BEAUMONT, Texas — The Bob Hope School District announced Thursday they received a monetary gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.
The district was awarded $3.5 million, according to a news release from Bob Hope School.
Scott, whose wealth is estimated by Forbes at roughly $26.7 billion, divorced Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in 2019 and walked away with a 25% stake in Amazon, according to Forbes. Shortly thereafter, Scott signed the Giving Pledge, promising to give away at least half of her wealth over the course of her lifetime.
Bob Hope School CEO Dr. Bobby Lopez says they are humbled to be chosen by Ms. Scott.
"It is a testament to the amazing work that our staff, students, and parents do every day for our pre-K through 12th grade program,” he said.
BHS say they are grateful for the support, as charter schools need every one of those dollars to meet the needs of students, teachers and families.
Charter schools receive 76 cents on the dollar versus traditional public schools. The philanthropic support they receive will be used to close the public funding gap, according to the release.
About Bob Hope School:
Bob Hope School is a free public charter school open to all students in Jefferson County. The district is made up of three campuses in Port Arthur and one in Beaumont with plans to soon expand into Harris County. The Bob Hope School model features a dual-language program offering Montessori learning and violin instruction to all students. Bob Hope High School offers a free college program where students can graduate with an associate degree from Lamar State College – Port Arthur.
