reduced meals are not available.

The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered by Nevada’s Department of Agriculture. It is free for children 18 or younger and is offered Monday through Friday at more than 70 sites across the valley.

For a list of sites, visit whyhunger.org/findfood or threesquare.org or call 866-348-6479.

STUDENTS INVITED TO ENTER POETRY COMPETITION

Clark County high school students are invited to submit original poems for the Vegas Valley Book Festival Spark! 2014 Poetry Writing & Recitation Competition, scheduled for Sept. 2. Modeled after the national Poetry Out Loud competition and the Scholastic Writing competition, the contest will give students the opportunity to recite their poetry during the Vegas Valley Book Festival on Oct. 18. First-place prize is $300, second place is $200 and third is $100.

Students will be asked to submit three original poems to be judged by a panel of poets, authors, educators and other community members. The top six will advance to the recitation round. The top three highest-scoring students in that round will determine first, second and third place.

For competition details, guidelines and a registration form, visit vegasvalleybookfestival.org/spark-poetry-writing-recitation-competition.

LIBRARY PROGRAM TO ENHANCE CHILDREN’S VOCABULARIES

Martha Speaks Mondays are slated at various libraries. Parents and children share books and activities that enhance a child’s vocabulary.

For more information, call 702-507-3630.

PARALYMPIC SPORTS CLUB LAS VEGAS PLANS ACTIVITIES

The Paralympic Sports Club Las Vegas plans to host sports activities for children through grade 12 with physical disabilities.

Wheelchair basketball is planned from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Thursdays at the Minker Sports Complex, 275 N. Mojave Road. Swimming is planned from 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays at Municipal Pool, 431 E. Bonanza Road.

Project Dirt is planned for ages 18 or older July 19-20. Individuals with a developmental disability will participate in overnight tent camps that include arts and crafts, fishing and hiking. The cost is $25. Participants are asked to bring a sleeping bag and a toothbrush.

For more information, contact Jonathon Foster at 702-229-4796 or email jfoster@lasvegasnevada.gov.

ALL 4 KIDS TO BE OFFERED AT CAMBRIDGE COMMUNITY CENTER

The program All 4 Kids: Healthy, Happy, Active, Fit is being offered by the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension for children 3 to 5 through Aug. 18 at the Cambridge Community Center, 3930 Cambridge St.

The program encourages children and their parents to be healthy, active and fit by providing interactive experiences that promote healthful habits.

The program is free and is scheduled from noon to 1 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays. Space is limited, and classes are taught in English and Spanish.

To sign up, call 702-948-5942 or email all_for_kids@unce.unr.edu.