Education notebook

MERRYHILL SCHOOL STUDENTS DONATE TO ANIMAL SHELTER

Second-graders at the Merryhill School, 2160 Snow Trail, raised $1,300 in April for the Heaven Can Wait Animal Society, 546 N. Eastern Ave. Students collected money from family and friends.

The nonprofit organization spays and neuters animals to combat overpopulation. For more information about the society, visit hcws.org.

GIVENS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL JOINS BE KIND PROGRAM

Givens Elementary School, 655 Park Vista Drive, became the 100th elementary school to join the Josh Stevens Foundation's Be Kind program. The program encourages children to perform acts of kindness every day.

Josh Stevens was killed in September 2008 in a golf cart accident at age 12. The program has been adopted by 162 schools in six states since 2008. For more information, visit joshstevens foundation.org.

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS DONATE TO NONPROFITS THROUGH WE R COMMUNITY

Student groups at Cimarron-Memorial High School, 2301 N. Tenaya Way, and West Career and Technical Academy, 11945 W. Charleston Blvd., each awarded $5,000 to local nonprofit organizations this month as part of the Public Education Foundation's We R Community program.

We R Community teaches students to run a small-scale foundation. They create mission statements, research nonprofit organizations and review grant applications. The program culminates with students donating $5,000 to organizations of their choice. Cimarron-Memorial is sponsored by United Healthcare and West Career by the Morris A. Hazan Family Foundation.

Students from 14 high schools in the Clark County School District participated this school year, awarding 46 grants worth a total of $70,000.

We R Community students have donated $200,000 since the program's inception in 2008. For more information, visit thepef.org.

Other schools awarding funds to nonprofits are:

Northwest Career and Technical Academy, 8200 W. Tropical Parkway, sponsored by NV Energy.

Green Valley High School, 460 N. Arroyo Grande Blvd., sponsored by the DeVore Family Fund.

Basic High School, 400 Palo Verde Drive, sponsored by the Stern Family Foundation.

Liberty High School, 3700 Liberty Heights Ave., sponsored by an anonymous donor.

Rancho High School, 1900 Searles Ave., sponsored by Wells Fargo.

Valley High School, 2839 S. Burnham Ave., sponsored by USAA Savings Bank.

Las Vegas High School, 6500 E. Sahara Ave., sponsored by the Stern Family Foundation.

Chaparral High School, 3850 Annie Oakley Drive, sponsored by Bank of America.

Desert Oasis High School, 6600 W. Erie Ave., sponsored by the Southern Highlands Foundation.

Clark High School, 4291 W. Pennwood Ave., sponsored by Citibank.

Sierra Vista High School, 8100 W. Robindale Road, sponsored by State Farm.

Mojave High School, 5302 Goldfield St., sponsored by USAA Savings Bank.

NORTHWEST CAREER AND TECHNICAL ACADEMY TO HOST WALK FOR TEACHERS

Northwest Career and Technical Academy, 8200 W. Tropical Parkway, plans to host a 3K and 5K walk and run at 9 a.m. Saturday. The Chalk Walk was organized as a way for teachers, students and other community members to honor inspirational educators. Proceeds will fund scholarships for high school seniors who plan to major in education.

For more information or to register, call NWCTA's teacher education program leader Mary Abbott at 799-4640, ext. 4089, or email abbottm@ interact.ccsd.net.

WORSHIP CENTER TO OFFER FREE ENGLISH LANGUAGE CLASSES

Truth Christian Ministries International, a nondenominational worship center, is set to offer free courses to better master the English language from 6 to 7 p.m. Fridays at 5101 N. Rainbow Blvd.

For more information, visit tcmii.com or call 396-3189.

WHITNEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RECEIVES LIBRARY RENOVATION

Whitney Elementary School, 5005 Keenan Ave., received a library renovation May 2 through a donation from Target and the Heart of America Foundation. Whitney received 2,000 new books, furniture, carpet, shelves, iPads and a food pantry.

Target also plans to donate $15,000 to Gragson Elementary School, 555 N. Honolulu St., and Herron Elementary School, 2421 Kenneth Road, to improve their libraries. Gragson and Herron are former library makeover recipients.

STUDENTS TO PERFORM IN STORYTELLING FESTIVAL AT WHITNEY LIBRARY

Clark County School District students in grades four through six are scheduled to perform in the Bristlecone Storytelling Festival from 5:30 to 7 p.m. May 23 and 24 at the Whitney Library, 5175 E. Tropicana Ave.

