LAS VEGAS, NEV (April 28, 2025) – Communities In Schools of Southern Nevada (CIS of Southern Nevada), part of the nation’s leading evidence-based stay-in-school organization serving 70,000-plus students in 80+ schools throughout Clark County School District, recently recognized three students at its Power Within event for their remarkable improvement during the 2024-2025 school year. The outstanding students recognized for their scholastic and personal achievements include Elijah Hines from Lois Craig Elementary School; Khloe McIver from Brinley Middle School; and Tony Valladares from Eldorado High School.
About the Power Within Honorees:
- Elijah Hines, 5th grader, Lois Craig Elementary School – Casey Abad, site coordinator at Lois Craig Elementary School, nominated Hines for making remarkable strides in his academic, emotional and social progress after working with him since 2023. Often influenced by peers who struggled with making positive choices, Hines initially had difficulty managing his emotions and behavior, which impacted his progress in school. With Abad’s steady support and encouragement, Hines gradually opened up to receiving help and developed greater self-awareness. He now understands the impact of his actions and embraces the value of hard work and staying focused. Today, Hines is not only making better choices for himself, but he’s also become a positive role model. His peers look up to him for his calm demeanor and he takes special pride in setting an example for his younger brother, showing him what it means to lead with kindness and responsibility.
- Khloe McIver, 8th grader, Brinley Middle School – Whitney McClure, site coordinator at Brinley Middle School, has worked with McIver for the past two years and has witnessed the determination that drives her to overcome her obstacles. One of those motivating factors was the opportunity to join her school’s basketball team, which required McIver to improve her GPA. With grit and passion for the sport, McIver earned the minimum 2.0 GPA and secured her dream of making the basketball team. McIver continues to work hard to improve her grades to ensure she remains eligible throughout the season.
- Tony Valladares, 12th grader, Eldorado High School – Ruby Corona, site coordinator at Eldorado High School, has worked with Valladares since his freshman year and seen firsthand the resilience, kindness and leadership that makes him truly an embodiment of what Power Within stands for. In foster care for most of his life, Valladares has had to learn to adapt to new environments, which often made it challenging to build trusting and lasting relationships. After facing serious consequences for a past decision during his junior year, Valladares found himself at a crossroads. Instead of giving up, he used the experience as motivation to turn things around. The setback became a defining moment, challenging him to reflect, grow, and commit to making better choices for his future. In his senior alone, he has earned his driver’s license, joined his school’s dance program, Advanced Folklórico, taken on leadership roles with various student organizations, transitioned into independent living, and created a budget. Valladares also enrolled in CIS’ Academy Class that provides him with extra in-school support, help with college preparation, workforce development skills and more. He hopes to study computing and engineering technology in college and one day mentor students who may be experiencing similar hardships.
The nonprofit also named Rocio Ledesma, a CIS site coordinator at Eldorado High School, as the Martin Serrano “Unsung Hero of the Year” in recognition of her passionate dedication to improving the lives and well-being of students throughout her nearly 11-year career with CIS. The “Unsung Hero of the Year” award is named after Serrano, a CIS site coordinator who made a lasting, positive impact on hundreds of students who turned to him during his time with the organization. Like Serrano, recipients find ways to invest in the success of the community, take time to understand the values of the people we serve and recognize the strength and impact that comes from positive relationships.
In celebration of the strength, resilience, and achievements of our students, each Power Within honoree received a $1,000 contribution: a direct scholarship for high school seniors and 529 college savings plans for middle and elementary school students. This partnership was made possible by the generosity of Foundation XNL and NVIGATE—powered by the Nevada State Treasury.
Power Within recognized the following partners for their remarkable contributions to CIS and our students:
- Academy Teacher of the Year – Emilyne Smith, Valley High School
- #AllInForKids Champion/Corporate Partner of the Year – NV Energy Foundation
- Alumni of the Year – Kaylee Main-Gomez, Sunrise Mountain High School Graduate, Class of 2020
- Programmatic Partner of the Year – Project Marilyn
- Principals of the Year – Henry Rodda of JD Smith Middle School and Timothy D. Adams of Martinez Elementary School
A special thank you to this year’s Power Within co-presenting sponsors, Cox Communications and NV Energy Foundation as well as Acrisure, Buzz Events, Howard Hughes, Shepard Exposition and Shepard Audio Visual.
About Communities In Schools of Nevada
CIS places full-time and professionally trained site coordinators in 118 Title I and high-needs schools across Nevada to support more than 100,000 students in grades K-12 who face barriers to their success—increasing the likelihood of students staying in school and graduating on time. The organization taps into a statewide network of more than 120 community nonprofits, partners, and agencies, bringing the community into the school to get students whatever they need to overcome the barriers they face that prevent them from achieving academically. From eyeglasses, dental care, health care, and professional counseling to food, school supplies, clothing, and housing, CIS identifies student needs and finds a way to address them, closing the gaps they experience in their everyday lives. CIS’s long-term vision is for every child enrolled in a Title I or high-needs school to access a CIS site coordinator and their evidence-based model of integrated student support, otherwise known as wraparound services. The graduation rate for CIS case-managed high school seniors in Nevada for the 2023-2024 school year was 97 percent. For more information, visit http://www.cisnevada.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Contact: Cherryl Kaopua, Communities In Schools of Nevada, cherryl@twgpr.com, 702-408-8334
