Katy Perry Goes From High School Dropout To Education Benefactor

Katy Perry dropped out of high school during her freshman year after a series of family moves and quasi-Christian schools left her educationally stunted, but now the pop star is giving back so others can have a great education.

This summer Katy started an initiative called “Make Roar Happen,” which has teamed up with Staples to fund $1 million in educational projects from DonorsChoose.org, a website where teachers can fundraise for classroom items.

When Barbara Janas, a teacher from a high-poverty school in the Philadelphia City School District, asked for help to purchase a large circular desk where her students could do projects, Katy Perry funded it herself.

Janas even got a chance to meet the pop singer in person.

“This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to actually meet and talk with her,” Janas said. “I couldn’t believe it. She’s so talented and such an accomplished singer. When I met with her, she was so down to earth. She really cares about education and raising awareness of this important cause.”

Recently Katy Perry has opened up about her own education — or lack thereof. Katy admits that she dropped out of high school during her freshman year, as her parents were always moving to start new churches and sending her to a series of “half-Christian, half-education, I-don’t-know-what-they-were school.”

But Perry said she also had some great teachers who helped put her on a path toward music super-stardom.

“There was a teacher named Agatha Danoff who was my vocal teacher and music teacher at the Music Academy of the West. It was very fancy and I didn’t come from any money … and she always used to give me a break on my lessons,” she recalled. “I owe her a lot of credit and I appreciate that she looked out for me when I didn’t have enough money to pay.”

Katy Perry said today she is motivated not only to give back so that others can get a great education, but to educate herself.

“I’ve learned to educate myself at this stage and how to continue my education at any age,” she said. “I’m going on 30 and I’m still very thirsty for information. On tour, we go to different museums and get to soak up all kinds of different cultural experiences.”

More information about Katy Perry and her “Make Roar Happen” initiative can be found here.