Oprah donates $365,000 to inner-city school

Oprah donates $365,000 to inner-city school

ATLANTA — A letter from Oprah Winfrey last week seemed like the world’s best Christmas present — until teacher Ron Clark noticed an extra piece of paper flutter out of the envelope.

That’s when the Atlanta educator saw the $365,000 check for the innovative private school he opened in one of the city’s poorest neighborhoods in 2007. It was, quite literally, an answer to a prayer.

“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 with the news of the donation Wednesday morning in a gathering at the south Atlanta school. The children, parents and teachers erupted in deafening cheers when he showed off the check.

Several cried at the news.

“Everything they learn is enhanced because of the teachers’ dedication and creativity,” said a tearful Gloria Nesmith, whose son, Cameron, is a fifth-grader at the academy. “And Oprah noticed. I’m just overwhelmed.”

Today’s birthdays

Country musician Harold Bradley is 83. TV host Jack Hanna is 62. Actress Wendy Phillips is 57. Actress Gabrielle Carteris is 48. Movie director Todd Haynes is 48. Actress Tia Carrere is 42. Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. is 41. Model Christy Turlington is 40. Actor Taye Diggs is 38. Rock musician Scott Underwood is 38. Rock singer Doug Robb is 34. Actor Dax Shepard is 34. Actress Paz Vega is 33. Country musician Chris Hartman is 31. Rock musician Jerry DePizzo Jr. is 30. R&B singer Kelton Kessee is 28. Actress Kate Bosworth is 26.