This program brought to you in part by the Erika Lewis Endowment Fund.

-Coming up on Student Spotlight... From serving our country to serving our students, the effort to introduce former military to teaching.

Plus... This former stray pup is now the unofficial mascot at one elementary school.

The story behind Cortez the dog.

Then... New socks and shoes... -They feel perfect.

-How the Goodie Two Shoes Foundation helps build a better foundation one foot at a time.

Those stories and so much more.

Student Spotlight starts right now.

[swiping sound] Thanks for joining us for this episode of Student Spotlight.

I'm your host, Maria Silva.

We are at Veterans Tribute Career & Technical Academy.

This magnet high school is the first in Nevada to focus on preparing students for careers in public service, and that includes the military.

This wall right there behind me has photos of former students who have chosen to serve our country and our community.

So very proud of all those former students and the students here right now.

We'll learn more about the incredible programs offered here a little later in the show, but first, a push to help veterans become teachers.

(Maria Vega) I just love teaching.

-Maria Vega teaches Emergency Medical Services at Veterans Tribute Career & Technical Academy.

-I love the interaction that we have, and I love the fact that they're learning and the fact that they are going to be using what they're learning here in the outside.

-It's a career close to her heart... -I was in the Army for 20 years.

I was a medic.

-...and so is teaching.

-I actually joined the Army because I wanted to get money for college and then be a teacher, but I just happened to fall in love with the Army.

By the time I retired, I was like, well, I guess it is time now to be a teacher.

-But not everyone has a clear career path when leaving the military.

The transition to civilian life can be hard.

(George Ann Rice) And part of that is, again, the 70% who don't know what they want to do.

So we want to give them that direction even before they leave the service.

-George Ann Rice with Patriots to Education, a nonprofit that addresses the nation's teacher shortage by introducing former military and their spouses to careers in schools.

-We're like Troops to Teachers 2.0, because they only went after veterans to let them know who wanted to be teachers.

We're after all military connected people for any job in public education.

-Rice and her team are working with the Clark County School District.

(Jason Ginoza) We have a few military bases here in Clark County.

-Assistant Human Resources Officer Jason Ginoza.

-They committed a portion of their lives to serving others, and I believe that that's what we do.

We serve our community.

We serve our students.

We serve our family.

I do think it's in alignment.

(Tommie Hayes) 27 years in the military, 23 years for the school district; 50 years.

-When Senior Chief Tommie Hayes left the Navy... -You know, I didn't know nothing about this ROTC business.

[miliary cadence] -But he found a rewarding second career in the classroom, becoming a legend at El Dorado High School teaching JROTC.

-You got to love what you're doing, because if you don't have the love for the, for what you're doing, the caring, then it's not gonna be for you.

Just the kids, I love the kids.

-Back at Veterans Tribute, Vega agrees... -I just love to be able to influence the kids in a positive way.

-...and encourages former military to consider teaching.

-So if they love serving, and they're going to love teaching.

So go for it.

You'll love it, because I love it.

-Thank you for your service, and thank you for what you're doing for our students.

Well, speaking of public service, a former Nevada governor and US Senator makes it a point to visit his namesake elementary school every year to help swear in new members of student council.

We were honored to be invited to this very special ceremony.

♪♪ (Larry Epstein) We're here at the Richard H. Bryan Elementary School in the Bonnie Bryan Library for our annual student council induction ceremony.

(Kaydence Gardea) It is an incredible honor to stand here today as your newly elected 5th grade student council president.

-Senator Bryan, our namesake, comes every year to induct our student council officers and representatives and to remind them of the value and the importance of civic service.

[applause] (Richard H. Bryan) I think this bonding helps.

You may be president of your class, or whatever it is, but you're really just one of the class that has been chosen to provide some leadership.

-I ran for school council to make our school an even better place.

(Zoey Fitzgerald) I just bring everybody together, help them bond.

We just all communicate, get along.

-It's great for them to see what is possible.

And it's always inspirational to have the person whose name is on the building to be able to do that.

-Well, if you start them early on being involved, reaching out with their classmates, reaching out with their class activities, hopefully that sets a pattern for life that they'll be involved in their community.

