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Mesquite casino and local teenagers step up after summer school ends early31 July 2026(PRESS RELEASE) -- When summer school at Virgin Valley Elementary wrapped up after 14 days this year, the Eureka Community Initiative (ECI) did not go looking for teachers. It went looking for teenagers. Six Virgin Valley High School students and recent graduates were hired, trained, and paid to lead the four-week Mesquite Reads Summer Slam Reading Camp, serving 30 local children during June and July at the Mesquite Clover Club. Together, the two programs gave local children close to seven weeks of summer instruction. The camp was developed through a partnership between ECI, the Mesquite Clover Club, and the University of Nevada, Reno Extension’s 4-H program. “We could have hired experienced teachers, but hiring six local teenagers meant investing in two generations at once,” said Andre Carrier, CEO of Eureka Casino Resort. “These students grew up in Mesquite schools, and this summer they came back to help younger children succeed.” Amy Davis, manager of the Mesquite Clover Club, recruited the Teen Teachers from Yori Ludvigson’s marketing class at Virgin Valley High School and developed a five-week training program to prepare them for the classroom. Before camp began, the students selected children’s books, created lesson plans, practiced classroom management, and designed reading activities, giving them the skills and confidence to lead young readers throughout the four-week program. “Teaching the summer reading program was awesome to be a part of,” said Malachi Davis, a 2026 Virgin Valley High School graduate. “It gave me the chance to be a positive influence on younger kids the same way teachers have been for me. We were helping teach the next generation, and I loved every minute of it.” One of the Teen Teachers, college sophomore Kiera Davis, is fluent in Spanish. She worked with children learning to read in English while also helping Spanish-speaking parents better understand their children’s progress throughout the program. “It was really exciting to see the kids engaged and learning, and amazing to watch their growth from the beginning to the end,” Kiera Davis said. “I’m grateful to have been part of this program with these amazing kids.” Each session combined small-group reading instruction, phonics, hands-on learning activities, and movement breaks, with students grouped by reading level rather than grade. “The kids came from different grades and different schools,” said Gerri Chasko, Director of the Eureka Community Initiative. “They were placed in groups based on their reading level, so there was no pressure. That was one of the best things about the program.” The Teen Teachers were Hayden Bowman, Dulce Cabrales, McKadie Cowley, Malachi Davis, Uriah Pereida, and Kiera Davis, with several substitutes assisting throughout the four-week program. “It was great for our Teen Teachers, it was great for the kids, and it was wonderful for the community,” said Amy Davis. “Parents are already asking if we can do it again next year.” ECI invested approximately $7,000 in the program, with most of the funding used to pay local Teen Teachers, reinforcing the organization’s goal of investing in both students and future community leaders. Since launching Mesquite Reads in 2014, ECI has invested $298,488 in local literacy initiatives, distributed more than 4,000 free books through community giveaway events, and served more than 1,500 students through Mesquite Reads programs. The Eureka Community Initiative, founded in 2012, has supported more than 50 community programs focused on education, outreach, economic development, and citizenship. Eureka Casino Resort was founded in 1997 and has been 100% employee-owned since 2015. |