August 15, 2024
Dr. Dre is expanding his reach within the Los Angeles school system by launching his second academy in two years.
Dr. Dre is expanding his reach within the Los Angeles school system by launching his second academy in two years.
The hip-hop mogul was at Morningside High School on August 12, where he and his longtime business partner, music executive Jimmy Iovine, announced the launch of Iovine and Young Center Academy in the Inglewood Unified School District. Set to open in August 2025, the new school will be available to ninth-grade students before expanding to all grades by the 2028-29 school year, Fox 11 reported.
The center is currently being promoted as an innovative, interdisciplinary program designed to develop the next generation of leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs. Its emphasis on creative skill development, and social impact will culminate in a senior-year capstone project where students are encouraged to tackle real-world challenges.
“The center is designed to reshape the high school experience through an innovative education model that combines a rigorous interdisciplinary curriculum with real-world, team-based learning opportunities,” a statement from Inglewood Unified reads.
“This IYC initiative is set to amplify Inglewood Unified School District’s focus on creating innovative and exciting pathways for high school students.”
The academy is the second educational academy Dre and Iovine have come together to launch following the opening of Los Angeles Unified High School in the Leimert Park neighborhood, which focuses on interdisciplinary learning and entrepreneurial talent. The placement of the schools is intentional, with the first school being housed at Audubon Middle School, which faced steep enrollment declines in 2021.
The new Inglewood-based academy within the community’s Unified School District comes in response to forced closures amid declining enrollment for the past decade. It’s located on the campus of Crozier Middle School, which is slated to close in June 2025.
“We wanted to start in the inner city because Dre and especially me, I owe a lot to the inner city of Los Angeles, and we intend to pay it back,” Iovine said.
“Inglewood is up to some good. Dre loves Inglewood. We all love Inglewood. We waited for the first opportunity because we wanted to make sure we came here. We believe that this will differentiate them in the workforce and colleges. To go out and say you have an education in disciplinary learning, being able to collaborate with different disciplines and innovate is an advantage.”
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