Education notebook

Students at 29 elementary schools in Clark County School District received 3,000 new dictionaries from the Las Vegas Elks Lodge No. 1468 and Helldorado Days. The Elks donate annually to local students and seniors with proceeds from the Helldorado event. Helldorado Days is scheduled for May 17-20.

For more information, visit elkshelldorado.com.

NEW CHARITY SEEKS DONATIONS TO HELP HOMELESS STUDENTS

Charitable trust Project 150 is seeking donations and volunteers to help homeless students in the Clark County School District. The organization started in December, delivering supplies to 17 Rancho High School families living in poverty.

Project 150, led by coordinators Patrick Spargur and Don Purdue, is expanding to help students at other local high schools, including Cimarron-Memorial, Clark, Durango, Southwest Career and Technical Academy, Western, Las Vegas, Chaparral, Canyon Springs, Valley and Del Sol.

For more information or to donate, contact Spargur at 234-4352 or Purdue at 340-3899, email project150lv@gmail.com or visit project150lv.org.

PROGRAM OF ACADEMIC EXCHANGE SEEKS HOST FAMILIES FOR STUDENTS

The Program of Academic Exchange, or PAX, is accepting applications for host families for the 2012-13 school year for its foreign exchange student program.

Hosts are expected to provide a room, food and an environment in which to study. Exchange students are fully insured and are responsible for their own spending money.

High school exchange students come from South America, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit pax.org or contact local recruiter Margaret Hoppe at 203-5255 or glanz3@aol.com.

BUILD-A-BEAR WORKSHOP OFFERS SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENT LEADERS

Build-A-Bear Workshop’s Huggable Heroes program is accepting nominations for students ages 8 to 18 who make positive contributions to their community and the world.

Build-A-Bear will award 10 Huggable Heroes with $10,000, a $7,500 scholarship and a $2,500 donation to a charity of their choosing. Past winners have started literacy programs, organized toy drives for needy children, collected donations to feed homeless animals and gathered items to send to troops overseas.

Nominate a candidate at buildabear.com/huggableheroes. The deadline for nominations is Feb. 27.

TOP MUSIC STUDENTS IN SCHOOL DISTRICT PLAY FREE CONCERT

The Clark County School District’s Middle School Honor Band is scheduled to perform at 7 p.m. Feb. 28 at the Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway. Admission is free. Call 895-2787 for more information.

ENVIRONMENTAL ESSAY CONTEST OPEN TO HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS

The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada is sponsoring an essay contest for all high school seniors in Clark County. The winner will receive a new laptop computer.

The essay should address how students can reduce their carbon footprint by using commission services. The essay minimum is 500 words, double-spaced. Essays must include the student’s name and age, a teacher’s name and the school. The entry deadline is March 8. Submissions can be emailed to Judy Myers at the School-Community Partnership Office at jem274@inter act.ccsd.net. For full entry details, visit rtcsnv.com or contact Aileen Pastor at 676-1735 or pastora@rtcsnv.com. The contest is co-sponsored by the Coca-Cola Co.

STATE TREASURER OFFERS PREPAID TUITION PROGRAM TO HELP SAVE FOR COLLEGE

Parents can start saving for their children’s college education needs by enrolling in the Nevada Prepaid Tuition program through Feb. 28. The program enables families to lock in future college per-credit tuition rates at current prices.

Parents can pay a lump sum or make monthly payments. The program is fully transferable to private or public out-of-state colleges and universities and may be transferred to another family member. The program also can be gifted to family members or friends. Students in ninth grade or younger are eligible, and payment plans start at $36 a month.

For more information, visit nevadatreasurer.gov or call 486-2025.

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.

TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION SPONSORS STUDENT ART CONTEST

The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada invites students in Clark County to submit artwork celebrating Earth Day that may be displayed on a commission bus for up to a year.

Students in sixth through 12th grades can submit artwork about Earth Day and the commission’s sustainability initiative, Quicker, Cleaner, Greener. Students are encouraged to feature images of transit, carpooling, bicycling and walking. The commission will select two winners, who are scheduled to be announced April 19.

Artwork must be unique, colorful and submitted in a horizontal format on 11-inch-by-17-inch paper. Markers, colored pencils and paint are acceptable. Black and white, photography and glitter will not be accepted.

All entries should be delivered to the commission’s administrative offices, 600 S. Grand Central Parkway, Suite 350, Las Vegas, NV 89106, attention: Aileen Pastor. The entry deadline is March 14.

For more information, call 676-1735 or email Pastor at pastora@rtcsnv.com.

UNITED WAY OFFERS PRESCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP ASSISTANCE

United Way of Southern Nevada is offering Tuition Assistance Preschool Scholarships for children 3 to 5 years to attend high-quality school readiness preschool programs in Southern Nevada.

United Way is providing copays ranging from $17.25 to $57.50 to low-income, unemployed and foster families who do not receive state assistance. Limited scholarships will be provided with a sliding fee for those experiencing financial hardship from unemployment.

Scholarships are valid at any partner United Way Child Development Center. For more information, call 892-2361.

CLARK COUNTY READS PROGRAM SEEKS VOLUNTEERS TO HELP CHILDREN

The Public Education Foundation is seeking volunteers to provide one-on-one help for children struggling with reading skills as part of the Clark County READS Reading Partner Program.

Each volunteer will have two children assigned to them. The reading partner and child will read to each other for 30 minutes once a week.

A two-hour orientation is required. Volunteers will be trained in techniques that help build a child’s comprehension skills and reading fluency while instilling a love of reading.

The program runs for 12 weeks, from January through April during regular school hours. Volunteers must be able to commit for the duration of the program, which will take place at 20 schools in the Clark County School District.

For more information, call 799-1042 or email info@ccpef.org.

READING PROGRAM NEEDS MENTORS FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

Spread the Word Nevada’s reading mentor program, Books and Buddies, is seeking volunteers to help students in kindergarten through fifth grade improve reading proficiency. Spread the Word Nevada matches adult mentors with elementary students at 26 at-risk schools.

Volunteers are asked to make a minimum commitment of one hour per week for 12 weeks. Training will be provided, and background checks are required.

For more information, call volunteer coordinator Libbi Erickson at 564-7809 or email libbi@spreadthewordnevada.org.

NEW CHARITY SEEKS DONATIONS TO HELP HOMELESS STUDENTS

Charitable trust Project 150 is seeking donations and volunteers to help homeless students in the Clark County School District. The organization started in December, delivering supplies to 17 Rancho High School families living in poverty.

Project 150, led by coordinators Patrick Spargur and Don Purdue, is expanding to help students at other local high schools, including Cimarron-Memorial, Clark, Durango, Southwest Career and Technical Academy, Western, Las Vegas, Chaparral, Canyon Springs, Valley and Del Sol.

For more information or to donate, contact Spargur at 234-4352 or Purdue at 340-3899, email project150lv@gmail.com or visit project150lv.org.

ARBOR VIEW HIGH SCHOOL TO HOST FUNDRAISER FOR BASEBALL PROGRAM

Arbor View High School’s baseball program plans a community rummage sale at 7 a.m. Feb. 25 at the school parking lot, 7500 Whispering Sands Drive.

Parking spaces will be available to rent by anyone in the community to sell items, and renters can keep all proceeds. Two parking spaces are $25.

For more information or to donate, call coach Chris Martinez at 799-6660, ext. 3604.