Education Notebook, March 25-April 2

NEVADA CONNECTIONS ACADEMY PLANS CAREER FAIR MARCH 27

Nevada Connections Academy, a virtual public school for grades kindergarten through 12, plans to host its second annual career fair for students from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. March 27 at the Walnut Recreation Center in North Las Vegas, 3075 N. Walnut Road.

Students and their parents can investigate careers through hands-on learning centers, attend discussions with career professionals and interact with military and college representatives.

COX CHARITIES HANDS OUT GRANTS TO NONPROFITS

Cox Charities recently awarded $168,000 in grants to 28 local nonprofits that support Southern Nevada’s children, families and/or education, including programs focused on S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).

This is the seventh grant cycle for Cox Charities, which is funded by Cox employee contributions and a variety of fundraisers. A committee, composed entirely of Cox employees, reviews all grant applications and selects the recipients. The Cox Charities Advisory Board, also employee-led, approves the grants and awards the monies.

This year’s grant recipients are: After-School All-Stars Las Vegas, What’s Cool After-School; Andson Foundation, Andson Academics; Assistance League of Las Vegas, Desert Sage Auxiliary, Desert Sage Pocket Books; Baby’s Bounty, Good Night, Sleep Tight; Best Buddies Nevada, Ambassadors Program; Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada, AfterSchool KidzLit; the Children’s Heart Foundation, Camp Mend-A-Heart; Communities In Schools Nevada, CISN Resource Rooms; Discovery Children’s Museum, House Calls Program; Down Syndrome Organization of Southern Nevada, DSOSN Learning Program; Friends of Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Foundation, Every 15 Minutes Program; Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada, Summer Day Camp: Step Into S.T.E.M.; Horses4Heroes, Cox Charities Community Corral; Las Vegas Natural History Museum, Weekend Science Program; Las Vegas Rescue Mission, Family Food Pantry; Nathan Adelson Hospice Foundation, Camp Mariposa; National Hemophilia Foundation, Nevada Chapter, Camp Independent Firefly; Nevada Child Seekers, Abduction and Exploitation Prevention Education; Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth, William Fry Drop-In Center; Olive Crest, Project Independence; The Public Education Foundation, Reach Out and Read; Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Las Vegas, Lunch is On Us Program; Southern Nevada Children First, Drop In Center; Spread the Word Nevada, Kids-to-Kids; Schorr Elementary School, Parent Teacher Association; St. Jude’s Ranch for Children, Nevada Region, Tutoring Program; Street Teens, Food Program; and The Adoption Exchange, Las Vegas Heart Gallery.

For more information, visit coxcharitieslv.com.

VIRTUAL HIGH SCHOOL, ACADEMY FOR INDIVIDUALIZED STUDY CHANGE NAME

The Clark County School District’s Virtual High School and Academy for Individualized Study recently changed its name to Nevada Learning Academy @ CCSD.

Also, for the first time, middle school-aged children soon will be able to enroll in the online academy. A full curriculum of junior high school-level courses will be available beginning in the fall.

For more information, visit ccsdde.net or call 702-855-8435.

NEVADA CONNECTIONS ACADEMY PLANS PARENT INFORMATION SESSION MARCH 29

Virtual public school Nevada Connections Academy plans to host a parent-to-parent information session from 10 to 11 a.m. March 29 at Starbucks, 7541 W. Lake Mead Blvd.

The school serves students in kindergarten through 12th grade throughout Nevada.

For more information or to RSVP, visit connectionsacademy.com.

MEDICAL CLINIC PLANNED AT BONANZA HIGH SCHOOL APRIL 5 AND 6

Remote Area Medical Clinic plans to host a clinic at 6 a.m. April 5 and 6 at Bonanza High School, 6665 Del Rey Ave. The organization provides free quality health, dental and vision care to those in need. This includes dental cleanings, fillings and extractions, eye exams, prescription glasses and medical consultations. The clinic is operated on a first-come, first-served basis with no eligibility required.

