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By Paul Takahashi (contact) 
Friday, July 27, 2012 | 7:22 p.m.
Two Las Vegas public schools will each adopt a bus stop next year to encourage children to walk, bike and take public transportation to reduce carbon emissions.
That’s the dream of 60 high-achieving Clark County School District students who launched their "Divide the Ride" campaign on Friday.
This fall, environmental clubs at a public middle and high school will be chosen by the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada to maintain two bus stops, redecorating them with posters urging Las Vegans to use alternative modes of transportation.
The schools will be responsible to clean the bus shelters as a community service project for students, and will have the opportunity to brand the bus stops with school-specific designs upon approval by the RTC, which owns the stops.
"We all know that children have the ability to change the culture of a country," said RTC General Manager Tina Quigley. "These budding leaders will make a difference in our future."
The student project was germinated at the private Alexander Dawson School, site of a 4-year-old summer enrichment program sponsored by GB Henderson Education. Both the Dawson School and GB Henderson Education are supported by the Alexander Dawson Foundation.
In 2009, Dawson opened campuses in Summerlin and in Boulder, Colo., to high-performing public middle school children.
As School District programs for gifted and talented students have dwindled amid budget cuts, the Dawson Foundation stepped up by offering a summer program that allows top students to tackle some of society’s greatest problems, said Kevin Cloud, GB Henderson Education’s executive director.
During their first summer, students learn about various social issues surrounding water, health, food and energy issues for five weeks.
During the second summer, the same students work for two weeks to come up with a project that demonstrates their knowledge of an issue and how to solve a societal problem. These teenagers work in tandem with community leaders from groups such as the RTC to execute their social campaigns.
Previous years' projects include public service announcements on the importance of and correct method for hand-washing to prevent illnesses and a program that tries to eliminate plastic water bottles in six public schools by installing water filtration systems and distributing stainless steel water bottles.
This year, 60 returning GB Henderson students took up energy and conservation issues, focusing in particular on the depleting atmospheric ozone layer that protects humans from harmful solar rays. Las Vegas — being a "car-centric" city — could leave a smaller carbon dioxide footprint by embracing public transportation, the students found.
"We thought that the current situation in Las Vegas — the way the streets and public transportation are set up — that had to change," said Nathan Santos, a 14-year-old 8th grader at Leavitt Middle School. "The way it is now, there's too much pollution. It’s not sustainable for future generations."
The students — who came from diverse backgrounds — worked together to design special public service announcements that would fit in the advertising space on RTC bus stops. The students also crafted instructional guidebooks, videos and an incentive program that would award fellow students for using "green" transportation.
The program launches in two Clark County schools this fall, with one of those schools ultimately being given the opportunity to redesign an RTC bus stop by springtime. The hope is these bus stop redesign — funded by GB Henderson and Outdoor Promotions, which manages bus stop advertising — will educate the public about the importance of public transportation to the earth’s environment, the students said.
It’s a message that Cheryl Wagner has been advocating among students, parents and teachers Clark County this past year. The School District’s Safe Routes to School coordinator said the more students walk, bike and carpool to school, the safer schools will be because there’s less traffic and fewer opportunities for accidents.
Nevada first lady Kathleen Sandoval, on hand for the student presentations on Friday, said she hopes the students’ project is expanded throughout the state.
“When it comes to education, you need to think outside of the box,” Sandoval said. “It’s amazing to bring a group of kids together to better our community.”
I know I am going to upset a lot of people, but this sounds more like indoctrination than education.
I agree with boftx.
Now, isn't this special? You're right, boftx. Public school "educators" are so enamored with politically correct nonsense that they don't have time for their main purpose: to see to it students are prepared for what comes after "graduation." This but one more example of how the mission has been side-tracked by "touchy-feely" crap!
Whoa, what's with the cynicism? It's a summer enrichment program at no public cost, and will play out at one school as a public service project, again at no cost to taxpayers.
