Pahrump student wins non-profit recognition award
Kira Bieker, a local Pahrump youngster, received the Lovis Extraordinary Student Award earlier this year in May.
“What makes Kira extraordinary is the joy and warmth she brings into the lives of others. Her kindness, thoughtfulness, and genuine care for people create moments of connection that leave a lasting impression,” Founder and President of the Lovis Foundation Rene Eisele said in a statement.
An Ohio-based nonprofit, the Lovis Foundation, gives out the Lovis Student Awards annually. According to the Lovis Foundation, it “celebrates students who lead with empathy, resilience, and a commitment to serving others.”
The Lovis Extraordinary Student Award is awarded to school children between fifth and eighth grade. The Lovis Foundation says this award honors students “who make a difference in their community by promoting kindness, being selfless, demonstrating compassion and/or giving to the less fortunate.”
Bieker was nominated by Toni Wombaker, a STEAM teacher at Rosemary Clarke Middle School. Wombaker had Bieker in her class during the fall of 2025.
“I saw some pretty major growth with her,” Wombaker told the Pahrump Valley Times. “From an entering sixth-grade student and then just throughout the year.”
Wombaker recalled not being able to sleep one night when she saw the nominations for the Lovis Extraordinary Student Awards on social media. Wombaker added that the deadline for nominations was that evening.
“I just spur of the moment, middle of the night, nominated Kira because she just fit exactly what they described in their advertisement for the award nominations,” Wombaker explained.
Even though Wombaker doesn’t have Bieker in her class anymore, the teacher said her former student still says hello almost every morning, describing the gesture as epitomizing joy.
“She was only in my class for the fall semester but during the spring semester, every morning she would walk by my room, every morning no matter what, no matter what I was doing if I was in the middle of teaching, whatever, she’d always look in my door and [say] ‘Good morning, Mrs. Wombaker,’ wave her hand, same little tilt of her head, same smile, same little wave,” Wombaker said.
For more information about the Lovis Foundation and how to nominate a student for recognition in the future, visit lovisfoundation.org.
Contact reporter Elijah Dulay at edulay@pvtimes.com