The organization is also looking for general volunteers to staff the event.

For more information, call Jennifer Salud at Care Coalition at 702-701-9135.

CSN PLANS SPRING CAREER FAIR APRIL 8

The College of Southern Nevada Career Services plans to host a Spring 2014 Career Fair from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 8 in the Charleston Campus Building D lobby, 6375 W. Charleston Blvd.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 702-651-4700.

EARTH DAY ART CONTEST OPEN TO STUDENTS THROUGH APRIL 11

Clark County School District students are invited to enter the fourth annual Earth Day Every Day art contest sponsored by Keep Las Vegas Beautiful in partnership with the school district’s Community Partnership Program and Republic Services.

Contest entries must be received by 4:30 p.m. April 11. An award ceremony is planned for April 26 at Town Square Las Vegas, 6605 Las Vegas Blvd. South. Cash prizes provided by Republic Services will be awarded to the top three students of each age group and their teachers. Submitted artwork from winners and runners-up will be part of a Youth Earth Day art display at Town Square and later displayed at Las Vegas City Hall, 495 S. Main St.

The theme is Earth Day Everyday. Each piece of artwork should include a title and a brief summary explaining the drawing. Artwork should focus on celebrating the Earth and depict ideas about how students can protect and preserve the planet. The contest is open to students in grades 4-12. Drawings must be two-dimensional, including paint, watercolor, marker, crayon, collage, photography or a combination. Entries must be 8.5 inches by 11 inches on 40-pound or heavier paper.

To enter the contest, label artwork with the student’s name, grade, teacher’s name, school, art title and description and send to: Attention: Cheryl Wagner, School-Community Partnership Program No. 145 c/o Western High School, 4601 W. Bonanza Road, Las Vegas, NV 89107.

Teachers are to be notified of the finalists by April 16. For more information, call Lisa Campbell at 702-229-5406 or email lcampbell@lasvegasnevada.gov.

STUDENT FILM FESTIVAL PLANNED FOR MAY 2 AT UNLV

The Las Vegas Student Film Festival plans to showcase films produced by local high school students on May 2. The festival is produced in conjunction with the UNLV Department of Film and the UNLV Short Film Archive. Local high school students are invited to submit their short films by April 12.

For more information, email lvstudentfilmfest@ gmail.com or visit facebook.com/lvstudentfilmfest.

CLARK COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION OFFERS DAY CAMPS FOR KIDS

Clark County’s Parks and Recreation Department is offering spring break day camps for children 6 to 12 April 14-18.

The cost is $15 per day or $70 per week per child. Activities vary at each location but include group games, arts and crafts, sports and recreational activities. Campers bring their own lunch and snacks (no food requiring refrigeration).

For the registration form or more information, visit clarkcountynv.gov. Parents should fill out the application and mail it or drop it off in person with payment to the center their children will attend. Camps fill up on a first-come, first-served basis. Mail-in registration is underway, and walk-in registration was to begin March 24 at participating centers.

Camps are being offered at the following centers: Desert Breeze Community Center, 8275 Spring Mountain Road, 702-455-8334; Hollywood Recreation and Community Center, 1650 S. Hollywood Blvd., 702-455-0566; Paradise Recreation Center, 4775 McLeod Drive, 702-455-7513; and Walnut Recreation Center, 3975 N. Walnut Road, 702-455-8402.

COX COMMUNICATIONS ANNOUNCES SCIENCE CHALLENGE

Cox Communications, Las Vegas hopes to discover Clark County high school students who are Stars of Science for its Science Challenge 2014. Students can participate in the challenge by creating a two-minute digital story (video) that shows “science at work” in one of three categories: applied science, natural science and health science.

The first-place participant in each story category will receive $1,000 plus $500 for his teacher and $500 for his school. Winners are set to be announced May 3 during the 2014 Las Vegas Science and Technology Festival at Cashman Center.

Entry deadline is April 15. For more information, visit coxstarsofscience.com.

