Author: Illiana Banuelos

John C. Bass served students and families for more than 32 years as a teacher, Title I Controller and principal at CCSD. He worked tirelessly with programs and organizations that were youth-oriented as an effective educator and youth advocate. He was especially committed to programs for special needs and at-risk students. Not long after becoming a school district employee, Mr. Bass, along with fellow teachers, designed and implemented the first after-school program for students who lived in West Las Vegas. He taught many students how to play various sports and held annual tournaments, including the “29 Palms Invitational Basketball Tournament”…

Kermit Roosevelt Booker, Sr. moved to Las Vegas with his family in 1955 and was a man dedicated to the community. He spent many years as an educator in Missouri and Kansas before becoming one of the first African-American teachers in Las Vegas at the Clark County School District (CCSD). He taught at Madison Elementary School, now Wendell Williams Elementary School, until illness forced him to retire. He worked with both the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts and was a member of the Trailblazers. Highland Elementary School was renamed Kermit R. Booker Sr. Empowerment Elementary School in 2007, one of…

In 1946, Mabel Hoggard was on her way to California but stopped off in Las Vegas to visit a family member, which then turned into the decision to stay in the city. Later that year, she became the first licensed African-American educator in Nevada. She would continue teaching in the Clark County School District (CCSD) for nearly 25 years before retiring. During her years in Las Vegas, she was a community activist as well as a teacher. She was a member of the NAACP, helped organize the Westside Council, a coalition of school teachers and administrators, and worked to build…

“I can and I will” is the motto that guided the life of the Honorable Addeliar D. Guy III. Judge Guy was distinguished as the first African-American to serve as a District Court Judge in the history of Nevada. He also served as the first African-American Deputy District Attorney and Chief Deputy District Attorney of Clark County. He believed that education was the “key” and established the Addeliar D. Guy III Law School Scholarship Fund and the “Spirit of Nevada” Art and Essay Contest for middle and high school students. His caring for the community and especially for young people…

There will be no school for students on Monday, February 10, 2025. Classes will resume on Tuesday, February 11, 2025.

Dr. Beverly S. Mathis has served as an educator in the Clark County School District (CCSD) for more than 16 years. Dr. Mathis promoted the mission and commitments of the Superintendent’s Region so that all students had equal access to participate in and benefit from excellent educational opportunities. She’s recognized for her work in education locally and nationally by several organizations including the NAACP, the City of Las Vegas, the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District and The Public Education Foundation. Today, she serves as Vice President of Academic and Community Initiatives at he PEF. Dr. Beverly S. Mathis Elementary School…

Joseph M. Neal spent his lifetime working to improve education. He moved to Las Vegas in the 1950s after serving in the Air Force and was the first African-American State Senator in Nevada. He served from 1972 to 2004 making him the longest-serving state senator in Nevada history. He chaired the Legislative Human Resources Committee which dealt with issues regarding schools and children throughout the state. Senator Neal worked on the bill that allowed the creation of a funding source for the state library system. Joseph M. Neal Elementary School opened in 1999.

Theron and Naomi Goynes were longtime leaders in the North Las Vegas community and strong education advocates. In 1964, the Goyneses moved to Las Vegas and began teaching at the Clark County School District (CCSD). Mr. Goynes spent twenty years on the City of North Las Vegas, Nevada – Municipal Government Council, twelve of them as Mayor Pro Tempore. He was said to be the first elected African-American in Nevada history to head a government body. During his career in Clark County, Mr. Goynes served as a teacher, counselor, adult education coordinator, assistant principal and principal. Mrs. Goynes was known…

The Clark County School District (CCSD) is sad to hear of the passing of Earl N. Jenkins, an elementary school namesake. Jenkins was a dedicated educator who significantly impacted thousands of children in the Las Vegas Valley. Mr. Jenkins began his over thirty-year teaching career with CCSD in 1965 at Frank F. Garside Middle School. He then moved to Bonanza High School in 1976, where he taught government until his retirement. Mr. Jenkins made it his mission to increase student interest in government through creative lessons. Throughout his teaching career, he left an everlasting mark on his students, leading to…

Ruby Duncan moved to Clark County in 1952. She quickly became aware of the need for services to assist women and children facing poverty. Her advocacy and dedication led her to establish the Operation Life Community Development Corporation in 1972, one of the nation’s most effective anti-poverty programs at the time. They were the first federally funded community development corporation in America that was organized, controlled, and operated by low-income women. Ms. Duncan is credited for leading the fight for Nevada’s underfed children. Within three years of her efforts to raise awareness of this issue, Nevada implemented the Women and…