Education notebook
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway, plans to host a panel discussion of business leaders, educators and students in honor of Black History Month from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday in the Greenspun Hall Auditorium.
Panelists will discuss how the recent economic recession affected the black community in the Las Vegas Valley, primarily in the areas of education, health care and employment. Panelists scheduled to appear are Clark County Commissioner Lawrence Weekly; associate professor of environmental and occupational health Melva Thompson-Robinson; doctoral student Theodore Ransaw; Nevada state Assemblyman Steven Brooks; 100 Black Men of Las Vegas member Shaundell Newsome, and Bank of Nevada Executive Vice President Jerrie Merritt.
The event is free and open to the public. Sponsors include the UNLV Office of Diversity Initiatives, UNLV College of Urban Affairs and the UNLV Black Professional Alliance.
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.
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.
NEVADA STATE COLLEGE RECEIVES FUNDING FROM VERIZON FOUNDATION
Nevada State College recently received an $11,000 grant from the Verizon Foundation, which will help expand math programs at the school.
Math Book Camp, a math skills challenge program, and a modular remediation course will benefit from the funds.
FITZGERALD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
RECEIVES BOOKS DONATION
Fitzgerald Elementary School, 2651 Revere St., recently received more than 750 new nonfiction books from the Public Education Foundation and its literacy initiative Clark County READS.
The new books replaced outdated books in the school’s library. The donation was made possible by the United Family of Dealerships.
CULINARY ACADEMY OFFERS JOBS
TO 216 FOR THE SMITH CENTER
The Culinary Academy of Las Vegas, 710 W. Lake Mead Blvd., hosted a job fair Jan. 17 and offered jobs to 216 applicants for food and beverage positions at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts, 361 Symphony Park Ave. Offers included 186 on-call positions and 30 regular permanent positions. The job fair had a turnout of 589 people.
ARBOR VIEW HIGH SCHOOL TO HOST FUNDRAISER FOR BASEBALL PROGRAM
Arbor View High School’s baseball program is hosting a 5K race and one-mile walk fundraiser scheduled for 8 a.m. Saturday at the school, 7500 Whispering Sands Drive.
Entry is $25 per person, and participants will receive a T-shirt and refreshments. Race categories include adult male, adult female, youth male and youth female. The winner in each category will receive a prize.
Registration is set to begin at 7 a.m. For more information or to donate, call coach Chris Martinez at 799-6660, ext. 3604.
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. Kids 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.
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.