SONS OF NORWAY TO HAND OUT SCHOLARSHIPS

The Sons of Norway’s Vegas Viking Lodge is seeking applicants for its eighth annual scholarship for post-high school studies.

To be eligible, applicants must be of Norwegian descent, legal residents of Clark County or Alamo or a member of the Vegas Viking Lodge or a child or grandchild of a lodge member and at least a high school senior or ongoing full-time student.

The scholarship is at least $500. Last year the lodge gave away six $500 scholarships. Winners will be chosen based on grades, financial need, extracurricular activities and an essay expressing appreciation for their Norwegian heritage.

Applications must be postmarked by April 19. Applications are available at vegasviking.com/scholarship.html.

Tax-deductible contributions to the scholarship fund, including naming gifts, are welcome. To donate, mail a check payable to Vegas Viking Sons of Norway Scholarship Fund to treasurer Warren Halvorsen, 830 Kingston Springs Way, Las Vegas, NV 89123-3643.

For more information, call Suzan Sibert at 702-645-6666.

EDUCATION NONPROFITS PLAN SPLASHDOWN FOR KIDS AT WET ‘N’ WILD

Communities In Schools of Nevada and After-School All-Stars Las Vegas plan to host a weekend of summer entertainment at their first Splashdown For Kids, set for April 26 and 27 at Wet ‘n’ Wild, 7055 S. Fort Apache Road.

Proceeds will benefit the nonprofit groups. Presale tickets are $20 at wetnwildlasvegas.com. Tickets at the door are $35. Children 2 or younger will be admitted free. For one-day tickets, use the promo code CISASASday.

For event sponsorship information, contact Brittany McCoy at brittanym@cisnevada.org or Ranna Daud at ranna@asaslv.org.

ADELSON EDUCATIONAL CAMPUS RAISES FUNDS TO COMBAT CHILDHOOD CANCER

Students and staff members at the Adelson Educational Campus, 9700 Hillpointe Road, participated in the St. Baldrick’s Foundation head-shaving event at McMullan’s Irish Pub on March 1 to raise funds to combat childhood cancer. The campus raised more than $15,000.

SCHOOLS RECEIVE DONATIONS FROM CITY NATIONAL BANK AND BARNES & NOBLE

City National Bank and Barnes & Noble presented new books and cash totaling more than $20,000 to five Clark County School District schools March 5 and 7.

The donations were part of the companies’ sixth annual Holiday Book Drive program.

NORTH LAS VEGAS SCHOOL TO PARTICIPATE IN LIFE CUBE PROJECT

Scott Elementary School, 5700 N. Bruce St., is among the Clark County School District schools taking part in the downtown Life Cube Project, in which people write down their goals, wishes and aspirations with the belief that there is a better chance of achieving them. The school is working with students on a Life Cube of their own.

For more information, call assistant principal Domenic Russo at 702-799-1766.

CENTENNIAL HIGH SCHOOL WINS SCIENCE OLYMPIAD COMPETITION

The Nevada State Science Olympiad Competition was held March 8 at Rancho High School, 1900 E. Searles Ave. Seventeen teams from 10 high schools competed in the high school division, and Centennial High School, 10200 W. Centennial Parkway, won. It was Centennial’s second state title in three years, with the team winning eight gold, five silver and three bronze medals. The team is now raising funds for a trip to the national competition in Orlando, Fla., scheduled for May 16 and 17.

BISHOP GORMAN MOCK TRIAL TEAM WINS STATE COMPETITION

The mock trial team from Bishop Gorman High School, 5959 S. Hualapai Way, took the state title March 7 and 8, competing against seven other teams from Northern and Southern Nevada in the Nevada State Championship at the Regional Justice Center in downtown Las Vegas. Winning team members are Clark Adler, Taylor Ellis, Lauren Ripandelli, Danielle Maatouk, Jason Moore, James Lau, Alexandra Russell and Brianna Dougherty.

This was the second year in a row the Bishop Gorman team won the title. Adler was named Best Counsel. As state champion, the team received a new case and will compete in the national competition scheduled for May 8-10 in Madison, Wisc.

