Ciara and Russell Wilson Donate $1.75 Million To Fund Charter School

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Ciara and Russell Wilson are contributing nearly $1.75 million to Seattle, Washington charter school Cascade Midway Academy, Associated Press reports. After the high school fell into financial trouble as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, founders Garth Reeves and Scott Canfield reached out to the Seattle Seahawks quarterback and the Grammy-winning singer’s Why Not You Foundation for assistance.

The celebrity power couple told The Associated Press that they jumped at the opportunity to assist the academy; “I’m really confident…about the team that we have here and how we’re building things out,” Ciara shared. “We’re passionate about everything. We’re all in on this.”

In a statement posted to the foundation’s website, the school is scheduled to open next fall and will be tuition-free. Located south of Seattle, the school will rebrand its name to the ‘Why Not You Academy’ and is set to serve systemically underserved students by “providing innovative and tailored learning experiences, all while inspiring tomorrow’s leaders to lead with a why not you attitude.”

“We’ve always held the belief that life’s successes start with a good education, but recognize that access isn’t always created equally for all,” the couple shared in a statement. “This school is a longtime dream of ours and it was important for us to find a way to combine traditional classroom learning with community and mentorship-based activities, in order to prepare kids for the real world. Why Not You is based on the idea that it can start with one and our hope is that this school will be the first of many.”

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