A nonprofit group in Philadelphia received a life-changing surprise. While on the Good Morning America broadcast on Monday, the SquashSmarts program was honored for its amazing community service.
Additionally, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation donated $10,000 to the initiative.
While on a press tour for “Moana 2,” Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson learned about the group’s influence in the community and chose to give the young people a special surprise of his own, according to 6abc.
Johnson told the nonprofit, “I’ve set up your own private screening back in your town as my guest to go see ‘Moana 2’.”
Kareem Price, the Student Transportation Director at SquashSmarts, was also honored for his significant contribution to the program.
An Instagram caption explained that after participating in the youth squash and academic mentorship program for seven years as a sixth-grader at McMichael Elementary in West Philadelphia, Price returned to SqSm in 2002 to serve as a volunteer, coach, role model, and Director of Transportation for 160 girls and boys in North and West Philadelphia.
“From me to you, as a man of color, I appreciate the work you do,” Johnson said to Price. “We have the ‘Moana’ premiere; I’m going to fly you and your family as our guests.”
Price responded, “This is my family. This means everything to me,” during his meeting with The Rock, who talked about SquashSmarts “going beyond the reef,” a repeated positive message in Disney’s Moana 2.
The program’s goal, according to organization founders, is to improve the lives of underprivileged kids from Philadelphia public schools by providing squash instruction and tutoring.
Their efforts also aim to disrupt the pattern of public school dropouts in Philadelphia.
