David Robinson’s $9M school gives underserved children access to education

David Robinson began his education philanthropy while he was still playing in the NBA. In 1991, the former Spurs star promised fifth-graders at Gates Elementary School a $2,000 college scholarship if they finished high school and attended college. Ten years later, that commitment had grown into Carver Academy, backed by $9 million from Robinson’s foundation to create and sustain a school for children in underserved areas of San Antonio.Robinson’s focus on education also came from his own family. His parents placed a strong emphasis on learning despite having limited educational opportunities themselves, and Robinson later saw how that decision changed the direction of his family. He went on to graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy with a degree in mathematics before becoming the No. 1 pick in the 1987 NBA Draft. David Robinson started with a promise to San Antonio fifth-gradersThe Gates Elementary programme began with 94 fifth-graders.