GRAND CROSSING — Hirsch Metropolitan High School Principal Larry Varn learned via Twitter Thursday that Chance the Rapper was giving his school $10,000.
RELATED: STUDENTS ECSTATIC OVER CHANCE THE RAPPER'S VISIT AND $1 MILLION GIFT
The Chatham native announced in a tweet that he was giving $10,000 grants to nine Chicago schools, in addition to the $1 million he plans to donate to Chicago schools for arts education. Chance's donation to Chicago's schools will come from the proceeds of his spring tour, set to kick off April 24 in San Diego.
In addition, Chance has called for wealthy Chicagoans to step up and donate to Chicago schools. For every $100,000 raised, Social Works Chicago — which Chance co-founded — will donate $10,000 directly to Chicago Public Schools.
THE FOLLOWING CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL BE RECIEVING A CHECK FROM @SocialWorks_Chi For $10,000...
— Lil Chano From 79th (@chancetherapper) March 9, 2017
Varn said during a phone interview Thursday afternoon that the daughter of one of his staff members mentioned the tweet in a congratulatory text message. That staff member delivered the news to Varn.
"We scrambled around to see who had a Twitter account and followed Chance, and we got the news that way, maybe 45 minutes ago," he said. "I'm very excited."
Varn said he would like to use some of the funding to give his students a recording studio. It's something they've already approached him about, he said.
"There have been times I've taken students to a recording studio in the community where they have to pay to create their music," Varn said. "If this money can be used toward that, then I'd really like to create a space in my building where students can produce, record and make music much like Chance."
"I thank Chance the Rapper for giving my students a chance to follow in his footsteps," he said.
Other South Side schools that will receive the funding include Mahalia Jackson Elementary School in Auburn Gresham, Robeson High School in Englewood and Fenger High School in Roseland.
