Education Notebook, Feb. 5-11, 2015

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS CAN ATTEND FREE ‘SELMA’ SCREENING

The city of Las Vegas is offering free tickets to high school students for a screening of “Selma” set for noon Feb. 7 at the Century 16 movie theater at the South Point, 9777 Las Vegas Blvd. South. A panel discussion moderated by the Psi Upsilon Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. is planned after the film.

To attend, students are asked to RSVP by Feb. 6 by calling 702-229-6242.

NONPROFIT AWARDS COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS TO THIRD-GRADERS

The Rogers Foundation made its inaugural award Jan. 21 of full college scholarships to 24 third-graders at Martinez Elementary School, 350 E. Judson Ave. The new nonprofit is dedicated to transforming lives through arts and education and supporting the artistic and academic achievements of Southern Nevada students through scholarships, grants and other programs.

The foundation was established through a gift from the estate of Beverly Rogers’s late husband, James E. Rogers. The foundation also announced it would award the first annual Rogers’ Gift of Imagination to an arts or music program in Southern Nevada, its Gift of Innovation to a kindergarten- through 12th-grade institution in the math, science and technology fields, and its Gift of Knowledge to a K-12 institution in Southern Nevada. Awarded annually, the amount of each award is up to $100,000.

For applications, visit therogers.foundation.

CSN TO NAME BUILDING IN HONOR OF DR. PAUL E. MEACHAM

The College of Southern Nevada planned to dedicate the Paul E. Meacham Student Services Building Jan. 30 on the Charleston campus, 6375 W. Charleston Blvd.

CSN President Emeritus Dr. Paul E. Meacham was the first African American president of a Nevada higher education institution. He headed CSN from 1983-94 and still holds the title of the longest-serving president in the college’s 44-year history. Through his leadership, Meacham set the vision for the design of the Charleston campus.

CHANGE REACTION PROGRAM GOES TO ROBERT TAYLOR ELEMENTARY

The yearlong, pay-it-forward Change Reaction program reached Robert Taylor Elementary School, 144 Westminster Way, Jan. 22. Spearheaded by Matt Smith Physical Therapy, it involves a chain reaction of local schools and students giving back by providing gifts to other schools. Robert Taylor was set to receive seeds and seedlings to start a garden, courtesy of Sewell Elementary School, 700 E. Lake Mead Drive.

NONPROFITS TEAM UP FOR COAT, MEAL DRIVE

Communities In Schools of Nevada, Soles for Souls, Three Square food bank, other nonprofits and volunteers from Nellis Air Force Base gathered Jan. 22 at Valley High School, 2839 S. Burnham Ave., to help families and students in need. More than 67 percent of Valley’s students receive free or reduced lunch.

Soles for Souls donated 300 coats, while Three Square provided nearly 50 pounds of fresh fruits and canned goods. Parents also were able to sign up for Medicaid and SNAP programs and receive information on vision and dental care.

CLARK COUNTY SCHOOLS COMPETE IN REGIONAL SCIENCE BOWL

Student teams from Clark County schools were set to compete Jan. 30 in a regional competition to represent Nevada in the high school National Finals of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science’s National Science Bowl, set for April in Washington, D.C. Local schools competing regionally are: Coral Academy of Science, 1051 Sandy Ridge Ave.; Coronado High School, 1001 Coronado Center Drive; Green Valley High School, 460 Arroyo Grande Blvd.; Sierra Vista High School, 8100 W. Robindale Road; Advanced Technologies Academy, 2501 Vegas Drive; Centennial High School, 10200 W. Centennial Parkway; Clark High School, 4291 Pennwood Ave.; Faith Lutheran Middle School and High School, 2015 W. Hualapai Way; Northwest Career and Technical Academy, 8200 W. Tropical Parkway; The Meadows School, 8601 Scholar Lane; West Career & Technical Academy, 11945 W. Charleston Blvd.; and Legacy High School, 150 W. Deer Springs Way.

