NORTH LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A new nonprofit is rewarding North Las Vegas elementary school students for academic success, with a goal of keeping kids motivated through a critical educational period.
WATCH | North Las Vegas reporter Jhovani Carrillo explains what the nonprofit is doing and hears from parents:
Grabbing for Grades is piloting a program at Eva G Simmons Elementary School and Lincoln Elementary School that rewards fifth graders for making the honor roll or achieving perfect attendance. The nonprofit's founder said recognizing students' hard work will push them to stay motivated and succeed.
Kimiko Fleming, a mother of three — including a teen, a toddler and an infant — said positive reinforcement makes a difference.
"I definitely found out with my oldest that rewards definitely work better than punishment," Fleming said. "Good things happen when you do the right thing."
Fleming said the elementary school years are the right time to build those habits.
"Elementary school is the perfect place to do this kind of stuff. It's easier to reward correct behavior when they are 7, 8, 10, versus a 16- or 17-year-old," Fleming said.
The program comes as the Clark County School District also launched its own pilot program aimed at addressing underperforming schools. The district's program provides students with tutoring and after-school resources and adds 19 minutes to the school day.
In June, CCSD Superintendent Jhone Ebert told me fifth grade is a crucial transition point for students.
"That they're not experiencing different climate, culture, expectation when they move between, because that's where we lose some students," Ebert said. "It's in the transition from fifth grade to sixth grade and then from eighth grade to ninth grade."
Fleming said she hopes programs like Grabbing for Grades can help fill that gap.
"Maybe this will help feed into that," Fleming said. "Greatness can come from anywhere."
The founder of Grabbing for Grades is hoping to expand the program to other schools and grade levels across the valley.
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