Author: Kyle W

Dr. Charles I. West came to Southern Nevada in 1954 and is well-known as the first African-American physician and surgeon licensed to practice in Nevada. He also served as Rancho High School’s team physician for ten years. Dr. West’s contributions to Las Vegas go beyond the medical field as he was a prominent civil rights activist working alongside other notable activists in the city including Dr. James McMillan and William H. “Bob” Bailey. Dr. West founded and published the Las Vegas Voice, the only black newspaper in the state. It served the valley’s African-American community. The paper was later known…

The Clark County School District (CCSD) Family Engagement Department invites parents/guardians to attend free engaging workshops that connect them with resources and tools that support student academic success. This event is an expansion of CCSD’s Super Saturdays. Participants can choose between sessions for adults or sessions for families learning together.  The Family Academy will be held on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, from 8 a.m. to noon at Cimarron-Memorial High School located at 2301 N. Tenaya Way. A light breakfast will be served.    Spanish translation services will be provided at the event.  The Family Academy is an opportunity for parents/guardians, children…

Shirley A. Barber was a pioneer in education and an educator at the Clark County School District (CCSD). She dedicated much of her life advocating for academic excellence and finding positive, long-term solutions. Her motto was, “Educate the Whole Child.” She invested her time in early literacy programs such as Reading Round-up and providing free Book Fairs for underserved students. She successfully lobbied for full-day Kindergarten in CCSD and played a pivotal role in the development of CCSD’s Academic Support and Community Service Center, which supported STEM learning. Mrs. Barber was one of the few African-American women to serve as…

Claude H. Parson Jr. and Stella M. Parson were both educators in Las Vegas and taught within the Clark County School District (CCSD). Mr. Parson earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees outside of Las Vegas joining the Air Force and was eventually stationed at Nellis Air Force Base. His first teaching job in Las Vegas was at Madison Elementary School, currently Wendell Williams Elementary School, teaching seventh grade and industrial arts. He was appointed coordinator of the school system’s desegregation program in 1969. He also served as the District’s federal programs coordinator a few years later. Mrs. Parson received her…

Eva G. Simmons has served as an educator in the Clark County School District (CCSD) since 1964 when the District only had 54,000 students. She has taken on several roles including teacher, principal, assistant personnel manager, and area superintendent. She has been recognized for her work in education as a CCSD International Year of the Child Honoree, Excellence in Education Hall of Fame inductee, and a Participatory Leadership Award. Her work in public service has also been recognized by the State of Nevada, Clark County, and several other organizations. Mrs. Simmons retired from the District after 37 years of service.…

Clyde Carson Cox moved to Las Vegas with his wife and daughter in 1941. He was a leading figure in Las Vegas’ African-American community for 28 years. At an early age, he became interested in the ministry and devoted his life to that work, receiving a Bachelor of Theology degree from Morehouse College in Atlanta and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Trinity Hall College and Seminary in Illinois. In Las Vegas, he was named pastor of the local church, which he first built on F Street. The first service consisted of six members and grew to a congregation of…

Dr. Carolyn S. Reedom began her tenure in the Clark County School District (CCSD) in 1970, serving students and families as a teacher, dean of students, high school assistant principal, principal and assistant superintendent.  Dr. Reedom was the first female and African-American president of the Nevada Association of School Administrators. She led several initiatives to help secure school funding, receive national recognition and successfully implement school policies. A few of these initiatives include the Rain Forest Biosphere at Vanderburg ES, recognition as the first High Achieving School by the state at Vanderburg ES, introducing the first inclusion program in the…

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”…

It’s National School Counseling Week! This week, we recognize and celebrate school counselors and bring attention to their role. We congratulate Eboni Simpson-Hodge from Legacy High School as the 2023 Nevada School Counselor of the Year from the Nevada School Counselor Association. Simpson-Hodge said the most rewarding aspect of her work as a school counselor is celebrating with her students during school activities, graduation and even life after graduation.  Learn more at https://nvsca.wildapricot.org/Awards-&-Recognition.

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…