Actor Tyler Perry donates $100K to Ohio schools

Filmmaker and actor Tyler Perry has surprised middle school students in Ohio by showing up at a musical concert and donating $100,000 (Dh367,280) to help student athletes in the city’s South-Western schools.

The Columbus Dispatch reports that Perry was drawn to Finland Middle School on Friday after seeing a TV report about teacher Mary Mulvany starting a foundation to raise scholarship money to cover fees.

South-Western schools earned national attention when athletics and extra-curricular activities were eliminated after a failed levy in 2009. The ballot request was later approved by voters and sports clubs and other activities were resurrected for a fee.

Perry says he wants to sponsor as many children as possible and wants part of the money to go toward Finland and some to the foundation.