Education notebook

BONNER ELEMENTARY TO HOST FUNDRAISER TO MAINTAIN CLASS SIZES

Bonner Elementary School, 765 Crestdale Lane, plans to host a 5K run and 1.5-mile walk at 9 a.m. March 3 to raise money for the school. Registration is set to begin at 8 a.m. and is $25 for participants 12 or older and $15 for those under 12. Money raised will go toward maintaining smaller class sizes.

For more information or to donate, call 799-6050.

ARIA TO HOST FUNDRAISER FOR CHILD HEALTH CARE IN LOCAL SCHOOLS

Clinics in Schools plans to host a fundraiser at 6 p.m. March 1 at the Gold Nightclub and Lounge inside Aria at CityCenter, 3730 Las Vegas Blvd. South, with all proceeds going to provide free medical services for children. Tickets are $125 per person and are available at clinicsinschools.org.

The Yearly Checkup, formerly the Golden Apple Gala, is Clinics in Schools’ third annual fundraiser. The organization was founded in 2009 and operates two free-standing clinics at Martinez and Cunningham elementary schools. Students at those at-risk schools receive free health care year-round.

MORE THAN $600,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE TO HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS

The Public Education Foundation is accepting scholarship applications from high school seniors expecting to attend an accredited college, university or other post-secondary institution. The nonprofit group expects to award more than 440 scholarships between $500 and $10,000, worth a total of $600,000.

Scholarships will be awarded based on academic achievement, planned area of study and financial need. Students may apply for more than one scholarship. The PEF, 3360 W. Sahara Ave., Suite 160, has awarded more than 2,800 scholarships to Clark County seniors since 1994, totaling $6.3 million.

The deadline for submissions is Feb. 29. For applications and instructions, visit thepef.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.

STUDENTS AT DISKIN ELEMENTARY FUNDRAISING FOR KIDS IN AFRICA

Students at Diskin Elementary School, 4220 S. Ravenwood Drive, are collecting pennies through February for Kids In Needs of Desks, an organization that provides desks to schoolchildren in Malawi, Africa. Students are hoping to raise $742 from their penny drive, the amount needed to supply a Malawi classroom with desks.

For more information or to donate, call 799-5930.

A-TECH WINS REGIONAL SCIENCE COMPETITION

Advanced Technologies Academy, 2501 Vegas Drive, won the 21st annual Nevada Regional Science Bowl Feb. 7 at Vegas PBS. The A-Tech team was captain Max Howland, Alexander Koo, Bridget Ann Elizan, Mateusz Podzorski, Adam Tarr and teacher and coach Becky Colledge.

A-Tech was awarded $5,000 for the school’s math or science department, and all team members will receive trips to Washington, D.C., in April for the Department of Energy’s National Science Bowl.

More than 150 students from 32 high schools in Nevada, California and Utah competed. Teams battled through 10 hours of math and science questions in a double-elimination tournament. Green Valley High School finished second, and The Meadows School finished third.

ARBOR VIEW TO HOST FUNDRAISER FOR BASEBALL PROGRAM

Arbor View High School’s baseball program plans to host a community rummage sale at 7 a.m. Saturday 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.

SEWELL ELEMENTARY RECEIVES RECOGNITION FOR MATH GAINS

Sewell Elementary School, 700 E. Lake Mead Parkway, was named Rising Star of the Year for its achievements in math testing by the MIND Research Institute, a California-based nonprofit education group.

Sewell is one of seven historically low-performing elementary schools in the Clark County School District selected by the institute five years ago to participate in a computer-based learning pilot program.

Sewell’s math proficiency score was 76 percent last school year, compared to 36 percent in 2002.

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 Monday.

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.

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@ interact.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.

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.