Students will recite popular children's stories in the library's lecture hall. The all-ages show is free and open to the public.

LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS GET $352,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS FROM MCDONALD'S

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Las Vegas, McDonald's Owner/Operators of Greater Las Vegas and community partners awarded $352,000 in scholarships to 115 local high school seniors and 50 previous recipients attending college.

The RMHC of Greater Las Vegas Scholarship Program has awarded nearly $3 million in scholarships since 1999. Recipients are chosen based on academic achievement, financial need, community involvement and career goals.

Applications for the 2012-13 school year awards will be available beginning in November. For more information, visit rmhlv.com.

CCSD SUPERINTENDENT COMMENDS STUDENTS FROM 26 HIGH SCHOOLS

Nearly 100 high school students in the Clark County School District were recognized by superintendent Dwight Jones May 2 at Fashion Show mall, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd. South, for providing 11,026 total volunteer hours at more than 100 local nonprofit organizations. The students are part of Next Generation Actively Gaining Experience, or NGAGE, a program supported by the United Way of Southern Nevada and the school district.

MIRACLE MILE SHOPS DONATING CHANGE TO HELP STUDENTS

The Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood, 3667 Las Vegas Blvd. South, will donate all change tossed into the fountain near the southwest corner of the shopping center by Guess, bebe and Fat Tuesday in May to help support teachers and students in the Clark County School District. The money will be donated to Communities in Schools of Nevada, a dropout-prevention organization that supports more than 22,000 at-risk students in 37 schools.

Miracle Mile Shops also will offer discounts for school district teachers through May at restaurants and shows. For a list of offers, visit miraclemileshopslv.com/teacher_appreciation.

For more information about CISN, visit cisnevada.org.

STATE TREASURER OFFERS $529 FOR COLLEGE TO ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

The Nevada State Treasurer is accepting applications for the fourth annual $529 College Savings Day Contest, open to all Nevada students in kindergarten through fifth grade.

Two students from Clark County will receive a $529 prize to be used to open a college savings account or enhance an existing one. The contest is sponsored by the Newmont Mining Corp.

This year's theme is "I want to go to college so I can become a ..." Students must complete the sentence and submit a drawing or an essay of 50 words or fewer.

Entry forms can be downloaded at nevadatreasurer.gov. The entry deadline is Monday, and winners will be selected May 23.

COLLEGE OF SOUTHERN NEVADA HELPS HOMELESS TEENS AFFORD COLLEGE

The College of Southern Nevada is raising money to help homeless teens attend college. CSN raised more than $1,000 at a barbecue fundraiser April 17 at its Charleston campus, 6375 W. Charleston Blvd. The event was part of the High 5 Drive, a monthlong effort by CSN and Silver State Schools Credit Union to raise funds for the CSN Youthful Enterprise Scholarship.

Donations can be made at the CSN Foundation's website, csn.edu/foundation. Click on the blue "give now" button and, under "apply donation to," select the Youthful Enterprise Scholarship. Donations can also be made at all SSSCU locations.

For more information, visit csn.edu/high5drive.

ADVENTUREDOME AT CIRCUS CIRCUS TO HOST GRADUATION PARTY MAY 24

The Adventuredome at Circus Circus, 2880 Las Vegas Blvd. South, is selling tickets to its inaugural GradBlast 2012, planned for 7 p.m. May 24. The event is set to feature unlimited rides, four dance floor areas and prizes, including a 2012 Chevrolet Camaro.

High school students from Southern Nevada, Utah and California can purchase tickets for $49.95. For tickets and more information, visit adventuredome.com/gradblast or call 691-5861.

UNLV TO HOST WORKSHOPS TO HELP SMALL-BUSINESS OWNERS

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas has workshops scheduled to help teach small-business owners what resources are available at UNLV libraries and how to use them effectively.

The Business by the Book workshop series is a four-part program that started April 11. The first workshop was Demystifying Your Customer: Market Research Made Easy. Future workshops are Getting to Know Your Customer, scheduled for June 13; Marketing Resources Revealed, scheduled for Aug. 15; and Social Media Socialized, scheduled for Oct. 10.

The workshops are taught by business librarian Patrick Griffis. For more information, call Griffis at 895-2231. To register for a workshop, email mlane@weareimagine.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.medicalskillsfor life.com.