-I think it'll help me get into a good college and help me achieve my goal of becoming a veterinarian.

-I thought it would be better for me to interact with people, like different people, from when I go on to different, like, grade levels and stuff.

-That's one of the ideals that came with Senator Bryan's name being on the building.

They knew that it was important to really honor his legacy of service.

-Congratulations.

-It felt like an honor, because having our namesake of our school coming to introduce me into student council felt really nice.

-What kind of promises or suggestions or recommendations did you make?

-I promised that I would be honest and truthful.

-All right.

That's very important.

-They learn the importance of organization, of leadership.

They learn that the way to make things happen is to really be involved and engaged in the process.

-I'm expecting to accomplish getting, like, soccer nets, because we don't have any soccer nets for goals.

-It is so worthwhile.

The kids get so much out of out of the process that it's worth the time and effort that it puts on us to make sure that these things are available for the students.

-Stay positive and always be yourself.

-Have fun.

And even if they don't win, they're still brave and smart.

-My dad had a strong feeling that everybody in the community needs to contribute in some way.

This is the first step of being involved.

By being elected to the council or an officer, you're involved in your community here at Richard H. Bryan Elementary.

Later in life, it's a broader community, and hopefully that message stays with them.

-Congratulations to all of the new student council officers.

We know you will serve your school well.

Now let's head to Von Toble Middle School for our first "News Break."

-Hi.

I'm June, and I'm from Von Toble Middle School.

-And I'm Safiya.

We're here with your first "News Break."

-There was a big investment recently from Toyota to boost STEM programs in our school district.

(Telis Bethel) The Toyota USA Foundation is granting up to $5.8 million over the next five years to Clark County schools to continue the growth in STEM education in our community.

[applause] -The announcement happened at Garside Junior High School, one of the schools that will benefit from the investment.

This is part of Toyota's Driving Possibilities program, which focuses on workforce readiness and engagement.

Thank you, Toyota!

-And we have another big announcement to tell you about.

The College Football Playoff Foundation and the LVCVA are working together to help teacher retention in the Clark County School District.

Together, they donated a combined $3 million.

The funding will help with classroom resources, teacher recognition, and professional development.

The CFP National Championship is scheduled for January 25, 2027, at Allegiant Stadium in Fabulous Las Vegas.

When we come back, we'll tell you more about our school.

-But for now, let's send it back to Maria.

-Nice job!

Thank you so much, June and Safiya.

Well, without a doubt I can tell you that I absolutely love being the host of Student Spotlight.

I'm also lucky to be the host of the digital series Outdoor Nevada Presents Tales from the Trails.

While filming a segment on tips for hiking with your dog--that's my dog, YukiYu, right there--I met a CCSD principal and her adorable dog, Cortez.

How these two ended up together will warm your heart.

♪♪ -Go Cortez, go!

-Before Cortez, the fetch-loving dog, became the popular unofficial mascot at Cortez Elementary School... -I have a special guest.

Is it okay if we interrupt?

-Yeah.

-Okay.

Come on in, Cortez.

-...this adorable pup was once a stray dog.

-A teacher at the time, Dawn Rivera, she's now our assistant principal.... (Dawn Rivera) We're so happy you're with us now.

-...she sent me a text message with a photo of this little face peeking over the rocks and said, The dog is back.

She's in the parking lot.

She was in the corner, way down there.

-The scared pup, as luck would have it, was at the right place at the right time, surrounded by caring individuals.

And on that fateful day three years ago, Principal Lin Soriano became a proud foster fail.

(Lin Soriano) Well, I already have two dogs; but for the weekend, I will take her.

And then Monday we can sort this all out.

And then come Monday, she had already shown the love, and I knew already I could not, I could not give her to anyone.

-Cortez has not only become part of Miss Soriano's family at home, but also her family at school.

-It's Cortez.

-You knew that.

Just like this school, huh?

The kids love it.

They start to tell me their stories, We just got a puppy.

We found a dog.

I got another dog.

I want a dog.

My mom won't let me have a dog.

I hear all sorts of things.

So it does bring a little joy into school, into learning.

And they really get to connect with the school and they connect with the dog and they connect with me.

It's fantastic.

