On Wednesday, March 1, Dallas Mavericks Head Coach Avery Johnson spoke to students and faculty at Frederick Douglass Elementary School. Coach Johnson was there to present a check in the amount of $16,545 to Project Turn• Around, the social outreach arm of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, for the creation of a new computer learning center at Frederick Douglass Elementary School.

Frederick Douglass Elementary School is one of 65 public schools in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area that Project Turn• Around provides mentoring, tutoring and support services benefiting urban youth and their families.

The monies donated will be used to furnish the school’s new computer lab, complete with 15 computers and a color printer. The new computer lab, part of the new 4th and 5th grade wing, is scheduled to open during the 2006/2007 school year.

An advocate for children and a board member of Project Turn• Around, Coach Johnson has seen the difference a good education and a strong mentoring program can make in a young person’s life. In distressed neighborhoods throughout Dallas, where many households live at or below the poverty line, this state of the art computer lab will provide children, teens and adults of the community access to technology.

In addition, Project Turn•Around will provide adult literacy, GED preparation, and ESL classes using computer instructional software.

The kids at Frederick Douglass were very excited for their special guests on Wednesday. Danny Bollinger/mavs.com

Avery spoke to the kids about the importance of getting an education and listening to their teachers. He also spoke to them and told them how special they are. Danny Bollinger/mavs.com

Avery presents the check. Danny Bollinger/mavs.com

Avery tours the new computer lab set to open next year. Danny Bollinger/mavs.com