She Started a Homeschool Group. Elko Had Other Plans.

📌 THE GIST:

ELKO, NV — Holland Wines pulled her son out of school during COVID for what she figured would be one year. It turned into something she never planned: a nonprofit homeschool resource center, a literacy program, and a standing Saturday schedule that runs from 7:30 in the morning to 7:30 at night. Room2Grow Resource Center has operated out of First Presbyterian Church since 2022. It has never had enough room.

The Elko Brief sat down — over message, in her own time — with Wines to talk about what she built, what the numbers from her recent parent survey actually mean, and what she would tell the school district if they asked. She answered every question.

The Elko Brief: What prompted you to start Room2Grow, and what gap were you trying to fill in Elko County’s education landscape?

Holland Wines: I originally pulled my son to homeschool for what I thought would be just one year during COVID. We ended up loving the quality of life so much that we never went back. I am so grateful for his early education teachers and admin — he was excelling and had a great experience in school. During that time, I started a small homeschool group just to build community.

Very quickly, more families wanted to join than we had space for, which led me to create the nonprofit. From the beginning, there was a strong response. Almost immediately, we also started getting calls from families — public schooled and homeschooled — asking for help with reading. That wasn’t our original purpose, or even a thought, but the demand was overwhelming.

I’m very solution-oriented, and I care deeply about helping people, so I spent about two years, and my own money, getting certified and trained in literacy support. That’s how our Reading Services program was born. We’ve had a waitlist ever since.

What started as a way to create community has grown into something that also helps address literacy gaps. None of this would be possible without our volunteers. No one is paid — we just have a group of people who genuinely care about kids and want to give them opportunities. It is an amazing community, and I encourage people to come see what we’re doing for themselves.

EB: How many families are currently enrolled or active in your programs?

HW: Each session, we have around 60 families participating in our Tuesday homeschool co-op. For our Growing Readers program, we’re able to serve about 15 families at a time, and that program consistently has a waitlist.

On Saturdays, I work one-on-one or in small groups with public school students who are significantly behind in reading — every Saturday from 7:30am to 7:30pm, seeing a different child or group of children every hour. The demand is very real.

EB: What made you decide to conduct the parent survey, and how did you distribute it?

HW: I had heard the district was trying to gather feedback from families leaving but wasn’t getting the level of response they hoped for. I felt like I might be able to help gather additional input.

For me, it was about identifying patterns so we can better understand what families are experiencing. I care deeply about education as a whole and want to be part of solutions where I can. Solutions are only possible once the issues are identified.

I shared the survey on Facebook to reach families where they already are, and I made it anonymous so people could answer honestly. It wasn’t designed to be a formal research study — more of a community snapshot — but the responses were consistent and meaningful.

EB: Were you surprised by any of the results — and which findings concerned you most?

HW: Not particularly. Many of the concerns that came up are things we’re hearing across the community and country right now.

Behavior challenges are a significant issue, and they impact both students and teachers. Schools are being asked to do more than ever before, and that has stretched the system. I think one of the biggest takeaways is that we need stronger alignment. We need schools, families, and communities working together. Teachers are doing incredibly important work, and creating environments where they can focus on teaching is critical.

EB: The board didn’t respond publicly to your data Tuesday night. What were you hoping they would say?

Editor’s note: Wines presented her survey findings during public comment at the April 7, 2026 Elko County School District board meeting. Watch the full meeting on YouTube.

HW: I wasn’t necessarily expecting an immediate response — I understand they need time to review everything. They’re working hard.

What I’m really hoping for is continued conversation and a willingness to look closely at what families and teachers are experiencing day-to-day. My goal isn’t to criticize. I hope to bring the community together to be part of solutions.

EB: You cited 200-plus families considering leaving the district and a charter waitlist over 800. In your view, what is driving those numbers?

HW: Families today have more educational options than ever before, and most are simply trying to find the best fit for their children.

At the same time, there are broader challenges affecting many school systems, not just locally. Things like classroom disruptions, balancing a wide range of student needs, and ensuring consistent academic progress can be difficult in a large system.

You’re asking specifically about the challenges, but I do think it’s important to say that there are also incredible things happening in our schools every single day. There are dedicated teachers, strong classrooms, and students who are thriving. Everyone is working very hard.

I think this is less about one issue and more about a combination of factors — academic, behavioral, and structural — that families are navigating. Teachers are doing an incredible job in a very complex environment, but they’re also being asked to meet a wide range of expectations. It’s not an easy position to be in.

At the end of the day, I think we all want the same thing. We just need to keep working together to get there.

EB: Where do you think the line is between what the board can control locally and what state mandates are forcing their hand on?

HW: I’m still learning more about where those lines are.

I do understand that there are real constraints at the state level. At the same time, I think it’s helpful for the community to better understand what decisions are local and where there are limitations. Transparency in that area can go a long way in building trust and helping people know where change is possible.

EB: You mentioned teachers pushed back when you surveyed them. What do you think that reaction tells us?

HW: I think it shows that there’s a lot of emotion and investment on all sides.

The original survey was focused specifically on why families were leaving, so it wasn’t meant to capture every perspective. I can understand how that might have felt incomplete to some. Like I said, the schools have competition now, and that can feel personal — especially with how hard they are working.

At the same time, many teachers care deeply and are working incredibly hard in challenging circumstances. Some shared privately that they were hesitant to respond, which also says something about the current climate.

To me, it highlights the need to rebuild that sense of partnership between families and educators.

EB: If Superintendent Anderson called you tomorrow and asked what one thing the district could do right now — what would you tell him?

HW: It would be hard to choose just one, but I would focus on creating strong, consistent classroom environments where teachers can teach and students can learn.

Alongside that, ensuring that all students receive effective, evidence-based reading instruction early on would make a huge impact. If those two areas improve, it would change a lot.

I would genuinely love to help however I can. My goal has always been to see kids succeed. I have said since the beginning that I would love it if the schools would put me out of business.

EB: What does a better outcome look like for Elko County kids in five years, and who has to do what to get there?

HW: Teachers being able to teach. Children feeling safe in schools. Parents being a team with educators. The community understanding that negative perceptions of educators is harming everyone. People showing up to help and support instead of complain. Excellent education happening every day. My waitlist to be nonexistent. Parents feeling good about sending their children to school.

So many things need to happen, but I believe that if we tackled the issue of behavior and taught literacy in a way that works, we would be in a much better position. Those are manageable.

Holland Wines is the founder and president of Room2Grow Resource Center in Elko. The organization’s annual Read-A-Thon — its only fundraiser of the year — is currently underway. Room2Grow is all-volunteer; all proceeds go directly to programming for kids. For more information, visit room2growelko.com.

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⚡ THE SPARK: Room2Grow has run a waitlist for its literacy program since the day it opened. What does it say about a community when the demand for reading help consistently outpaces what volunteers alone can provide?

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🔗 SOURCE: Room2Grow Resource Center