SMART BOARD
Education news and events
NMHU LAUNCHES LAS VEGAS, N.M. HISTORICAL TOUR GUIDE APP
New Mexico Highlands University unveiled a mobile app that features historic sites throughout Las Vegas, N.M., including several buildings on the university’s campus.
Frank Beurskens, a board member for Las Vegas Citizens’ Committee for Historic Preservation, developed the app and worked with graduate Chris Romero in coming up with graphics for it.
Lauren Addario, a media arts faculty member at the university who directs the Cultural Technology Internship Program, supervised its development.
The app provides an opportunity to learn more about Las Vegas’ history, architecture, film locations and culture. Viewers can access some of the more than 900 residential and commercial buildings in Las Vegas that are on the National Register of Historic Places.
The app is available on both Apple and Android platforms by searching for “Connect Las Vegas NM.”
“Las Vegas is a living museum of sorts due in part to the reflection of history and culture in its architecture,” Beurskens said.
“The primary goal of the app is to increase awareness of the architecture and the stories behind many of the buildings for both local residents and visitors.
MENTOR PROGRAM RAISES FUNDS TO HELP REMOTE LEARNING
Mentoring Kids Works New Mexico is raising money to provide more mentors and tutors to local students learning online.
The nonprofit has raised $11,200 and hopes to reach $25,000 in donations.
The organization places mentors in after-school programming with elementary students who read below proficiency. It uses well-trained, dedicated high school and college mentors to provide 120 hours of guidance each school year in Santa Fe, Taos, Albuquerque, Socorro and Española. To donate, visit mentoringkidsworksnm.org.
STUDENT GETS RECOGNITION FOR READING ACHIEVEMENT
A group of tutors from Reading Quest Literacy made a surprise visit to Juan Pablo Aguilar, a fifth grader at Kearny Elementary School, for becoming the first student in its program to read 2,000 words and 90 books.
Tutors showed up with balloons, an ice cream cake and a sign to celebrate the achievement, Rayna Dineen, Reading Quest’s executive director, said in an email.
Juan Pablo has been in the program since the second grade and was not able to read when he started working with the group’s tutors, she said.
“He is also an incredibly kind role model to younger students and has worked very hard in our program,” Dineen said.
Reading Quest is a nonprofit organization that provides free tutoring for struggling readers, children from low-income families and students who have learning challenges or are English language learners.