Contributions help student attend Stanford program

Rebecca Malone

Monday, June 18, 2001 | 9:09 a.m.

A local high school student will be able to attend the 2001 Junior Statesmen Summer School because of the community's generosity.

A Las Vegas Sun article Thursday about Rachel Bicklestone's need for contributions to attend the school at Stanford University brought two donations that covered her costs. The LandWell Co. and a Junior Statesmen alumnus stepped forward to help Bicklestone.

Bicklestone will attend the program, designed for students interested in politics and government, July 1-26. The program allows high school students to get a glimpse of the challenging university atmosphere as they live on campus with college students. They will cram in a semester's worth of college-level classes in a month and attend school six days a week.

Andres Ramirez attended the Junior Statesmen Summer School in 1994 and 1995 and said it is an esteemed program.

"I consider this a very prestigious program," Ramirez said. "There are not many people in Las Vegas who get accepted to it, and I think she should be able to go."

Ramirez said he gave $150 after he called her and liked what she had to say. The LandWell Co. covered the rest of her tuition needs with a $1,100 donation.

"The LandWell Co. is very big into education, and this was a good opportunity to help someone out," President and Chief Executive Dan Stewart said. "Also, I am a Stanford alumnus, so that got to me on a personal level too."

The LandWell Co. gives close to $20,000 a year to top science and math students graduating from Henderson high schools.

"I am just so excited," Bicklestone said. "This is the opportunity of a lifetime and I wouldn't be able to do this without the help and support of my community."