February 21, 2003
Congressman Gibbons hosts the WHI in Nevada
WHI Director and lawmaker tour Mariposa Academy
 RENO, NV -- WHI Executive Director Leslie Sanchez joined United States Congressman Jim Gibbons (R-Nevada), an ardent supporter of innovative education programs for minority students in Nevada, for a tour of the Mariposa Dual Language Academy in Reno, NV on Friday, February 21st.
Founded in August 2002, Mariposa Academy is a dual language, public charter school with 90 students in grades one through six. The school boasts a 97 percent attendance rate and focuses on English fluency. Its curriculum includes English reading and writing courses as well as math, science, and art. The ultimate goal of the Mariposa Academy is to prepare Hispanic children to prosper in the U.S. and global economies.
According to recent statistics, English-language learners in Washoe County schools has tripled in the last 10 years, while statewide, school districts have seen almost 700 percent growth rate.
Congressman Jim Gibbons (R-Nevada) was first elected to represent Nevada's 2nd District in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1996. Born in Sparks, Nevada, Mr. Gibbons became a combat pilot in the United States Air Force, as well as a commercial pilot for Western Airlines and Delta Airlines. His extensive resume also includes working as a hydrologist for the Federal Water Master, a mining and exploration geologist, and a mining and water rights attorney in Nevada. He was first elected to the Nevada State Assembly in 1988 where he served three terms. Congressman Gibbons resides in Reno with his wife, Dawn. They have three children, Christopher, Jennifer, and Jimmy, and one grandchild.
In October 2001, President George W. Bush established the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans. The only office of its kind, it provides support to the President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans and advises the Secretary of Education Rod Paige. The Initiative serves as a resource for information relating to the closing of the educational achievement gap of Hispanic Americans.
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