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Friday, April 23, 2004

Andre Agassi

Three cheers for Andre Agassi who has started a charter school in his home town, Las Vagas.

Through private donations and benefit events like the annual Grand Slam for Children concert, he has raised more than $23 million to build a campus in a neglected neighborhood in west Las Vegas neighborhood, which now includes a modern elementary school, a middle school and an arts and music building. Construction of a high school and a gymnasium is expected to begin next spring.

Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy currently has 250 students and will eventually have 650 K-12 students. Agassi donates $1 million per year to a foundation that supports the school,

"The good news is that I've created an endowment fund that will pay for the school forever, so we'll never be going back to anybody just to keep the lights on," he said. "But I do understand that the longer I play, the better off I know that the school will be."

The school is well-received in the city, there's a waiting list to get in, and students' test scores are improving dramatically. Well done, Andre.

Thanks to Jay Nordlinger for linking to this story. The Nord says,

Way to go, Andre, studly off the court as well (and I refer to more than his long and gaudily successful amorous history).

"Gaudily successful amorous history" - I love that.

posted by Gary at 13:49 | [Permalink] (0) comments

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