The Summerlin® Children’s Forum (SCF), a nonprofit organization established in 1997 by leaders of the Summerlin master planned community and its developer, Howard Hughes Communities™, recently awarded five college scholarships to outstanding high school graduates who are residents of the community.
Since 1997, SCF has funded more than $700,000 in scholarships, enrichment grants, and special educational programs. The annual scholarship program is open to all graduating high school seniors who reside in Summerlin, regardless of where they attend high school.
“We look forward to awarding the Summerlin Children’s Forum scholarships every year to celebrate not just the recipients, but all Summerlin high school seniors who are pursuing advanced education,” said Randy Ecklund, Senior Vice President and Executive Director, Summerlin Community Association Management. “Our scholarship recipients this year are particularly outstanding and represent the very best from their respective schools for academic achievement with big goals and aspirations to make our world better. They all have bright futures.”
The first scholar is Alexia Binu, valedictorian of Ed W. Clark High School, where she graduated number one of 661 students in her class. Binu will attend Case Western Reserve University in the fall where she plans to study pre-medicine with the goal of becoming a doctor. Binu earned straight A’s in 14 AP courses and four Pre-Advanced Placement courses. A volunteer at Southern Hills Hospital and co-founder of Clark High School’s Childhood Cancer Awareness Club, Binu also participated in the school’s Science Olympiad, speech and debate club, varsity track and field, and cross-country teams.
Bryce Boardman is a graduate of Faith Lutheran Sr. High School who will attend Duke University in the fall to study environmental representation in the fields of political science and public policy. Boardman scored a perfect 36 on the ACT college entrance examination, and during his high school career, was enrolled in 15 Advanced Placement courses. He completed 100 hours of law training, working as an advocate for restorative justice in cases of underrepresented youth. He served as co-captain of Faith Lutheran’s Mock Trail Club and club vice president of his school’s Model United Nations chapter. A member of the Faith Lutheran marching band, he also worked as an environmental science intern at UNLV.
Jason Li, a graduate of Ed W. Clark High School, will attend Harvard University beginning in 2030 with the goal of becoming a lawyer. At Clark, Li was enrolled in 19 Advanced Placement classes and graduated in the top five percent of his class while working more than 30 hours a week to help support his family. He ranks in the top 2 percent of Nevada’s most demanding STEM magnet programs, excelling in rigorous AP coursework and completing original, college-level research. Li represented Nevada on a national stage as a Carnegie Youth Fellow and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration youth ambassador.
Caden Betz is a graduate of Palo Verde High School who will attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to study materials science with the goal of becoming a nanoengineer to utilize microscopic properties of the universe to better human welfare. Betz, who graduated number one in his class of 695 students, was enrolled in 19 Advanced Placement courses throughout his tenure at Palo Verde and scored a perfect 36 on the ACT college entrance examination. Active in speech and debate, track and field, cross country, National Honor Society and DECA, Betz also served as tutor to help fellow students in the areas of math and science.
Oliver Ravin is a graduate of Faith Lutheran Sr. High School who will attend Purdue University to study physics with the goal of working for NASA after earning his PhD. Ravin was enrolled in 13 Advanced Placement courses throughout his high school years, and he attended an Aerospace Academy at Rice University in 2025 in addition to conducting Mars Lander aerodynamic research. Active in his school’s soccer program, Ravin played junior varsity soccer and served as a soccer analyst and assistant coach for his school’s team.
From left, Caden Betz, Palo Verde High School graduate; Danielle Bisterfeldt, SVP, Marketing and Consumer Experience for Summerlin; Bryce Boardman, Faith Lutheran Sr. High School graduate; and Oliver Ravin, Faith Lutheran Sr. High School graduate. Missing: Alexia Binu and Jason Li, both Ed. W. Clark High School graduates.
Now in its 36th year of development, Summerlin offers more amenities than any other Southern Nevada community. These include 10 golf courses; 26 public, private and charter schools; Roseman University College of Medicine, a public library and performing arts center; Summerlin Hospital Medical Center; more than a dozen houses of worship representing multiple faiths; office parks; neighborhood shopping centers; and, of course, Downtown Summerlin, offering fashion, dining, entertainment, Red Rock Resort, office buildings, City National Arena, home of the Vegas Golden Knights National Hockey League practice facility, and Las Vegas Ballpark®, a world-class Triple-A baseball stadium and home of the Las Vegas Aviators®.
In total, Summerlin currently offers over 110 floorplans in 20 neighborhoods throughout six distinct villages and districts. Homes, built by many of the nation’s top homebuilders, are available in a variety of styles – from single-family homes to townhomes, priced from the $400,000s to more than $1 million. For information on all actively selling neighborhoods, visit Summerlin.com. Before you visit, call the builders for their hours of operation. Phone numbers for each neighborhood are listed on the website.
