Senator Joyce Woodhouse
May 19, 2010

Graduation commencements are happening all around the state!

I want to congratulate the students at the College of Southern Nevada and Nevada State College for finishing up their classes, and for their hard work in the final stretch of their current college careers!  Your dedication is paying off as you are recognized with diplomas and congratulations from family and friends.

Most importantly, these students now have an education that allows them to confidently follow their dreams.  A great education is about empowerment, and it should be within everyone's reach.  I always keep in mind that the backbone of personal success is education.  These students are now ready to succeed outside the classroom, and I can't wait to see the great things they will offer to the State of Nevada!

This past Saturday marked a very special occasion for many students at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas - graduation!  As each student crossed the stage during Saturday's commencement ceremony, they made their first and most important step towards a bright and successful future.  They're our state's Rebels with a cause!

As a former UNLV student, this past weekend holds a special place in my heart, because it reminds me of how much I cherished my time there.  It also reminds me how vital a solid education is to our children's future.  Much like our newly graduated students, I had doors opened for me in my life because of my education, and I believe everyone should have those same opportunities.  A diploma should not be out of anyone's reach.

As a former teacher and principal, seeing students succeed always leaves me smiling.  A strong education prepares our children for the adventure ahead of them.  As Nevadans, we need to be able to rely on our education system to prepare our children for the real world and to give them the skills they need to succeed in life.

Senator Joyce Woodhouse
April 20, 2010

This past Saturday, I was joined by family, friends, and volunteers for the Henderson Heritage parade. Along with the many other parade entries, we walked down Water Street and had a wonderful time waving and handing out candy to the citizens of Henderson.  Not only was the parade a great time, but it gave us a chance to celebrate the heritage of this wonderful city, and place I call home.

Henderson is a wonderful place for both residents and visitors. From the amazing parks, cultural events, and schools, Henderson is an ideal area to visit, or raise a family.  The thing that makes me love Henderson the most is the sense of community values. Every time I am out knocking on doors, I see neighbors talking to each other and children playing in the parks. It's little things like these that prove Henderson instills a core sense of community values in its residents.

Senator Joyce Woodhouse

February 22, 2010

As we all know, Nevadans are facing difficult times.  I understand the struggles Nevada's families are facing.  I have neighbors who have lost their homes and friends and family members who have lost their jobs.  I understand that in order to build a better state for future generations, we have to get Nevada's economy back on track.

I believe that we must face this current challenge with courage, dedication and competence, as Nevadans always have.  On Saturday, February 13th, over 600 Nevadans came to the Legislative town hall to share their stories, their concerns, and their visions for Nevada's future.  We heard from small business owners, teachers, parents, veterans, and seniors.  To each Nevadan that took the time to join us at the town hall, I want to express my sincere appreciation.  For those that were unable to join us, I want to hear from you.

Senator Joyce Woodhouse

October 29, 2009

One of my favorite memories of being a first grade teacher in the Clark County School District has been seeing the excitement and anticipation that builds up in young students before Halloween. All over Nevada, children have been preparing for weeks as to how they will spend their Halloween night, and more importantly, what their costume will be.  Although this is a time of fun and celebration, parents and children must be reminded of the safety hazards they can encounter on Halloween night.

Senator Joyce Woodhouse

October 7, 2009

This past Saturday, October 3, I was joined by neighbors and friends for my Campaign Kick-Off at Silver Springs Park in Henderson.  Together, we knocked on hundreds of doors in my district to learn what matters most to the residents of Senate District 5.  With the enthusiasm and support of these wonderful volunteers, I will return to Carson City to continue to fight for Nevada's families.

July 29, 2009

(Las Vegas) Rarely, in Nevada, when talking about education, do we take time to applaud what's working.  Today, the Las Vegas Sun,  did just that by featuring the astounding accomplishments  of Valley High School in their article, "A High School's Leap from So-so to Special."    Recently, Valley was designated a "high-achieving turnaround" school under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.  One of the school's most noticeable turnarounds is that an astonishing 80% of all juniors passed the state math proficiency exam this year, whereas five years ago more than half of all juniors failed to pass the test. This incredible turnaround could only have been achieved through hard work, ingenuity, and determination.  Applause may be few and far between when it comes to this state's educational system, but today I applaud Valley High School for steering their school onto a path of excellence.  With this achievement, they have raised the bar for all of us.

Senator Joyce Woodhouse and Senator Shirley Breeden

May 12, 2009

The hard work and training that is going on at the IBEW training and apprenticeship program is amazing.  This past Saturday, we had the opportunity to meet with the members of IBEW.  We broke bread, ate some delicious fish at the fish fry, and most importantly, we got the opportunity to tour IBEW's apprenticeship training center and the home of the Electrical Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee (JATC) of Southern Nevada. The JATC coordinates with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) to create local programs that offer training and apprenticeships in the electrical field.  Over the past 68 years, the National Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee has trained over 350,000 apprentices to journeymen status without cost to taxpayers. At a moment when Nevada has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country, programs like these are essential in putting Nevadans back to work.

To learn more about the legislation that will make Green Jobs a reality, click here

Hello,

This past Saturday, we held a Nevada Speaks Community Conversation at Greenspun Junior High School in Henderson. We gathered there with our constituents to have an open discussion about the state of Nevada’s education system. Over 60 members of the community took their Saturday to come and talk with us—to share with us their dreams and frustrations about Nevada’s future.  Young and old, Democrat and Republican—they joined us in an important conversation about their Nevada priorities, and we cannot thank them enough.

Together we can build a better future.  Indeed we must—it is our duty to our children, and their children.  We believe it is our moral responsibility to leave this state in better shape than we found it. This Saturday we pledged to work our hardest to make sure we fulfill the promises we have made to the people we represent—to ensure good schools, a clean environment, and a prosperous state for all Nevadans.