Think, dream, prepare

Kris Hill

Friday, Feb. 9, 2001 | 10:38 a.m.

Stainless steel shovels gleamed in the late afternoon sunlight as ground was broken on the future site of the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy.

Tennis star Andre Agassi wielded a shovel alongside dignitaries, including the school's new principal, Wayne Tanaka, who recently resigned as principal of Clark High School to take the position.

Students in third to fifth grade will start classes this fall at the $4.1 million, 25,000-square-foot school. Funds to build the school were raised by the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation.

Projections show the school enrolling 500 students in grades 3 to 12 by 2008. It will serve at-risk youth and provide an accelerated curriculum for its students.

The academy's curriculum will focus on technology while also bringing in cultural activities and emphasizing involvement in community affairs.

Agassi said Thursday that the school will teach children that "they can make it on their own efforts and their own merits."

"It's my belief that teaching children to think, dream and prepare for themselves is the only way to get ahead of the curve," Agassi said.

In addition to funds from Agassi's foundation, the school will receive $950,000 from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development and $600,000 from the state.

The real winners in the project are the children, Las Vegas Councilman Lawrence Weekly said at Thursday's ceremony.

"Words cannot express the sincere gratitude of all the children in this community," he added.

Agassi said he won't stop now that the project has broken ground. He said he plans to be involved in the school as it progresses by putting people in the right position who will affect the children on a deeper level.

"It's a daily involvement that's going to change their lives," he said.