Oprah donates $365,000 to Atlanta school

[babylonsister]

So nice! I wish I could whip out my checkbook and do likewise. cnn just did a piece on this that got my attention.


http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/chi-oprah-school-ft-0101jan01,0,6758467.story

Oprah donates $365,000 to Atlanta school

January 1, 2009

Atlanta educator Ron Clark was delighted last week to receive a letter from Oprah Winfrey, on whose show he has appeared twice. It wasn't until he noticed an extra piece of paper flutter out of the envelope that he realized just how lucky he was.

It was a donation of $365,000 for the innovative private school he opened in one of the city's poorest neighborhoods in 2007, The Associated Press reported.

"We teach school all day and fund-raise at night," said Clark, who finds private donors to pay most of the $14,000 annual tuition for each student. "To have an unsolicited gift come like that is incredible."

Clark surprised his students Wednesday with the news of the donation. The money, from Winfrey's foundation, likely will go to scholarships for students, Clark said.

Clark and his students became stars during the presidential election when a video of the students performing a political rap they wrote grabbed the public's attention on YouTube.

Video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxlwYP0HNdc
You Can Vote However You Like

[Riley18]

1. Those scholarships will only damage the public education system further.

What happens when the rich get bored with the project, and the free schools are gone?

[babylonsister]

2. Go away. nt

[Donnachaidh]

4. err, that IS a valid question.

But hey, we don't discuss things here, right? :sarcasm:

[Riley18]

6. That was my first thought when I read the response. Thanks for listening.

[babylonsister]

8. My immediate reaction is that Winfrey would inspire others to

open their wallets. I tend not to think the worst of everyone unlike many here.

And no sarcasm intended.

[Riley18]

5. Don't worry because most teachers will go away.

[babylonsister]

9. There's nothing free about it. Why not read the article?

This school and Ron Clark are teaching inner city kids that a public school system might not have given a damn about. And you think that's a bad idea?

http://www.pba.org/programming/programs/thisisatlanta/1999/

the Academy offers a world-class education to not only inner-city kids, but also to visiting teachers from around the world. Educators learn new methods as kids from all ability levels and economic backgrounds get a one-of-a-kind school experience. And, the learning experience extends beyond the brightly-colored walls of the Academy; before the students leave the school in eighth grade, they will pursue a global education that takes them to six of the seven continents.

[Raine1967]

3. Wonderful!!! eom!

[cbc5g]

7. The video was great and props to Oprah but man the comments posted to that video are sad

So much racism.