Education notebook

BUY GROCERIES, HELP STUDENTS

Whole Foods Market, 8855 W. Charleston Blvd., plans to donate 5 percent of its net sales April 24 to the Public Education Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports public schools in Clark County. Representatives from the PEF will be at the store to provide more information.

FASHION EVENT TO BENEFIT
COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS OF NEVADA

Couture for Causes has scheduled a fashion presentation from noon to 5 p.m. April 22 at the home of Bree and Jason Goldwater, 1403 Westwood Drive, to benefit Communities in Schools of Nevada. The event will include tastings and live entertainment.

Couture for Causes, created by the Goldwaters in 2008, originally was designed as an opportunity for their friends and colleagues to donate designer clothing to be resold at a family event while raising money for a local organization. This year’s festivities will include live entertainment from Wynn Las Vegas’ “Le Reve” and the Nevada Ballet Theatre. Activities for children, beverages and food also are planned.

Tickets are $50 per person and $100 per family, with discounted tickets available for purchase online. For more information, visit cisnevada.org/couture.

MCDONALD’S TO DONATE PART OF FRIDAY PROCEEDS TO SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Southern Nevada McDonald’s locations will donate $1 for every extra value meal purchased on Friday as part of the Dollars For Scholars Las Vegas Scholarship program. The fund will be managed by the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Las Vegas.

A goal of $75,000 has been set for the one-day fundraiser, which will benefit local high school seniors. The Ronald McDonald House Scholarship fund provided more than $330 in scholarships last year to Clark County students.

LAS VEGAS ACADEMY TO HOST COLLEGE FAIR

Las Vegas Academy, 315 S. Seventh St., plans to host the Western Association for College Admission Counseling’s Las Vegas College Fair from 5:30 to 9 p.m. April 23. The fair is free and open to all students. To register, visit wacaccollegefair.com or email jsdiamond@interact.ccsd.net.

Representatives from more than 150 college and universities will be at the event, which will include workshops, testing information and a counselor help booth.

SCIENCE TEACHER WINS SUMMER FELLOWSHIP TO LEARN AT NATION’S TOP LABS

Northwest Career and Technical Academy teacher Stephanie Spirisa and East Career and Technical Academy teacher Sarah MacNab are two of 40 teachers nationwide chosen to participate in the Siemens Teachers as Researchers, or STARs, fellowship program.

Spirisa and MacNab will join other middle and high school teachers this summer at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Washington and Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. The teachers will study alongside some of the nation’s top scientists on short-term research projects.

The teachers will receive a grant to purchase equipment and supplies for their classrooms upon return. For more information, visit siemensstemacademy.com.

DARNELL ELEMENTARY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR FULL-DAY KINDERGARTEN

Darnell Elementary School, 9480 W. Tropical Parkway, is accepting applications for its full-day, tuition-based kindergarten for the 2012-13 school year. The full-day program is set to run from 9 a.m. to 3:21 p.m. Monday through Friday and costs $375 per month. Children must be 5 years old by Sept. 30.

Registration is scheduled to end April 27. For more information, call 799-6630.

SCOTT ELEMENTARY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR FULL-DAY KINDERGARTEN

Scott Elementary School, 5700 N. Bruce St., is accepting applications for its full-day, tuition-based kindergarten for the 2012-13 school year. The program runs Monday through Friday and costs $375 per month. A $100 non-refundable payment by cashier’s check or money order is required. Children must be 5 years old by Sept. 30.

Registration is scheduled to end April 27. For more information, call 799-1766.

GRIFFITH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS HONOR TITANIC VICTIMS

Fourth- and fifth-graders at Griffith Elementary School, 324 Essex East Drive, plan to participate in a candlelight vigil today at the Luxor, as “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition” commemorates the 100th anniversary of the RMS Titanic’s maiden voyage.

A descendant of a survivor will speak about the ship and its sinking before the vigil, with a moment of silence in memory of those lost.

Clark County School District teachers can receive a free ticket to “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition” and “BODIES … The Exhibition” every Tuesday. Teachers should present their school district badge at the audio booth for the ticket.

For more information, call Christie Tecson at 262-4231.

DRAWING US TOGETHER ARTS COMPETITION OPEN THROUGH FRIDAY

As part of Action for the Arts, the International House of Blues Foundation-Las Vegas invites sixth- through 12th-grade students to participate in the Drawing Us Together visual arts exhibit and competition by creating original artworks inspired by the theme “The Arts Inspire Hope.”

In creating their artworks, students are encouraged to consider how the arts can inspire hope in challenging times and difficult circumstances.

Registration is open through 5 p.m. Friday. A panel of judges will select first- and second-place winners, who will receive gift certificates for art supplies. Winning artworks also may be used in the design of an IHOBF Action for the Arts retail product, with all proceeds going to art programs for local youths. The works of participating artists will be featured during an exhibit at the House of Blues Las Vegas and showcased at actionforthearts.org.

For more information and to register, visit actionforthearts.org, call 632-7682 or email ihobflasvegas@livenation.com.

CROSSING GUARD ESSAY CONTEST OPEN
TO ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

The Clark County School District is accepting submissions through Wednesday for the My Favorite Crossing Guard Essay Contest. Students in first through fifth grades are eligible to participate.

Winning students and their teachers will receive prizes to be determined. Crossing guards in the winning essays will be recognized at a September event.

Two available topics are: “Who is your favorite crossing guard and why?” and “Why are crossing guards important and how can they help students?”

Essays must be no more than one page, typed or handwritten. A small drawing can be included on the page but is not required. The back of the page should include the student’s name, teacher’s name, school, grade and crossing guard’s name.

Entries must be submitted through school mail to Cheryl Wagner, School-Community Partnership Program, location 145.

For more information, contact Wagner at 799-6560.

CLARK COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT HOSTS PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST

The Clark County School District is accepting submissions through Thursday for its 45th annual photography contest.

Categories include architecture and cityscapes; animals or living things in nature; people, candid or fashion; special techniques or computer manipulation; and unclassified for anything not fitting into other categories.

Prizes will be awarded to first-, second- and third-place winners in each category. A Canon Rebel T3 camera will be awarded to the overall best photo.

Student entries can be unlimited. Entries must be original photos taken by the student. Previous years’ submissions are ineligible. Photos must be a minimum of 5 inches by 7 inches and a maximum of 11 inches by 14 inches. All submissions must be mounted on an 11-inch by 14-inch board.

Each photo must be clearly labeled on the back with the student’s name, school, grade, teacher or adviser name, photo category and title.

Entries may be sent through school mail, location code 012, or dropped off at the district’s communications office, 5100 W. Sahara Ave.

For more information, contact Michele Nelson at 799-5304.

NEVADA PTA TO HOST ANNUAL CONVENTION

The Nevada PTA’s 72nd annual convention is scheduled from April 26-28 at Texas Station, 2101 Texas Star Lane in North Las Vegas. Any local PTA members are welcome to attend the workshops, presentations and banquet, and vote on Nevada PTA bylaws and amendments.

For more information and a complete schedule of events, visit nevadapta.org.

MEDICAL SKILLS FOR LIFE INSTITUTE GIVING DISCOUNTS ON TUITION

The Medical Skills for Life Institute is offering 10 $5,000 and $500 tuition grants to the first 20 students who enroll and are accepted through June 30 for the medical assistant or phlebotomist program.

For more information, call 645-7900 and ask for the admissions department from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday or visit www.medicalskillsforlife.
com.