Musician and producer Pharrell Williams is getting into the education game. He and his YELLOW philanthropy organization have announced they are opening a private school in Norfolk, Virginia, for low-income families.
The school, which the Virginia-Pilot reports will initially serve students in grades three through five, will be named Yellowhab.
It will be tuition-free for at least the first year.
The Virginia-Pilot has more:
“We are very clear here that we’re not taking away from the city or the district. We want to be additive and not put any kind of onerous, intrusive impact on those institutions,” [Executive Director Mike] McGalliard said. “It’s very important that we not disrupt that revenue stream.”
“If the system is fixed and unfair, then it needs to be broken,” Williams said in a news release, per Revolt. “We don’t want lockstep learning where so many kids fall behind; we want bespoke learning designed for each child where the things that make a child different are the same things that will make a child rise up and take flight.”
When the multi-talented (and all-around good neighbor) Williams starts talking about “bespoke” things, it’s best to pay attention. The man really knows how to customize things, from beats to fashion, and now hopefully schools, too.
