Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russel Wilson and his wife, Grammy award-winning singer, Ciara have made a large financial contribution to rebranding a local Washington charter school.
According to the Associated Press, through Wilson’s Why Not You Foundation, the celebrity couple has donating $1.75 million to Cascade Midway Academy. The school has recently been in need of financial assistance due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has put its debut opening on hold. Founders Garth Reeves and Scott Canfield reached out to the Why Not You Foundation which led to their partnership.
“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.” Russell Wilson and Ciara say in a statement. “The Why Not You Foundation was created with the concept of empowering youth to lead with a why not you attitude and that’s why it was important for our foundation to partner with Scott, Garth, and Cascade Public Schools to help open doors for kids from less fortunate backgrounds.”
The Cascade Midway Academy will be renamed the Why Not You Academy to honor the large donation made by the Foundation. The Why Not You Academy will offer students a personalized approach to education. The curriculum will blend personalized student learning plans with real-world experiences through internships/mentorship programs. This is the first Why Not You Academy site but the couple is hopeful that they will open more across the nation.
“I’m really confident…about the team that we have here and how we’re building things out,” Ciara tells the Associated Press. “We’re passionate about everything. We’re all in on this.”
The Why Not You Academy is set to open in fall 2021.