One hundred percent of the first high school graduating class of Soulsville Charter School have been accepted to college, and more than $3.2 million in scholarship funds have been donated to help them pay for higher education. Those students are graduating on Thursday, May 24th.
Founded in 2005, Soulsville Charter School is a tuition-free public charter school with a mission of preparing students for college success in a music-rich environment. It began with a sixth grade class of 60 students, and those students have now completed their high school careers.
Although the graduation ceremony is closed to the public, there is a Soulsville Charter School fund-raiser being held on Wednesday, May 23rd from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music featuring former Notre Dame basketball coach and ESPN host Digger Phelps and Grammy winner Kirk Whalum. Tickets are $250 per person or $400 per couple.
“Mr. Phelps was so impressed by the school, its students, and the model of education that he has become an unofficial spokesperson for us on the national level, often mentioning the school on news talk shows, particularly MSNBC’s Morning Joe,” said Tim Sampson, communications director for Stax and former Memphis Flyer editor.
Phelps will also hold a live remote broadcast about the graduation event on MSNBC’s Morning Joe. That broadcast will air on MSNBC at 6:45 CST on Thursday, May 24th.
To purchase tickets to the fund-raiser, call Soulsville Foundation chief operating officer Mark Wender at 901-261-6345 or email him.
