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Sean “Diddy” Combs to Open Charter School in Harlem
Sean “Diddy” Combs has been a music executive, entrepreneur, rapper and actor. Now Combs has another role to add to his impressive list of credentials: educator.
Combs announced that he is launching a charter school in his native Harlem, in New York City, that will offer a free, public school education for students in grades 6-12. The school’s mission will be to provide “disadvantaged Harlem students with skills necessary for college and careers.”
The school, to be called the Capital Preparatory Harlem Charter School, will open in the fall and will be overseen by Capital Prep leader Steve Perry, who founded Capital Prep Magnet School in Hartford, Connecticut in 2005.
“I want to impact the lives of young people in my community, and build future leaders. The first step is offering access to a quality education,” Combs said in a statement. “All our children should be able to pursue their dreams.”
The announcement of the school took about five years to come to fruition, with the mogul spending that time researching various education models. Ultimately, he chose Perry’s model at Capital Prep, a year-round school that is known for its high graduation and college acceptance rates.
“I’m inspired by Sean Combs’ belief that educating our young people is the key to opening up a world of opportunity for them,” said Dr. Perry. “Sean and I have spent many long hours over the last five years talking about education and how best to meet the needs of the young people of Harlem and I couldn’t be more pleased to continue this journey through the opening of the school.”
Danita Jones, an Orlando educator, was tapped by Combs and the school’s board tapped to be its principal. The board includes Combs adviser Derek Ferguson, Dr. Iyanla Vanzant, Reverend Georgiette Morgan Thomas and Dr. Perry.
The school will accept only 160 students in its first year at the sixth and seventh grade level. Each year, one grade will be added until the school has 700 students, up through 12th grade. The school will be located in East Harlem in the same building as El Museo Del Barrio and Museum of the City of New York.
Combs joins a growing list of celebrities who have opened charter schools, including former NBA player Jalen Rose, tennis champion Andre Agassi, and rapper Pitbull.
Born in Harlem and raised in Mount Vernon, N.Y., Combs went on to Howard University in Washington, D.C., where he attended for two years before leaving to pursue his music career. Howard awarded him an honorary doctorate degree in 2014.
