Pharrell Williams To Open Private Schools For Low-Income Families In Virginia

Pharrell Williams To Open Private Schools For Low-Income Families In Virginia

Pharrell Williams is giving back to his home state in a major way.

The award-winning artist and producer announced that he will be opening multiple private schools in Virginia, according to The Virginian Pilot. 

The first school, Yellowhab, is scheduled to open its doors in Norfolk’s Ghent neighborhood this fall. It’s the namesake of the Virginia Beach native’s nonprofit organization YELLOW” paired with “Hab”, which is a nod to the Mars habitat in The Martian film.

This location was selected after multiple families were displaced because of housing segregation and the upcoming redevelopment of three local public housing areas.

The school will cater to children in third grade through fifth grade, and focus heavily on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) courses. Students won’t have to pay tuition for the first year.

Pharrell Williams said in a statement,

“If the system is fixed and unfair, then it needs to be broken. 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.”

The next step is to launch more schools next year, including a middle school.

What are your thoughts on Pharrell Williams’ new venture? Comment and let us know.