Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls Celebrates Latest Graduating Class and New Director
Oprah Winfrey has yet another class of graduates to be proud of.
The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls celebrated their latest graduating class of girls on Dec. 1, with Tyler Perry making the trip to South Africa to be the commencement speaker.
“Before the ceremony this morning, I spoke to Ms. Winfrey and asked her how she chose the girls,” Perry, 49, said during his speech. “She said she looks for something special, something that sparkles and is unique. Today that is all I saw. I saw all the hope, brilliance and intelligence. Being the chosen one is special and wonderful. It gives you the opportunity to strive and go higher and do things that you would have not had the chance to do.”
WATCH: Tyler Perry Gives Commencement Speech at Oprah’s Leadership Academy Before Taking Stage at Global Citizen Festival
Winfrey, 64, first established the academy after making a pledge to late civil rights leader and former South African president Nelson Mandela in 2002 to establish an education center servicing marginalized and under privileged girls. The academy has since graduated 7 classes, with over 400 girls going on to college and university.
The academy also announced a new executive director, former CEO of Save the Children South Africa Gugu Ndebele. The children’s rights leader will start her position in Feb. 2019 and is tasked with maintaining the academy’s motto of helping every girl achieve her potential.
“I believe Gugu is the ideal person to lead the school forward to our goal of educating girls all over the country,” Winfrey said in a statement. “She has a tremendous passion for education and is committed to seeing our girls not only succeed in their own lives, but pay it forward to their communities, South Africa and beyond.”