This reminds me of my own high school experience and my participation in campus organizations that performed service projects in town. It instilled a great sense of community pride.
Let's embrace the foundation and the participants for doing something positive and instructive for our community!
I think everyone besides Tom Gorman should be ashamed of yourselves! HOW DARE YOU question an organization who is trying to improve our educational system.
This non profit educational foundation gives their students the opportunity to excel, specifically in subjects which are becoming increasing challenges of today. These are the top students their age, some may be able to take on a more difficult curriculum then what their school offers but they are not be able to afford it.
Besides working with leaders their age from all over the district, they also being educated and working with some of the most influential people in our city. These students are not only learning about one subject but about how to advocate a cause and make a difference in their community. This is a critical age for these students and from this program they will be able to take away life long lessons and friendships.
I want to tip my hat to students who have identified issues that they believe are important, and are translating that priority into real action.
Tom,
I got the distinct impression that these kids are being molded rather than being allowed to find their own shape, so to speak.
To put it a different way, have these kids arrived at their decisions after research and debate, or were they merely given "facts" from one point of view?
There is nothing wrong with the desire to take on projects like these, I just want to be sure that these children are learning to think for themselves and not merely being trained as parrots (whether I agree with their actions or not.)
I guess some readers missed the part of the article that stated that 60 high achieving students came up with this idea. No one was forced into this.
There are many here that consistently prove that no good deed goes unpunished.
Glad to see the kids coming up with ideas since too many adults these days do nothing but criticize everything anyone else does to try to make this town better.
Good luck to you kids, hope this project turns out to be all you are working for.
I appreciate it when anyone cares enough about education to even read these stories, and I hope that everyone can believe me when I tell you--This is definitely a student designed project.
These students spent 5 weeks last summer studying Energy (broadly) and they heard from as many industry reps as green energy advocates. They developed the idea for this campaign, and came back for two weeks to design it.
NO tax dollars went into this--it is funded by some very hard-nosed businessmen who appreciate the entrepreneurial skills that are developed when these kinds of campaigns are built-nothing 'touchy-feely' about that. Stay in the workforce long enough and some of these kids will be giving you a job.
Hello,
I am one of the GBHE energy efficiency Scholars.
I think everyone has misunderstood the reasoning and purpose behind this program. All of us were chosen because we are the best of the best and the smartest of the smart. We all worked together last summer to try and figure out the best ways to help our city and promote energy efficiency. We came together, again, this summer to focus on one topic that concerned us all. WE THE STUDENTS, chose, studied, and came up with a plan that seemed the most helpful. None of the teachers, partners, or volunteers had any hand in the choices we made. They were simply there to support us in areas that as young adults we couldn't reach. Sometimes you still need a grown ups help in things. We weren't coerced or told to do anything or given a plan that that someone else came up with and thought we should work on. It all came from our own minds and cooperation amongst ourselves. Part of our problem in Las Vegas is the lack of cooperation and community camaraderie. Please put aside your skepticism and try to work along side us instead of putting us down. Its insulting to think that our work is so easily overlooked and dismissed by people that haven't involved themselves except to read a single article. The summer program gave us a new outlook on the things we can change and gave us a chance to let our creative minds run free. We gave our time and efforts this summer for our city. Perhaps you could at least try to do the same.
Hello,
I'm one of the GBHE scholars and I wasn't forced into anything! We had to go through a very long application process and when we got the acceptance letter we had to fill out ANOTHER application saying we wanted to do it , wanted to spend 1 month of summer on work that's fun and interesting , and saying that we will dedicate all of a lot if our time to the camp. I worked hard to get to where I am and it nearly brings me to tears seeing people try to ruin my dreams and hurt mine and my good friends feeling GBHE is one of the best things thats happened to me . I've met people I'll know forever and I know things now that I never thought about or took interest in. Now hearing from an actual scholar how do you feel. I bet you feel a little silly . Maybe you should do some more research before putting us down!!