I absolutely love it.

-This fashionable pup even has her own school badge and is included in the yearbook wearing her pearls, of course.

-More a keepsake for the kids, because they go to that page, they ask at the end of the year if she would autograph their yearbook.

So I do.

I put a little paw print.

I put her name, because she's the star of the show here.

-And this superstar does more than bring a little joy to both students and staff.

-The staff absolutely love her.

They-- Sometimes I think she gets more Christmas presents than I do.

-For students like 5th grader Mi'Shaun Alexis, Cortez is also teaching them some valuable life lessons.

(Mi'Shaun Alexis) She just makes me feel like respectful, responsible, and safe.

What I feel when I see her in school is that we're going to have a good day.

Go Cortez, go!

(in unison) We love you, Cortez!

-It's hard not to love Cortez.

Cortez, by the way, also takes part in community events like National Night Out.

She's always a big hit.

And, as we learned in that segment, Principal Soriano loves to dress Cortez up in cute costumes.

So adorable.

You can catch the Tales from the Trails segment featuring my dog, YukiYu, and Cortez on our Vegas PBS YouTube page.

Well, good shoes are important for hiking and for comfort and confidence and so much more.

That's why the Goodie Two Shoes Foundation has been outfitting local students with new shoes and socks, listen to this, for more than 20 years.

And we caught up with this awesome nonprofit during a recent visit at Ullom Elementary.

(Myles Sheffield) Yeah, we're just getting some free shoes today, man.

(Eliana Lambour) So everybody's coming here outside.

Right behind me, they're getting new shoes for like their selves.

(Alex Tejero) So today, we have the privilege of hosting Goodie Two Shoes, a nonprofit organization that offers a new pair of shoes to all of our students here on our campus.

We have 450 students receiving shoes today, and I think the great thing about it is they get to pick their own shoe that's individualized and a shoe that fits just right.

(Alberto Rodriguez) She took me to the little section where my feet, where my feet size was.

(Nikki Berti) So shoes are critically important, one, to get to school, right, comfortably, not be worrying about if they're too tight, too small, or someone's making fun inside the classroom.

-You can get the shoes you like, and it's your size.

-Yes.

There was a lot to choose from.

Like there was like running shoes, like cute shoes like for concerts.

(Marcee Risse-Moon) It's a huge thing.

There's several kids that said they'd never gotten new shoes before; that, you know, they had to have hand-me-downs.

-It's a great opportunity to boost morale, improve self-confidence, and provide a much needed necessity.

-They're comfortable, and then they bring me some of my height up.

And it makes me jump higher.

-Yeah.

It makes me feel confident.

-Yeah.

So teachers report a brand new child, confident, coming into school on time, ready to learn with their brand new shoes.

-I got these pink and white and black shoes and blue because that's like my colors.

Those are all my favorite colors.

-What makes you feel better than having a brand new pair of sneakers that feel great and fit great?

-All of these volunteers, a program like Goodie Two Shoes, they are changing children and they are changing student outcomes.

-I gonna say in Spanish, Mom, Dad, look at my new shoes!

-They feel perfect.

-I'm happy for everybody to get some new shoes.

Thank you for everything you've done for us.

-What a wonderful organization.

And while we were there, Goodie Two Shoes served its 160,000th student.

Absolutely love that.

Thank you for what you do for our students and our community.

And you can learn more about the Goodie Two Shoes Foundation at Goodietwoshoes.org.

Listen up, high school seniors.

Have you filled out your FAFSA form?

Well, FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

It is an important tool for every student, regardless of income.

At Sierra Vista High School seniors like Diego Cuevas are planning for life after graduation and how to pay for it.

(Diego Cuevas) The one thing that I'm hoping that definitely helps me is FAFSA financial aid.

I think I do qualify for some of the requirements in order to get financial aid help, so and also the help of scholarships that come across the road as well.

-FAFSA is a Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

And for many students, it is a form that can unlock thousands of dollars in federal or state grants, work-study programs, and scholarships.

(Avery Silvas) Sometimes you need that to even apply or get money from other scholarships.

So it's definitely a big thing for seniors.

-The process is entirely online.

Both the student and the parent will need their own ID.

