Good News Tuesday: Mr. Clark

Do you remember this video circulating through the blogosphere during election season?

video credit: originally uploaded to YouTube on October 24, 2008 by sonofthenile

These beautiful children attend the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Georgia. Mr. Clark opened the school using proceeds he received from the sales of his bestselling books, “The Essential 51″ and “The Excellent 11.” His story of teaching in Harlem was made into a TV movie, “The Ron Clark Story,” starring Matthew Perry (which I saw…very good!).

Well, it seems that his school relies on private funding to pay for the tuition for the kids to attend his school. Read how he got a very special Christmas gift from a very special person.

ATLANTA — A letter from Oprah Winfrey last week seemed like the world’s best Christmas present — until teacher Ron Clark noticed an extra piece of paper flutter out of the envelope.

That’s when the Atlanta educator saw the $365,000 check for the innovative private school he opened in one of the city’s poorest neighborhoods in 2007. It was, quite literally, an answer to a prayer.

“We teach school all day and fundraise at night,” said Clark, who finds private donors to pay most of the $14,000 annual tuition for each student. “To have an unsolicited gift come like that is incredible.”

Clark surprised his students with the news of the donation Wednesday morning in a gathering at the south Atlanta school. The children, parents and teachers erupted in deafening cheers when he showed off the check.

Several cried at the news.

Read the rest of the story on USAToday.com.