AFTER-SCHOOL ALL-STARS STUDENTS VISIT EL CORTEZ FOR CEO PROGRAM

Middle school students from After-School All-Stars Las Vegas visited the El Cortez, 600 Fremont St., March 20 to meet with executive vice president Alex Epstein as part of the Career Exploration Opportunities (CEO) program. Students learned firsthand what it takes to oversee operations and management for a major property as part of the nonprofit program, which has local executives share their career stories.

The program is part of a national After-School All-Stars initiative and is designed to inspire long-term career planning, workplace skills and entrepreneurialism.

DETROIT CONNECTION PLANS SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS LUNCHEON FOR JUNE 1

Detroit Connection Inc. plans to host its 16th annual scholarship awards luncheon from 1 to to 4 p.m. June 1 at Cili at Bali Hai Country Club, 5160 Las Vegas Blvd. South.

The keynote speaker is scheduled to be basketball legend Spencer Haywood, and live entertainment is planned.

Tickets are $60. For more information, call 702-642-2628.

PUBLIC EDUCATION FOUNDATION KICKS OFF GIVING WITH PURPOSE FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN

The Public Education Foundation has kicked off its annual fundraising campaign, Giving With Purpose, with the goal to raise $300,000.

The nonprofit seeks to drive change and improve outcomes through educational programs that support early childhood learning and family engagement, scholarships and leadership.

For more information on the campaign, visit thepef.org.

PARENT-CHILD CLASSES PLANNED AT CAMBRIDGE COMMUNITY CENTER

The University of Nevada Cooperative Extension is offering a series of parent-child classes for children 3 to 5. The three-program series at the Cambridge Community Center, 3900 Cambridge St., features All 4 Kids, Family Storyteller and Little Books and Little Cooks.

All 4 Kids is a 12-week interactive program that focuses on activities to promote physical activity, healthy eating and living healthy at any shape or size. The program is set for Mondays and Wednesdays.

Family Storyteller is a six-week program that trains parents to play a role in early literacy development. Beginning April 7, each class will have parents and their children participate in reading and language activities together.

Little Books and Little Cooks is a seven-week program designed to promote healthy eating, family literacy, positive parent-child interaction and the child’s school readiness skills. Beginning June 25, each class will have parents and children learning about nutrition, reading children’s books and cooking and eating together.

For more information or to register, call 702-948-5942 or email all_for_kids@unce.unr.edu.

FREE PROGRAM TO OFFER HEALTHY LIVING TIPS FOR PRESCHOOLERS AND FAMILIES

All 4 Kids, a program of the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, is offering a 13-week program for preschoolers (ages 3 to 5) and their parents. Families will be provided interactive experiences that promote healthful habits regarding physical activity and eating. Free materials will be given to families to continue activities at home.

Classes are taught in English and Spanish. The program is free and is scheduled to be offered at the Pearson Community Center, 1625 Carey Ave. in North Las Vegas, from 11 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Space for the program is limited. To register, call 702-948-5942 or email all_for_kids@unce.unr.edu.

UNLV OFFERS CONTINUING EDUCATION CLASSES

The UNLV Office of Continuing Education is offering courses this spring and summer for those interested in personal or professional development.

Professional certificate programs include paralegal, legal secretary, medical assistant, design, public relations, nonprofit management, human resources, fashion design, grant writing, personal training and more.

Continuing Education also offers courses in language, cooking, music and recreation.

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UNLV offers student-led classes to more than 1,300 retired and semiretired adults.

For full course listings or to register, visit continuingeducation.unlv.edu. For a copy of the course catalog, call 702-895-3394.

SCHOOL DISTRICT RELEASES 2014 GRADUATION SCHEDULE

The Clark County School District has released its 2014 high school graduation schedule, which can be found at tinyurl.com/ccsdgrad2014. Graduations are scheduled June 2-14, most of them at The Orleans or the Thomas & Mack Center.