Parents can verify income by linking their account to the IRS.

No paper files needed.

(Christina Fakoya) I would tell them that it's not as overwhelming as it might have been in the past years.

So go into it with an open mind, because it really only takes five minutes.

And once you do it, you'll be happy that you did it.

-School Counselor Sara Rolen says families shouldn't assume they won't qualify.

(Sara Rolen) Sometimes, too, right, like, Oh, we make too much money.

There's no way that we'll qualify for anything.

That's also not necessarily true.

And in fact, some colleges require students to have a FAFSA on file in order to get athletic scholarships or merit scholarships.

-She says it is a small time commitment that could open doors.

-I think that many students and parents, if they would take the time to fill out the FAFSA, they could see what they would qualify for and how this could truly benefit their family in the long run.

-So how much time does it take to complete the form?

Well, counselors say less than an hour if a parent and student do it together.

You can learn more at studentaid.gov or check with your school counselor.

Now let's head back to Von Tobel Middle School for our second "News Break."

-Hi.

I'm Daniela.

I'm from Von Tobel Middle School.

-And I'm Adrian, and we're back with our second "News Break."

I'm proud to say I'm a member of the VTMS Tigers Robotics Team.

This month, our team will be taking part in two robotics competitions.

We're putting the finishing touches on our robot named Huey.

Go Tigers!

-Did you know our school will be moving into a brand new building?

The new building is currently under construction and should be completed by April of 2026.

The new state-of-the-art building is located a block and a half away from our current location.

We'll start the 2026-2027 school year in the brand new building.

Thank you for learning more about our school.

-We'll send it back to Maria.

-So proud of these students.

Thank you, Daniela and Adrian.

Well, we have moved just down the hall outside the EMT Lab, and I want to bring in Josh Davis, who is the principal here at Veterans Tribute CTA.

(Josh Davis) Hello.

-I love your school!

Let's start with some breaking news.

I heard that you're really excited about this, because next year Veterans Tribute will offer a Fire Science program.

Why is that such a big deal?

-It's a big deal because first time in recent history that the City is actively recruiting nationally for firefighters.

So being a first responder career-centered school, we thought it was only necessary to bring on that program.

We're actively recruiting for freshmen right now and to help out the city, but also provide future career opportunities for students.

-And that was the program that was missing here, right?

-It was the program that was missing.

It completes us now, absolutely.

We'll be the only magnet school, the only career and technical academy in the district, and that's pulling from all over the district.

So kids can come here from Boulder City to Mountain's Edge, from Centennial area or Sunrise Mountain area.

-Ah, that is a big deal.

And it says there, "Preparing Everyday Heroes."

And you do have so many wonderful programs here where students can earn their certification-- -Yep.

---by the time they graduate.

-Yeah.

Seniors in our EMS program, they come out, they have the opportunity to get certified with their EMT certification, as well as our Dispatch program.

They come out testing in police, fire, and medical.

I mean, our Dispatch program is amazing.

The application on the Henderson Police Department website for a dispatcher literally has, it's Question No.

8.

I remember the question number.

And it says, Do you have prior experience as a dispatcher, or did you attend Veterans Tribute?

It is just a testament to the hard work and dedication by our staff and our students here.

-Tell me about, it is a magnet school, so students from all over the district, as you mentioned, can attend, but they do have to apply?

-Yes.

Students interested in attending Veterans Tribute, we have an event coming up on November 20.

It's called our Magnet Open House Night.

If you need more information about the event or how to apply, you can go to our website, vtcta.org.

-Thank you, Principal Davis.

Well, now to a Friday night tradition, high school football.

From the players on the field to the band, you can feel the energy.

And this year, Clark High School has a lot to celebrate.

That's because Clark is turning 60.

Go Chargers!

We were invited to the big homecoming game to experience the magic of Friday Night Lights.

[marching band music] (Jazz Carter) Usually on a Friday night, it's very, very fun.

Our crowd gets lit, our band is playing, our cheerleaders are going, and then we're just having a fun time trying to win.

(Allahnia Hanibal) I love like seeing everybody hyped up.

It's just so energetic.

And it's good to see everybody like a community, you know?

