Forum honors Summerlin scholars

Since 1997, Summerlin students, teachers and parents have been recognized for their academic achievements and service at the annual Summerlin Children's Forum Evening of Excellence. This year, more than 50 awards and three $5,000 scholarships were given to individuals representing Summerlin's 22 public and private schools during the May 10 event at Red Rock Casino, Resort and Spa.

Scholarship recipients are Ariane Both of Clark High School, Alessandro Sambvani of Cimarron-Memorial High School and Alexander Ciucci of Palo Verde High School. All three live or attend school in the master-planned community.

Paula Francis, longtime news anchor at KLAS-TV, Channel 8, was recognized and honored as the 2008 Ambassador of Achievement. Francis is an active community volunteer who serves on the boards of The Shade Tree shelter for homeless women and children, the Southern Nevada Homeless Coalition and the International Women's Forum. She is also on the community advisory board for the Assistance League and has received a number of humanitarian awards for community involvement, especially her campaign for breast cancer awareness.

According to Tom Warden, senior vice president of community and government relations for The Howard Hughes Corp., who also serves as president of the Summerlin Children's Forum executive board, this year's scholarship winners are exceptionally strong both academically and in terms of community service.

"We're always impressed with students who are able to balance a variety of activities and pursuits while maintaining the highest academic standards. This year's scholarship winners are no exception and define the best of the upcoming generation. Their achievements are exemplary."

Both, who is graduating at 16 because she skipped a grade, is off to the University of Southern California in the fall. Graduating at the top of her class from Clark High School's Academy of Math, Science and Technology, Both plans to major in chemical engineering and hopes for a career in neurology.

Her goal is influenced by her grandfather, who suffers from Alzheimer's disease. Editor-in-chief of the school newspaper and active in the school's robotics program, Both volunteers at Summerlin Hospital Medical Center where she works in the emergency room.

Ciucci, who graduates from Palo Verde High School as the 2008 valedictorian, will attend Columbia University in the fall. Ciucci, who designs and builds robots for the school's award-winning competitive robotics team, is also an award-winning writer. In 2007, he was awarded the Harvard Book Prize Nevada.

That same year, he also won the Veterans of Foreign Wars Voice of Democracy essay contest. President of the Model United Nations Club at Palo Verde, Ciucci has performed humanitarian service in Nicaragua where he spent nearly a month building a church and medical center as part of a poverty relief trip.

Sambvani, who graduates at the top of his class at Cimarron-Memorial High School, is headed for Stanford University where he plans to major in mechanical engineering. At Cimarron, he led the engineering design group that participated in the FIRST robotics competition. Sambvani tutors younger students in robotics and credits his passion for robotics with inspiring him to work toward a career in mechanical engineering. Sambvani has volunteered for the Nevada FIRST Lego League Championships for two years and for Opportunity Village where he set up Christmas displays. While achieving scholastically and giving back to the community, he also held a part-time job working for Breslin Builders as a database manager.

"The caliber of students found in Summerlin schools is a compliment to teachers and parents within the community," Warden said. "We are exceedingly proud of their accomplishments and are pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to their ongoing educational experiences."

The Summerlin Children's Forum was established in 1997 by community leaders and The Howard Hughes Corp. to improve the quality of education for Summerlin children and families. Summerlin schools, public and private, are eligible to participate in the Summerlin Children's Forum.

Developed by The Howard Hughes Corp., an affiliate of General Growth Properties Inc., Summerlin began to take shape in 1990.

Located along the western rim of the Las Vegas Valley, Summerlin spans 22,500 acres with about 9,000 acres still remaining to accommodate growth within the master plan, including the community's urban core of Summerlin Centre.

The community is home to more than 95,000 residents who have access to amenities that include more than 100 neighborhood and village parks, more than 150 completed miles of the Summerlin trail system, nine golf courses, a dozen houses of worship, medical and cultural facilities and 22 public and private schools.

Homes are available in a variety of styles -- from single-family homes to townhomes, condominiums and lofts -- priced from the mid-$200,000s to more than $2 million. Custom home sites in The Ridges are priced from the $500,000s. Luxury apartment homes offer monthly rents starting from the $900s.

For more information, visit summerlin.com or call 888-898-5015.