Education notebook

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.

ONLINE CHARTER SCHOOL TO HOST BOOK EXCHANGE thursday

Nevada Virtual Academy has scheduled a book exchange for current and prospective families from 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday at the JW Marriott, 221 N. Rampart Blvd. Prospective students can exchange books with NVA students and talk about the school. Teachers and staff members from NVA will be present to speak with families.

NVA is a tuition-free public virtual charter school. For more information or to RSVP, visit k12.com/nvva.

MAGNET SCHOOL, CAREER AND TECHNICAL ACADEMY REGISTRATION UNDER WAY

The Clark County School District is accepting applications through Feb. 6 for its magnet schools and career and technical academies. For more information, visit ccsd.net/magnetcta or call 799-8492.

SURROGATE PARENTS NEEDED FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

The Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada is recruiting adults for its Educational Surrogate Parent Program to help advocate for foster children with disabilities. An orientation and training meeting is scheduled from 6 to 9 p.m. Feb. 6 at the Boyd School of Law, Room 117, at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway.

The ESP program trains volunteers to serve as student advocates during school meetings or with educational issues. Educational surrogate parents often write letters, make phone calls or visit the school to ensure their students' educational plans are appropriate and being followed by the school. Volunteers can expect a time commitment of about 25 hours per school year, but that will vary by student.

For more information or to register, call 386-1070, ext. 170, or email surrogates@lacsn.org.

NV ENERGY TO HOST SCHOLARSHIPS WORKSHOP FOR COLLEGE-BOUND SENIORS

The Public Education Foundation has scheduled a free workshop about college scholarships from 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 4 at NV Energy, 6226 W. Sahara Ave.

NV Energy's Powerful Partnerships Scholarship Program awards one-time scholarships of $1,000 to be used at any college, university or trade school. Applicants must attend school within the Clark County School District and demonstrate leadership in academics and community service. The program has awarded more than 500 scholarships since its inception in 2000 and more than $84,000 last year alone.

For more information, visit thepef.org. To RSVP, call 799-1042, as seating is limited to the first 100.

FITZGERALD ELEMENTARY'S LIBRARY RECEIVES NEW BOOKS

Fitzgerald Elementary School, 2651 Revere St., received 750 new nonfiction books this month from the Public Education Foundation's Clark County READS Library Enhancement Program. United Family of Dealerships donated $12,500 for the project.

The average copyright date of Fitzgerald's nonfiction collection was 1993 before the donation. United also donated to the library at Harris Elementary School in 2009.

Since the program's inception in 2001, Clark County READS has donated nearly $1.4 million worth of new books in 102 libraries in Clark County School District. For more information, visit thepef.org.

SAVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL TO HOST YARD SALE TO BENEFIT ORCHESTRA

Saville Middle School, 8101 N. Torrey Pines Drive, has scheduled a community yard sale fundraiser from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Proceeds from the sale will help fund the Saville advanced orchestra students' trip to Washington, D.C., in April. The orchestra was invited to perform at the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

Individual parking lot spaces are being sold for $20 to anyone wishing to sell items at the yard sale. Donations also will be accepted. If interested in making a donation outside of the sale, call orchestra director Stephanie Smith at 799-3460, ext. 4063.

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.

LOCAL SCHOOLS COMPETE FOR $10,000 BY SHOPPING

Seven Clark County schools are competing for $10,000 in the My School's Cool Reward Program at Meadows Mall, 4300 Meadows Lane. Students have been competing since November to accumulate points by shopping at Meadows Mall and submitting receipts to their school. The school with the highest point total will be awarded the grand prize in June, and the other participating schools will receive cash prizes.

Participating schools are Griffith, 324 Essex Drive; Crestwood, 1300 Pauline Way; Carson Empowerment, 1735 N. D St.; Thiriot, 5700 W. Harmon Ave., and Bruner, 4289 Allen Lane, elementary schools; and Bridger, 2505 N. Bruce St., and Cashman, 4622 W. Desert Inn Road, middle schools. Community members can support these schools by submitting receipts on behalf of a particular school.

Meadows Mall customers can write the name of the school on the back of a store receipt and submit it in a special display in the mall. Customers wishing to retain a receipt can request a special form from the mall management office during normal business hours.

For more information, call 878-6607.

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.

GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS TO CONSERVE WILDLIFE

The National Environmental Education Foundation is offering $1,000 grants to high school students to implement wildlife conservation projects in their schools or communities. The grants are offered by the foundation's Planet Connect program, a youth engagement initiative.

For more information, visit planetconnect.org/2012wcgrants. Applications are due Feb. 1.

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.

SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE TO ITALIAN STUDENTS

The Sons of Italy Las Vegas Lodge 2158 is accepting scholarship applications from high school seniors of Italian descent. The lodge will award $500 scholarships to students pursuing a college education. Awards will be based on grades, school activities, community service and an essay. Applications are available at sonsofitalylasvegas.com and are due April 1. For more information, call 896-1987.

Other scholarships for students of Italian descent are being offered by the Grand Lodge of California at sonsofitalyca.org. Applications are due March 1.

The Sons of Italy Foundation offers 10 to 12 merit-based scholarships ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 as part of a nationwide competition. For more information, visit osia.org/students/scholarships. Applications are due Feb. 28.

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.