Red Carpet Chronicles

Author Becky Davis shares details of desert plants with a possible future gardener.

On June 17, the Will Beckley Science Education Garden will celebrate its opening. Event starts at 4 pm.

See here for event details.

posted by Krissy Hawkins
Reading First  is a focused, nationwideeffort to enable all students to become successful early readers. The No Child Left Behind Act established Reading First as a high-quality, evidence-based program.

Since 2003, when Nevada was awarded a Reading First grant by the United States Department of Education, Nevada Reading First has awarded competitive subgrants to Local Education Agencies in order to increase reading proficiency and eliminate reading deficits by establishing high-quality, comprehensive reading instruction in kindergarten through third grade.

Teacher and children’s author Becky Davis will be participating in “Reading First” Family Literacy Nights throughout Spring 2009. “Reading First Schools are on the cutting edge of education. They take current scientifically based research and educate students based on these best practices. I am honored to be a part of this group of professionals that are dedicated to educational development and share an unrelenting devotion to the public education system.” says Davis, “I hope that by participating in their family literacy nights, I am a part of the much bigger process of bringing families together to read, discuss, and research something that intrigues both child and parent.”

Davis will be speaking at ten different elementary schools throughout the Clark County School District  including Edwards, Griffith, Harmon, Hinman, Moore, Reed, Rundle, Hal Smith, Vegas Verdes, and Wasden Elementary Schools.

I have never been surprised in my life…except for maybe the first news of Santa Claus when I was ten. I cried for about an hour and then felt total betrayal. How could my whole family keep this from me for so long?

Needless to say, everyone goes through that experience eventually in their life.

Then, you are 36 years old and Santa Claus, again, enters your life. This time, a different purpose. Like all parents, I am now betraying my own children for the good of the cause. Then, a twist. Santa comes to my house and passes out all of his presents to his wide-eyed children, with one gift left at the bottom of the bag.

He calls my name, and, once again, friends and family are in on the secret before I am. I sit on his lap and he hands me a box. At this point, I’m thinking, “clever husband has bought me jewelry” but the box is too big. I open it to find the one thing I have been dreaming of since the last time I sat on Santa’s lap, my very own published book.

I thought it was still being printed. I had no idea it was completed so early.  So, the finished product was a total surprise. I consider myself an insightful person, but my sweet husband Russell and Carolyn from Stephens Press pulled this one off beautifully. I wonder if they know the Easter Bunny?