(Luanne Wagner) So we are the Chargers, which is related to the Test Site, because you have to detonate a "charge" to set off dynamite or whatever.

So we are the Chargers.

We're the only high school named after a person, and but there is just a lot of tradition and history here that makes Clark very special.

(Taliah Long) I just felt like I've always been at Clark.

My grandma went here.

My mom and her brothers went here.

My brother went here.

I go here.

It's like I grew up here.

(Bailey Szelestey) I've made almost every single home game.

-How come?

-I just love the atmosphere.

I think it makes everyone come together.

People who you might not have talked to throughout the week, you talk to on Friday night games because you're all cheering for the same team.

And it kind of makes everyone feel like one big friend group or a family.

(a student) 60th year of anniversary of Clark.

Homecoming game's today.

Close game, but Chargers are going to take the win tonight.

(announcer) Ladies and gentlemen, now entering the field, your 2025 Clark High School Charger Football Marching Band!

[cheers and applause] (Allison and Sienna) We're members of the Clark Color Guard.

We perform at the halftime with the band, so we have a little choreo there with flags.

-So I play alto sax.

-I play tenor sax.

-And I play flute.

(William Castro) Being on the field of halftime is fun.

You get to march and play at the same time, express what you're playing.

♪♪ -One, two, ready and... ♪♪ ♪ Fight on ♪ ♪ Fight on ♪ ♪ Keep fighting until we have won ♪ ♪ We're from Clark ♪ ♪ We're the best ♪ ♪ So goodbye to all the rest ♪♪ ♪♪ -What a great night.

And Clark High School, by the way, won that game.

Big congratulations.

Well, on to another sport that's become quite popular, pickleball.

While it is not considered a CCSD Athletics Department sanctioned sport, there are several pickleball clubs in CCSD schools.

I stopped by Mannion Middle School to find out what all the buzz is about.

♪♪ It is a sport with a fun and quirky name.

-We love pickleball!

-And it's gaining popularity at Mannion Middle School.

-All right.

Just hit me a good one!

-8th grader Bradley Larsen was one of the first students to join the pickleball club.

(Bradley Larsen) I think it's just an amazing environment for everyone to come, and that's just super fun.

-Since its inception three years ago, the number of students who are discovering the club continues to grow.

Nearly 50 students now form part of the pickleball club.

Newcomers like 7th grader Sophia Berggren are really getting the hang of the game.

(Sophia Berggren) This is such a special club because, like, it varies from, like, people who don't know how to play and people who do know how to play.

So if you ever need help, you could just ask somebody and they'll help you.

It's very nice here.

(Jayce Otis) That lob didn't stay in on that one.

-Heading up the pickleball club, Coach Otis.

-Mr.

Otis is super nice, and he's always energetic.

-Pickleball is, it's so unique because, again, you play soccer, when you get to an older age, you can't run the same way, right?

You play baseball, when you get to an older age, you can't throw the same way.

With pickleball, you can play pickleball at a very high level, and you can be all kinds of different ages.

-For Bradley, pickleball is a sport he plans to continue to play for years to come.

-It helps me learn how to do it so I can do it in high school and have fun in high school.

-And the lessons they are learning on the pickleball court... -But if I hit Mark this shot, will he be able to get it?

-...will no doubt help them off the court.

-I just want them to get that friendship, learn how to work with a teammate, because the hardest thing is, you're working as a team.

It's not just you.

You have to rely on your teammate.

You got to rely on someone.

And that character-building is something that's extremely important.

-Both Bradley and Sophia encourage other students to take a chance and join their pickleball club.

-I would give them advice to like, be more, like, open-minded and like out there, because trying something new takes a lot of courage.

And that's something you need in order to have fun while trying something new.

-Please come.

Just come.

It's so fun, and it will always be fun.

-We love pickleball!

-So much fun!

I even got to play pickleball for the very first time thanks to some pointers from the amazing pickleball club at Mannion Middle School.

I am now a pickler.

Well, that does it for this episode of Student Spotlight.

Big thank-you to our friends here at Veterans Tribute CTA for hosting us.

A reminder that you can catch past episodes on vegaspbs.org or YouTube.

We will see you next month.

♪♪