Nevada Donor Network and the Nevada Department of Education have launched a statewide curriculum aimed at raising awareness about organ, eye, and tissue donation. This initiative follows a 2017 requirement under Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) 389.021, mandating that such topics be included in middle and high school health education classes.
The new curriculum provides educators with resources to meet these requirements by offering access to current statistics, detailed information on the donation process, and local donor and recipient stories for classroom use. Over 260 middle and high schools across Nevada will have access to these materials.
Tyre Gray, chief administrative and legal officer for Nevada Donor Network, stated, "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."
Available on Canvas, an online learning platform, the curriculum aims to assist students in making informed decisions when considering registering as donors at the Department of Motor Vehicles. Jhone Ebert, Superintendent of Public Instruction at the Nevada Department of Education said: “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.”
The curriculum covers various objectives including understanding the donation process; societal benefits; ways to register; and dispelling common myths. It also offers resources like downloadable pamphlets in English and Spanish, impact videos from donor families and recipients, quizzes, peer discussions, and interactive group games.
As Nevada's only statewide organ procurement organization (OPO), Nevada Donor Network is dedicated to providing accurate information for educators. The state's education department has also worked diligently to equip teachers with necessary tools for meeting health education standards.
Currently over 100,000 Americans are on the national transplant waiting list which includes nearly 700 Nevadans. A single donor can potentially save up to eight lives through organ donation.