FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Class-trips to Courts Return to Clark County After Pandemic Pause
Project REAL’s ‘Courts & You’ field trips will serve up to 5,000 local students each year
LAS VEGAS, NV (January 25, 2024) – Project REAL, a non-profit fostering civic engagement and critical thinking in Nevada’s youth, announces the full-scale return of its courthouse field trips, starting with Pat Diskin Elementary on January 30, 2024. These trips, a cornerstone of Project REAL’s mission since 2004, offer Nevada’s youth vital insights into civics and law, foster informed citizenship.
Post-pandemic challenges, particularly transportation costs, decimated the volume of trips available to students. Thanks to returning transportation options and grants from Clark County and Speedway Children’s Charities, Project REAL aims to reach 32 schools this year. They plan to return to 120 annual trips by the end of the next school year.
The field trips combine watching court proceedings with discussions led by judges, demystifying the justice system and highlighting its community impact. The nonprofit emphasizes the trips’ role in empowering students, transitioning their perspective from apprehension to active engagement in the justice system.
Clark County Commissioner Michael Naft, who was instrumental in securing a key grant for the revival of these trips, will speak to students on the first trip of the calendar year in recognition of Project REAL’s resumption to its full-scale community service at pre-pandemic levels.
“Project REAL is resuming their invaluable courthouse field trips, which give our students the opportunity to see first-hand the work they learn about through the organization’s law education; they will watch live criminal court proceedings at our Regional Justice Center and have a chance to ask our judges questions. I was pleased to support the JAG Grant, which makes this project possible, and I look forward to welcoming District A’s Diskin ES students to court!”
While this year’s field trip schedule is full, school administrators, teachers, and parents interested in Project REAL’s many other resources or scheduling trips for the next school year are encouraged to get more information by visiting https://projectrealnv.org or calling 702.703.6529.
Media are invited to document the significant return of these trips. For media arrangements or further details, please contact Mike Kamer at mkamer@projectrealnv.org or 702.703.6529.
For additional comments from Commissioner Naft, please contact Katelyn Ensign at Katelyn.Ensign@clarkcountynv.gov or 702.455.3511.
About Project REAL: Founded by Sam Lionel & Irwin Molasky, Project REAL has been educating Nevada’s students and young adults about their role in the community and the broader world. Through engaging experiences like courthouse field trips and Adulting101 lessons, Project REAL fosters a sense of agency and responsibility in students, encouraging them to become informed and active citizens. Since opening its doors in 2005, the nonprofit has served over 220,000 young Nevadans.
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