Construction is almost complete, the Facebook page is up, and the doors are set to open for the 2018-19 school year at Ortwein Elementary, Home of the Olympians! Located at Dean Martin and Interstate 15, south of West Cactus Avenue, the new CCSD school will be helmed by Principal Traci Holloway and house approximately 850 kindergarten through fifth graders.

To kick off the new school year, Ortwein Elementary welcomes students and families to a “Teacher Meet & Greet and Inaugural Tile Event” on Friday, August 10, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The first day will commence on Monday, August 13, with a special ribbon-cutting ceremony.

A calendar of key dates and activities for the fall can be found on the school website, with everything from school pictures and spirit days to Trunk or Treat, the fall book fair and the winter holiday program.

The school proudly takes as its namesake retired local teacher and administrator Dr. Dennis Ortwein, whose illustrious career began in 1956—in the newly formed Clark County School District—and spanned more than three decades. An advocate for equality and human rights, Dr. Ortwein played a vital role in desegregating local schools and promoting diversity. You can read more about Dr. Ortwein’s accomplishments here.

Last fall, a drive through the Valley’s northeast side to a Little League baseball game sparked the give-back spirit in Connor Long, then a 3rd grader at Stuckey Elementary. “He saw homeless people on the street and asked, can we do something?” said his mom, Kimberly. Recognizing the need of the local homeless community extends beyond fresh food, Kimberly directed Connor’s enthusiasm to existing local organizations that could use support.

With help from fellow baseball players and Stuckey students, brothers Toren and Teirnon Wolf, Connor partnered with Vegas Valley Baseball last November to conduct a canned food drive benefiting homeless veterans. The trio collected 4,000 cans from 21 fields, and their nonprofit organization, 108 Double Stitch, was born.

Since then, the boys have partnered with multiple organizations to serve the community. After a high school student was hit by a vehicle in Southern Highlands last spring, they partnered with Stuckey Elementary to host a bike safety rodeo. Most recently, 108 Double Stitch collected more than 750 school supplies from area Smith’s stores to benefit Project 150, a local nonprofit that aids homeless high school students.

Even while juggling a full schedule of baseball and school—Connor and Toren, both 9, just started 4th grade at Stuckey and Teirnon, 11, entered 6th grade at Tarkanian this fall—the boys meet regularly to brainstorm future projects and develop presentations for the companies and organizations they’d like to partner with. “We set up presentations on the computer, and then we each have lines to practice on notecards,” explained Teirnon. He admits the first presentation to Vegas Valley Baseball was nerve-wracking, “But now we’re used to it.”

Though the boys haven’t determined their next venture, the wheels are turning. Toren would like to do a holiday toy drive for veterans’ families in need. Connor has plans for a Valentine’s Day–timed teddy bear drive to surprise children in local hospitals.

More than anything, the founding members of 108 Double Stitch would like to see their organization expand beyond just the three of them and their families. “We would love to see it grow and have people join and help out in several activities,” said Connor.

To learn more about 108 Double Stitch and how you can get involved, visit the organization’s Facebook page.

More than the fireworks, it was the thunderous cheer of Golden Knights fans that roared through the night sky over Stonewater Park, as thousands of Southern Highlands residents gathered for the community’s 16th annual Memorial Day celebration—which coincided with Game 1 of the Stanley Cup play-offs and the Knights’ victory over the Washington Capitals.

“Of course, giant TV screens were a must-have for this year’s event,” said Garry Goett, chairman/CEO of Olympia Companies and founder of the Southern Highlands Charitable Foundation. “What better way to celebrate Memorial Day than by joining together with family, friends, and neighbors to cheer on the Golden Knights, who have been such a tremendous source of pride for our community and an inspiration for our country.” 

Hosted by the Southern Highlands Community Association, the annual Memorial Day event is a perennial favorite among residents to commemorate the holiday and pay homage to the brave men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces. Family-friendly activities include games, bounce houses, water slides, live entertainment, raffles and a fabulous fireworks extravaganza.

The event also serves as a significant fundraiser for Nellis and Creech Air Force Base’s Operation Warm Heart, which provides financial assistance to local airmen and their families. Though the Memorial Day Celebration is free to attend, all funds collected from food and beverage sales go directly to support the local non-profit organization.

To date, Southern Highlands residents have raised approximately $180,000 in donations for Operation Warm Heart through its annual Memorial Day Celebration and other efforts and events throughout the year.