Good morning, and welcome to the Indy Education newsletter. I’m Rocio Hernandez, The Nevada Independent’s K-12 education reporter. 

This newsletter provides a recap of the latest education stories and highlights interesting educators, students, programs and other events and resources throughout the state. Click here to subscribe to the newsletter and receive it each week via email.

I want to hear from you! Send questions, comments or suggestions on what I should be covering to [email protected]. 

News briefs

⭐ ️Reno Spanish teacher recognized by association for language educators — Veteran teacher Carmen Hernandez Chavez, who teaches Spanish at Wooster High School, was recently named as the Nevada Language Teacher of the Year by the Professional Language Association of Nevada (PLAN). Hernandez has taught in the district for 11 years, and at Wooster for four years. 

The Washoe County School District said in an Oct. 4 statement that Hernandez relates to many of her students as a Wooster alum who moved to the U.S. from Mexico with her family when she was a child. In addition to Wooster, she teaches Spanish at Truckee Meadows Community College. 

“I was an emerging learner 19 years ago,” she said. “I didn’t speak English, and [Wooster] was the first high school I attended as a newcomer. Now I am a teacher, giving back to my community the support I received.”

As the PLAN Language Teacher of the Year state award winner, she will now compete at the regional level among winners from nine states.

🎻 Las Vegas mariachi teacher a semifinalist for Grammy music educator award — Las Vegas High School mariachi director Stephen Blanco has been selected as a semifinalist for the 2025 Grammy Museum and Recording Academy Music Educator Award. He is one of only 25 music teachers to be selected for the honor nationally, the Clark County School District said in an Oct. 10 statement. 

The award is given to educators who make a remarkable contribution to music education and show a commitment to maintaining music programs in schools. 

Blanco has led Mariachi Joya at Las Vegas High School since its inception in 2018. Mariachi Joya has won several awards and has performed at the White House twice.

The winner of the Grammy Music Educator Award will receive a $10,000 award as well as a matching grant for their school’s music program. The finalists will be announced in December.

School Spotlight

New financial literacy center helping prepare students for adulthood

Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada (JASN), a nonprofit organization that has been offering financial literacy curriculum to local students for almost 30 years, has opened a new 44,000-square-foot center in East Las Vegas where it can bring its lessons to life. 

The so-called Inspiration Center’s two main programs are Betty's JA BizTown, named after the mother of Engelstad Foundation CEO Kris Engelstad, which features simulations geared toward elementary school students, and the JA Finance Park, which is geared toward high school students. 

The areas are designed as miniature cities complete with banks, food establishments and health care centers. It also includes local touches such as a mini Las Vegas City Hall, utilities such as Cox and Republic Services, UNLV and casinos such as Caesars Palace and The Venetian. 

The center is designed to teach students financial literacy, workforce readiness, entrepreneurship and other aspects of adult life such as the cost of child care, health insurance, banking and voting. The center will be open to students as part of school field trips or summer camp opportunities. 

“So everything that we teach has the ability to change the trajectory of a young person's life no matter what their background is and they are skills that every single young person needs as they enter into adulthood,” said JASN President and CEO Michelle Jackson. 

The center is located at 4440 E. Tropicana Ave. in East Las Vegas. The center, which was previously a 24 Hour Fitness and had been vacant since March 2020, cost $18 million — $16 million of which came from donors. 

The nonprofit already works with schools that provide Junior Achievement’s curriculum to more than 20,000 students annually. JASN estimates the center will help it expand its reach to more than 60,000 students in Southern Nevada, including 84 percent of all fifth graders and 84 percent of ninth graders in the region. 

Cristo Rey St. Viator College Preparatory High School freshman Ainsley Godinez went through the JA Finance Park lessons after she started interning at the center two months ago. She said it helped her better understand the different types of savings accounts and investment opportunities and payroll taxes. 

“It taught me that life is a lot harder than we think it is, especially with paychecks,” she said. “A lot gets taken out because of taxes.”

The center will also feature an Entrepreneur Incubator Hub and Career Center that are under development in partnership with Goodwill Industries of Southern Nevada. Jackson said the career center, which will help students up to the age of 25 with career development resources, is expected to soft launch at the end of the year, and the entrepreneurship hub, which is geared toward JA alums between the ages of 18 and 25 who want to start their own business, will open next spring. 

Have a student or staffer who we should feature in the next edition of School Spotlight? Share your nominations with me at [email protected].

Reading Assignments

Officials say potential Clark County schools’ budget deficit $9M less than initially projected

The potential budget deficit, estimated to be about $11 million, represents less than 1 percent of the district’s $4 billion budget, interim Superintendent Brenda Larsen-Mitchell said at a Thursday school board meeting.

Extra Credit

From KUNR: Former NASA astronaut inspires hundreds of students in Carson City

Events

🥕Giant Student Farmers Market — Oct. 16, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. 

The farmers market hosted by the Green Our Planet nonprofit features produce and crafts grown and made by students. The event will be held at the Clark County Government Center at 500 S. Grand Central Parkway. All profits are reinvested into school garden programs.   

📕 Las Vegas Book Festival — Oct. 19, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.  

The festival will feature readings, book signings, a book giveaway and activities for readers of all ages. (Bonus: The event will also include a panel on local politics featuring Indy reporter Tabitha Mueller.) The event will be held at the Historic Fifth Street School located at 401 South 4th Street, Las Vegas, NV 89101. Admission is free. Visit the website for more information and to RSVP. 

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