JAY-Z's Roc Nation hosts educational events to help low-income students earn $300 million in scholarships
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- On Friday, JAY-Z's entertainment company Roc Nation announced its plans to lead a multi-million dollar educational campaign, according to a spokesperson from Vital Versatility who represents Roc Nation.
Roc Nation is helping underprivileged students in Philadelphia secure $300 million worth of scholarships to attend private schools with the Pennsylvania Award for Student Success (PASS).
Roc Nation will host a series of events across the greater Philadelphia region from June 10 through June 21 to educate the public more about the PASS legislation.
PASS' eligibility is based on household income not exceeding 250% of the federal poverty level, which currently stands at $75,000 for a family of four.
The scholarships offered through the PASS program range from $2,500 for half-day kindergarten students, $5,000 for K-8 grades, $10,000 for 9-12 grades, and $15,000 for students with special needs.
Vital Versatility added in the news release that the government will fulfill these funds without reducing the overall budget for public school education programming.
Despite the last two cancellations of Made In America, Roc Nation has worked regularly with Philadelphia and the REFORM Alliance on legislation that helped transform the probation and parole system in the state.
"We have enjoyed such a special connection with Philadelphians, so we've made it our mission to invest in the long-term success of the city's changemakers," said Dania Diaz, Roc Nation's Managing Director of Philanthropy. "Impact starts with the students and with awareness. We want to empower the youth and families with the knowledge to pursue their scholastic dreams, make their voices heard, and become the leaders of tomorrow."
Here are the locations of events hosted by Roc Nation to learn more about PASS:
- June 10: 12–7 p.m. at Esperanza Conference Center, 4261 N. 5th St.
- June 11: 12–7 p.m. at Mi Salud Wellness, 200 E. Wyoming Ave.
- June 12: 12-7 p.m. at Beckett Life Center, 1410 N. 16th St.
- June 13: 12–7 p.m. at Lucien Blackwell Community Center, 761 N. 47th St.
- June 14: 12–7 p.m. at Ford PAL Center, 600 Snyder Ave.
- June 17: 12–7 p.m. at Esperanza Conference Center, 4261 N. 5th St.
- June 18: 12–7 p.m. at Mi Salud Wellness, 200 E. Wyoming Ave.
- June 19: 12–7 p.m. at Ford PAL Center, 600 Snyder Ave.
- June 20: 12–7 p.m. at Beckett Life Center, 1410 N. 16th St.
- June 21: 12–7 p.m. at Lucien Blackwell Community Center, 761 N. 47th St.
On Tuesday, The School District of Philadelphia released a statement in response to Roc Nation's support of PASS.
The statement said, in part, "The Pennsylvania public school funding system has inadequately and inequitably funded low-wealth school districts for decades. This is true across Pennsylvania, but is certainly true here, in Philadelphia ... An infusion of funding would enable our students to have the same opportunities for a high-quality education as their peers across the Commonwealth. With the additional funding, as a district, we would be positioned to shift the conversation from how to invest limited resources to how we accelerate academic achievement by focusing on robust academic programming that takes place in 21st-century learning environments."