Las Vegas Aces join King Week STEM summit to empower local students

SUMMERLIN (KTNV) — As part of King Week, the Las Vegas Aces stepped away from the court Friday to take part in a STEM-focused summit designed to empower local students through education, technology and opportunity.

Local students attended the event, which featured panels, keynote speakers and hands-on learning experiences aimed at exploring emerging technologies, career pathways and digital skills. The summit also honored the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., with an emphasis on inclusion and access.

WATCH | The Aces join King Week STEM summit

“For these students, the future isn’t something far off,” said U.S. Rep. Steven Horsford. “Doctor King stood for economic justice. He talked about the morality of creating opportunity that’s inclusive for everyone.”

Horsford, who described himself as a product of the Las Vegas community, said what stood out most was the energy in the room.

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“What I see here today is potential,” Horsford said. “Yes, it’s the future — but the future is now.”

Students echoed that sentiment, expressing excitement about learning how technology shapes the world around them.

“It makes me kind of excited because I know that our world is so advancing in the tech world,” said student Lenelle Hickman. “So I think it’s important to learn about it also.”

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Another student, Brianna Cardoza, said the summit helped make technology feel more tangible.

“It’s like seeing what it does for us and how we use it — and how we grow from it,” she said.

Aces assistant coach Charlene Thomas-Swinson helped connect those lessons to sports, explaining how technology plays a role in today’s game.

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“Technology has been a big part of our game,” Thomas-Swinson said. “What our players utilize with their phones, who they’re having to guard — it’s all related to STEM and technology.”

But for Thomas-Swinson, the message went beyond technology.

“It took an encouraging voice to say you can,” she said. “And that’s what we’re wanting to drive — saying that they can accomplish it.”

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Organizers said the goal of the summit was to spark curiosity and confidence, while giving students tools they can build on long after King Week.

Together, students, athletes and community leaders shared a common message: opportunity grows when education, access and encouragement come together.