PRESCHOOL RECEIVES STATE’S HIGHEST RANKING

The Sandra and Stanley Mallin Early Childhood Center at Temple Beth Sholom, 10700 Havenwood Lane, is the only preschool program in Las Vegas to receive the highest rating of five stars by the Nevada Silver State Stars Quality Rating & Improvement System.

The voluntary program is open to all child care centers in Nevada and overseen by the Nevada Department of Education’s Office of Early Learning and Development. It provides a standard to measure and improve the quality of early childhood programs and educate families, providers and the community. It also creates stronger learning environments for Nevada preschoolers by using standardized, research-based criteria.

For more information about the Nevada Silver State Stars QRIS, visit nvsilverstatestars.org.

BONNER ELEMENTARY PLANS RUNNING FUNDRAISER FOR MARCH 14

Bonner Elementary School, 765 Crestdale Lane, plans to host its fourth annual Bonner Run for Education from 8 to 11 a.m. March 14. All proceeds from the 5K run/1.5-mile walk will go toward maintaining low class sizes.

Along with monetary donations, organizers are seeking donated items to be used for a raffle/silent auction, such as gift certificates, gift cards and actual items and services that can be raffled individually or in gift baskets. Business sponsor opportunities also are available. For more information, contact Paul Catania at 702-799-6050.

Registration to participate in the event is $15 in advance and $20 the day of for participants 11 or younger and $25 in advance or $30 the day of for those 12 or older

For more information, contact Kristi O’Donnell at 702-561-4872.

KOHL’S OFFERS SCHOLARSHIPS

Kohl’s plans to award nearly $400,000 in Kohl’s Cares scholarships this year to students 6 to 18. To nominate a student, visit kohlskids.com through March 13. The program recognizes young volunteers who have made a positive impact in their communities.

Ten national winners will each be awarded a $10,000 scholarship for higher education, and Kohl’s will donate $1,000 to a nonprofit on each national winner’s behalf. Nearly 200 students will win regional scholarships worth $1,000 toward higher education, and more than 2,000 local students will receive a $50 Kohl’s gift card.

The scholarship program is part of Kohl’s Cares, a philanthropic program focused on improving the lives of children.

SUMMER BUSINESS INSTITUTE TAKING APPLICATIONS

The Summer Business Institute is accepting online applications from high school sophomores, juniors and seniors through Feb. 27. The program is a collaborative effort between the Clark County Human Resources Department, the Clark County School District, UNLV and the local business community. The focus of the program is to give youths opportunities to experience a corporate environment. Internships are eight weeks and include business mentoring, life skills training, financial management and a civic engagement project.

A high school transcript, high school statement and two letters of recommendation are required to apply. Qualifying students are scheduled to be interviewed over spring break in March.

To apply, visit tinyurl.com/7ukno22.

CSN TO OPEN RENOVATED HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER

The College of Southern Nevada plans to reopen its renovated Claude I. Howard Health Science Center during a dedication ceremony set for 4 p.m. Feb. 11. The building is the oldest on the school’s Charleston campus, 6375 W. Charleston Blvd., and was renovated to include three new classrooms and six labs. Nearly 5,000 square feet of new space is set to house ophthalmic dispensing, radiation therapy and physical therapy. The project cost $10 million and included modern, new equipment for physical therapy, radiation therapy and ophthalmic assistant programs, along with smaller renovations to the veterinary tech area in an adjacent building.

College officials and members of the health care industry are set to attend the celebration.

For more information, visit csn.edu.

VEGAS PBS ANNOUNCES LEARNINGMEDIA DIGITAL INNOVATORS PROGRAM

Vegas PBS announced the third annual PBS LearningMedia Digital Innovators Program for tech-savvy kindergarten through 12th-grade educators. PBS LearningMedia is a free media on-demand service of Vegas PBS that offers more than 87,000 digital resources for educators. The program recognizes the nation’s top 100 applicants who are incorporating digital media in classrooms and serving as leaders in educational technology.

