Books and Buddies is a reading mentor program sponsored by Spread the Word Nevada, a children's literacy non-profit group, that matches elementary school students from a list of 26 adopted schools with adult mentors from the community. The organization has been serving low-income children and families from the adopted schools within the Clark County School District since it was founded in 2001.

Volunteers interested in helping kindergarten through fifth-grade students improve their reading proficiency, comprehension, and verbal recitation skills are encouraged to make a minimum 12-week commitment for one hour a week. Training will be provided and fingerprinting for background checks will be required.

Volunteer Contact

Libbi Erickson

Office: (702) 564-7809

Libbi@spreadthewordnevada.org

UNLV will be getting money to expand a program that helps middle school kids get ready for college.

The Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs or GEAR UP targets kids in low-income or under-performing schools. The idea is to teach kids starting in seventh grade the skills they need to get into college and succeed once they are there.

The Department of Education announced Tuesday it was giving three grants to the program totaling $7 million. The money will allow the program to expand into 11 middle schools around the Las Vegas Valley.

GEAR UP provides students with counseling on college admissions and financial aid. They also get help in class and after school to improve their grades. The program also helps teachers with professional development.

Congresswoman Shelley Berkley made the announcement Tuesday. She says programs like this one will help with job creation in the future.

The lines are long at the Southern Nevada Health District as parents scramble to make sure their children’s vaccinations are up to date.

A child that is not fully immunized cannot attend Clark County schools. With school starting Monday, parents have limited time to get the shots they need. Students from kindergarten through college freshman could be in need of new vaccinations.

“We are one of the few states that have a requirement for hepatitis A. Anyone who is new to the school district needs to get their hep A or they will be turned away. This is going to happen. You are going to be turned away. All seventh graders that do not have T-DAP will be sent home. It is the new mandate from three years ago,” said Veronica Morata-Nichols with the Southern Nevada Health District.

The wait has been as long as an hour and a half for parents and students. Some kids have needed one shot while others have needed as many as six.