January 07, 2025

CARSON CITY, Nev. – Nevada Donor Network and the Nevada Department of Education have collaborated to launch the first-ever statewide curriculum for teachers and students to raise awareness about the life-saving impact of organ, eye, and tissue donation.

The curriculum was developed in response to a requirement adopted in 2017 under Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) 389.021, requiring that organ, eye, and tissue donation be taught in middle and high school health education classes.

This material will empower educators to meet these requirements by providing access to current statistics, in-depth information about the donation process, and local donor and recipient stories to share in their classrooms.

All of Nevada’s more than 260 middle and high schools will have access to the materials.

"Through this groundbreaking partnership between Nevada Donor Network and the Nevada Department of Education, Nevada’s students and teachers now have access to a statewide curriculum that inspires awareness about organ, eye, and tissue donation — empowering a new generation to embrace the gift of life,” said Tyre Gray, chief administrative and legal officer for Nevada Donor Network.

Now available on Canvas, a widely-used online learning platform, the curriculum is designed to help students make an informed decision as they prepare to visit the Department of Motor Vehicles and consider registering as organ, eye, and tissue donors.

“Here at the Nevada Department of Education, we are thankful for the partnership with the Nevada Donor Network to ensure that students have access to information about organ, eye, and tissue donation to help them make an informed decision,” said Jhone Ebert, Superintendent of Public Instruction. “The resources available through Canvas will also help support our health educators in providing instruction to students across the state.”

Curriculum objectives cover the donation process and impact of donated organs, tissues, and corneas; ways to register; societal benefits of donation; and address common myths and misconceptions.

Resources include downloadable pamphlets in both English and Spanish, donor family and recipient impact videos, quizzes, peer discussions, and a group game for interactive learning.

As Nevada’s only statewide organ procurement organization (OPO), Nevada Donor Network is committed to providing accurate information and resources to the state’s educators and their students.

The Nevada Department of Education has worked tirelessly to ensure that teachers have the tools they need to meet health education requirements.

Currently, more than 100,000 Americans - including nearly 700 Nevadans - are on the national organ transplant waiting list.

One donor has the potential to save up to eight lives through organ donation, heal up to 75 lives through tissue donation, and help restore sight to up to two people through cornea donation.

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About the Nevada Department of Education

The Nevada Department of Education (NDE) leads and collaborates with Nevada’s 17 school districts and the State Public Charter School Authority to advance educational equity Statewide. With offices in Carson City and Las Vegas, NDE oversees all pre-K-12 education in the State, working to achieve its mission to improve student achievement and educator effectiveness by ensuring opportunities, facilitating learning, and promoting excellence. Under the leadership of the State Board of Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction, NDE impacts the achievement of nearly half a million children and 30,000 educators. Learn more at https://doe.nv.gov/ and join us on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram.

About Nevada Donor Network Nevada Donor Network is a federally designated 501©(3) not-for-profit organ procurement organization (“OPO”) committed to maximizing the gift of life and health through organ and tissue donation. Established in 1987, Nevada Donor Network is one of only 56 OPOs in the U.S. serving more than three million people in the state of Nevada and 110,000 potential transplant recipients across the country. They work collaboratively with hospital staff and community partners to promote research and provide a strong support network to courageous donor families who’ve turned loss into hope. At Nevada Donor Network, they encourage Nevadans to help individuals in need of life-saving transplants through education, research and action. Nevada Donor Network is a member of Donate Life Nevada, an affiliate of Donate Life America, whose state-wide efforts encourage Nevadans to register as organ, eye and tissue donors. For more information, please visit www.nvdonor.org/

Media Contact: Latoya Bembry / The Ferraro Group / Cell: 702-278-1000 / latoya@theferrarogroup.com

Julie Wootton-Greener/ Nevada Department of Education / 702-486-6602 / julie.woottongreener@doe.nv.gov