The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Celebrities use their star power for charity
Oprah Winfrey has been a dedicated supporter of the innovative Ron Clark Academy from the beginning. She propelled its cofounder to fame when Clark visited her daytime talk show years ago and has supported the school financially over the years. On Friday, at its 10th-anniversary celebration, she presented a very special birthday present: a $5 million donation.
Clark, the school’s co-founder with Kim Bearden, was knocked over – literally. He keeled over in delight after the surprise gift.
The evening included remarks from outgoing Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, who quipped that he was missing the Atlanta Hawks’ ceremonial retirement of a jersey in his honor to attend the event, performances from the hit Broadway phenomenon “Hamilton” and inspiring moments highlighting the school’s students.
Winfrey kicked things off with a hearty welcome and explained her love for the academy, whose students are viral-video stars with their energetic approach to lessons.
“I love this school!” Winfrey told the cheering crowd as she took the stage. “It’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years. I was here for the first graduation. I wanted to be here to actually mark this moment in time. What it takes to build a school over 10 years, I know.”
The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, a boarding school in South Africa, also opened 10 years ago. She talked about her love for its students, who she calls her “daughter girls,” when she spoke at Agnes Scott College’s graduation this spring.
At Friday’s event, Winfrey talked about how important her own teachers were, beginning with a particularly impactful fourth-grade teacher. Clark caught her eye in the year 2000, when he was named the Disney American Teacher of the Year. He later visited her show to promote his book “The Essential 55.”
With her powerful endorsement, the book became a best-seller. He used the resulting proceeds to fund the purchase of an old factory in southwest Atlanta that became the Ron Clark Academy.
“I’ve never known another human being with such drive, such courage, such passion, in the face of everybody going, what?
You are a true guiding light for so many,” Winfrey said. “What I love about you, the reason I say yes every darn time, you are doing what you are meant to be doing. You didn’t just answer your call, you answered God’s call. Most people are deaf, they don’t hear it. Ron heard it and answered the call.”
Winfrey’s OWN series “Greenleaf ” is filmed in Atlanta, and the HBO movie adaptation of the nonfiction book “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” is also shot here.
Marvel stars raise funds for Puerto Rico recovery efforts
Marvel stars who have been filming the latest “Avengers” movie in Atlanta helped raise at least $500,000 for hurricane recovery efforts in Puerto Rico at a Monday night event at the Fox Theatre. Scarlett Johansson came up with the idea, and her colleagues Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner, Mark Ruffalo and Robert Downey Jr. eagerly joined the effort. Atlanta’s Tonywinning director Kenny Leon served as director.
“Thank you for letting me call Atlanta home,” Leon said in his welcoming remarks Monday, before turning the microphone over to Johansson. He joked that the audience should expect a live reading – not a full theatrical performance – saying, “We had one rehearsal!” The audience was most forgiving when Evans discovered mid-event that he was missing a page of his script.
Johansson was determined to take action after seeing the harrowing reports out of Puerto Rico, where electricity has yet to be restored across much of the island and where access to clean drinking water remains a challenge. When she called Leon, they kicked around some ideas before deciding a live reading of Thornton Wilder’s classic 1930s play “Our Town” was the perfect fit.
“‘Our Town’ is this kind of warrior cry to remind us of the fragility of life,” she said. “It reminds us to be present and live moment by moment. It’s really about people and connectivity.”
Proceeds will benefit the Hurricane Maria Community Relief & Recovery Fund at the Center for Popular Democracy. Johansson was thrilled to report how successful the evening had been.
“I knew I could count on you, Atlanta,” she said. “We love to shoot here. It’s a very inspiring city, an incredibly inspiring community. Thank you for reaching into your wallets, into your hearts.”