Charles R. Drew Charter School - Atlanta, Georgia
By Heather Crane

On Wednesday, November 2, during the Tour Championship, Tabitha Furyk, Sharon Funk, Tammy Mayfair, Lisa Cink, and Heather Crane visited the Charles R. Drew Charter School. The Charter School is in the East Lake neighborhood and is a project of the East Lake Community Foundation. The neighborhood used to be an area ravaged with crime and violence, but has been reclaimed and the community and school are thriving. The school opened five years ago and the children's standardized test scores have gone from the worst in the state to the top third. There is a municipal golf course right next to the school and, starting in the second grade, the children learn golf as part of the P.E. curriculum.

PGA TOUR Wives Association members went to assist in the school's Read A Loud program. Each member was assigned a different classroom and read books to the children. The school and the children were very impressive and the program has done an incredible job educating these kids. An after-school program is available so that if the parents work, the kids can stay for an additional two hours. They also have a caddie program where the students, beginning in eighth grade, can caddie over at East Lake in the summertime and they have scholarship opportunities for them. It was great to see the school promote the game of golf. It was a wonderful visit and we look forward to going back next year!

For more information about the Charles R. Drew Charter School and the East Lake Community Foundation, please go to their website at www.eastlakecommunityfdn.org.