Station Casino donates $405,000 to schools

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- As part of its Smart Start school partnership initiative, Station Casinos, Inc. presented 70 Clark County School District (CCSD) high-need elementary schools today with $5,000 and $10,000 donations, totaling $405,000, to improve education and provide resources in the classrooms. The donations will be used to assist schools in such efforts as improving test scores, after-school tutoring programs, parent development programs, purchasing library books and more.

Smart Start and the CCSD celebrated its seven year partnership at a reception tonight with Station Casinos' property general managers, CCSD administration and school principals. Since 2001, Station Casinos has contributed more than $2.4 million to local high need elementary schools.

As part of Smart Start, each Station Casinos property is paired up with an elementary school and offers year-round support such as volunteering hundreds of hours in the classrooms, mentoring students, hosting special events and donating needed resources such as back packs for the students. The 11 Smart Start partner elementary schools including Rex Bell, Laura Dearing, Ollie Detwiler, P.A. Diskin, H.P. Fitzgerald, Howard Hollingsworth, C.T. Sewell, C.P Squires, Wayne Tanaka, Robert L. Taylor and Whitney each received a $10,000 donation while the 59 high need elementary schools each received $5,000. High-need elementary schools are those that have been identified by the CCSD as schools that do not meet certain established federal criteria.

Smart Start funds are administered through the Clark County Public Education Foundation. Schools are required to utilize the funds to help meet the goals they set forth in their individual School Improvement Plan that is required annually by the school district.

The Smart Start initiative will also be part of the Nevada Resort Association's "Betting On Nevada" campaign, an industry-wide program aimed at informing Nevada residents about the benefits gaming, hospitality and tourism provide the state. With nearly 7,000 new residents arriving in the state each month, many people are unaware of the tax benefits Nevada's largest industry provides by paying for a significant percentage of statewide schools, transportation and basic public services. In addition, resort companies and employees are active community partners who help Nevada's communities through philanthropic and volunteer programs addressing the needs of children, seniors and minorities.

2007 Smart Start Recipients

Will Beckley Elementary School
Tony Alamo Elementary School
*Rex Bell Elementary School (Partner: Palace Station)
Kermit R. Booker, Sr. Elementary School
Marion E. Cahlan Elementary School
Arturo Cambeiro Elementary School
Kit Carson Elementary School
Manuel J. Cortez Elementary School
Clyde C. Cox Elementary School
Lois Craig Elementary School
Crestwood Elementary School
Paul E. Culley Elementary School
Cynthia Cunningham Elementary School
Jack Dailey Elementary School
*Laura Dearing Elementary School (Partner: Boulder Station)
*Ollie Detwiler Elementary School (Partners: Fiesta Rancho and Wildfire)
*P.A. Diskin Elementary School (Partner: Red Rock Casino, Resort and Spa)
Ira J. Earl Elementary School
Elbert Edwards Elementary School
Raul Elizondo Elementary School
*H.P. Fitzgerald Elementary School (Partner: Santa Fe Station)
Wing & Lily Fong Elementary School
Ruth Fyfe Elementary School
Oran K. Gragson Elementary School
Helen Herr Elementary School
Fay Herron Elementary School
Halle Hewetson Elementary School
Edna F. Hinman Elementary School
*Howard E. Hollingsworth Elementary School (Partners: Sunset Station and Gold Rush)
Jay W. Jeffers Elementary School
Helen Jydstrup Elementary School
Matt Kelly Elementary School
Robert E. Lake Elementary School
Lincoln Elementary School
Walter V. Long Elementary School
Mary & Zel Lowman Elementary School
Robert Lunt Elementary School
Ann Lynch Elementary School
J.E. Manch Elementary School
Reynaldo Martinez Elementary School
Quannah McCall Elementary School
J.T. McWilliams Elementary School
Sue H. Morrow Elementary School
John F. Mendoza Elementary School
Mountain View Elementary School
Paradise PDS Elementary School
John S. Park Elementary School
Dean Petersen Elementary School
C.C. Ronnow Elementary School
Bertha Ronzone Elementary School
Lewis E. Rowe Elementary School
Richard J. Rundle Elementary School
*C.T. Sewell Elementary School (Partner: Fiesta Henderson)
*C.P. Squires Elementary School (Partner: Texas Station)
William E. Snyder Elementary School
Sunrise Acres Elementary School
*Wayne Tanaka Elementary School (Partner: Station Casinos)
Myrtle Tate Elementary School
*Robert L. Taylor Elementary School (Partner: Green Valley Ranch)
Ruby S. Thomas Elementary School
Twin Lakes Elementary School
J.M. Ullom Elementary School
Vegas Verdes Elementary School
Gene Ward Elementary School
Rose Warren Elementary School
*Whitney Elementary School (Partners: Wild,Wild,West, Station Casinos, The Greens and Barley's)
Tom Williams Elementary School
Wendell P. Williams Elementary School
Gwendolyn Woolley Elementary School
Elaine Wynn Elementary School
*denotes schools who have partnered with a Station Casinos' property and will receive $10,000.