Through Feb. 11, educators can apply to the program by submitting a 60- to 120-second video showcasing how they are creatively using digital technology and tools in the classroom to spur student achievement and by completing a profile and two essay questions. To apply online, visit pbslearningmedia.org/digitalinnovators.

The selected teachers will be rewarded with yearlong career-enhancement opportunities, including virtual trainings with a focus on creative instructional strategies and digital best practices, access to premium and exclusive resources from PBS LearningMedia Custom and a free PBS TeacherLine professional development course, invitations to special events, membership in a professional learning community and networking with other innovative educators and thought leaders. They also will receive ongoing support from their local PBS member stations.

The top 30 applicants will be designated as Lead PBS LearningMedia Digital Innovators and will also receive a three-day, all-expenses-paid trip to Philadelphia to participate in the 2015 PBS LearningMedia Digital Summit and the International Society for Technology in Education conference, along with a Samsung Galaxy tablet.

The winners are to be announced in March. For more information, visit pbslearningmedia.org.

HENDERSON LIBRARIES SPONSORS TEEN WRITING CONTEST

Henderson Libraries is accepting entries for its sixth annual Teen Writing Contest through Feb. 28. Students in grades six through 12 are invited to compete. One work per student will be accepted (no school assignments). The entry can be in one of the following categories: poetry; one-act play; short story; or essay (up to 2,000 words). All work must be original and unpublished.

Winners will be chosen by a panel of Henderson District Public Libraries librarians and collected and published as a digital literary magazine, which will become part of the library district’s Digital Collections. Winners will be notified by the end of March if their work has been selected for publication.

A reception and unveiling of the magazine is planned for April.

For more information or to enter, visit tinyurl.com/oxqy4js.

LEADERSHIP TRAINING SET FOR PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES

Partners in Policymaking plans to offer leadership training for people with developmental disabilities, parents and family members. The training is designed to teach the power of advocacy and change the way people with disabilities are supported, viewed, taught, live and work. The program will provide information about issues and policies related to disability and develop participant competencies to become more effective in influencing policy development at all levels.

Parents of children with developmental disabilities and adults with developmental disabilities are encouraged to apply. Classes are planned from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. once a month through August at the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension’s Lifelong Learning Center, 8050 Paradise Road. Participants are expected to commit to all classes or complete make-up assignments. Remaining dates are: Feb. 28, March 21, April 18, May 16, June 20, July 19 (in Reno) and Aug. 15. Participants will receive a stipend to help with childcare and transportation costs.

For more information or to apply, visit nced.info/pip.

MINI-INTERNSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN MARCH

The Clark County Medical Society is offering a spring break mini-internship program March 9-26 for high school students.

For more information, visit 702-739-9989.

COASTER OFFERS DEAL FOR STRAIGHT-A STUDENTS

The Big Apple Coaster at New York-New York, 3790 Las Vegas Blvd. South, plans to offer two-for-one ride passes to Clark County School District students who bring in their most recent report cards showing straight A’s. The offer is valid for one-time use through August. Guests must be at least 54 inches tall to ride.

For more information, visit nynyhotelcasino.com.

SPLASHDOWN FOR KIDS TO RAISE FUNDS FOR NONPROFIT GROUPS

Communities In Schools of Nevada and After-School All-Stars Las Vegas announce that tickets for the second annual Splashdown For Kids are on sale. The event is planned for April 25 and 26 at Wet‘n’Wild water park and offers a preview to summer with proceeds benefiting both local nonprofits.

Tickets are $25 and include entry to Wet‘n’Wild. For tickets, visit shop.omniticket.com/WWL/index.cfm and use the promo code “CISASASDAY.” Select general admission tickets, enter the code, and ticket options will become available.

For more information about Communities In Schools, visit cisnevada.org.

For more information about After-School All-Stars, visit asaslv.org.