In 2024, the Nevada National Security Sites (NNSS) achieved significant milestones in community service and educational outreach, with an impressive contribution of over 2,000 volunteer hours by more than 800 volunteers participating in various events. This effort was part of NNSS’s broader initiative focused on STEM education and community engagement.
Throughout the holiday season, NNSS made a notable impact as a sponsor of the Magical Forest at Opportunity Village and the Las Vegas Great Santa Run on December 7. These events, key fundraisers for Opportunity Village, support individuals with disabilities in Southern Nevada. NNSS employees also participated in the Adopt-A-Family program, purchasing gifts and essentials for families at Creech Air Force Base and Nellis Air Force Base. Additionally, NNSS was involved in toy collections for the Firefighters of Southern Nevada Burn Foundation, resulting in the distribution of over 30,000 donations to children and teenagers across Las Vegas.
STEM Leadership
Throughout the year, NNSS Outreach & Engagement organized eight STEM field trips for over 300 students from the Clark County School District. Additionally, six STEM Saturdays were held for more than 450 community members. The Nevada Science Bowl was facilitated for 117 students from Nevada and Utah, and the Las Vegas Science & Technology Giant Expo attracted over 9,000 attendees.
As a testament to their commitment to STEM education, NNSS served as a primary sponsor for FIRST Nevada, the Clark County School District Book Bus, and literacy programs. Other initiatives included Nevada Future City, DISCOVERY Children’s Museum Science Bench, Project 150, and University of Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV) Fall Senior Design Awards. Employees actively guided students toward STEM careers through various events, such as UNLV’s “Student Interactions with STEM,” College of Southern Nevada’s Empowering Women in Tech event, and the DISCOVERY Children’s Museum’s Girl Powered panel.
“NNSS employees spent numerous hours in the classroom and at educational forums this year, drawing direct connections between STEM concepts and the successful careers they inspire,” said NNSS Outreach & Engagement Manager Jennifer Morgan. “Giving students exposure to real-world applications of science alongside an NNSS professional can make a lasting impact to students’ confidence in — and their pursuit of — STEM. We’re proud to inspire that spark.”
Community Care
In alignment with its community-focused mission, NNSS made impactful contributions by renovating two homes through Rebuilding Together Southern Nevada’s National Rebuilding and Make a Difference Days. The partnership with the Goodie Two Shoes organization helped provide over 500 Clark County School District students with new shoes and hygiene kits. Further community support included preparing 1,800 meal packages with Three Square Food Bank and volunteering at their community garden.
“Giving back to the communities in which we live and work is integral to our presence throughout Southern Nevada and all NNSS locations,” added Morgan. “We called on our employees to support STEM education and community outreach events, and they delivered in a big way in 2024.”
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