Delta partners with Cornerstone Schools in Detroit to support their mission

The Delta Air Lines Foundation has committed $2 million to Detroit’s Cornerstone Schools, an important grant in one of our hub communities to improve education and revitalize surrounding neighborhoods through education.

Cornerstone Schools’ mission is to build a foundation of good character and improve education. The grant will go to Cornerstone’s Adams-Young Academy to help create safe, modern facilities and compelling learning environments for students, as well as spaces that support the recruitment, development and retention of talented teachers.

In thanking Delta and CEO Ed Bastian, Detroit Councilman Roy McCalister said, “Cornerstone is a turning point in our community. Not only will improvements to Cornerstone facilities benefit students, they will contribute to the vitality of the neighborhoods surrounding Cornerstone campuses.”

As part of a continued partnership with Cornerstone, Bastian and other Delta leaders joined Cornerstone students and teachers and others in the community on Oct. 29 for a ceremony surprising civil rights icon and Atlanta hero Andrew J. Young with the dedication of a Cornerstone facility in his name. A longtime member of the Delta family and one of Ed’s mentors, Ambassador Young has created a legacy for himself through the impact he has had on students over the years, which Ed touched on as a keynote speaker at the ceremony.

The Andrew J. Young Cornerstone Center for the Complete Life will help inspire students to continue building good character and serve as a model for urban education across the nation.

“It’s very special to have my friend, Ambassador Andrew Young, here with us as the only living namesake from any of our schools,” said Clark Durant, co-founder and CEO of Cornerstone Education Group. “His life is an inspiration to me, and my hope is that his message today reminds our students, teachers and friends that we all have the opportunity to live the complete life.”

The ceremony was also marked by the presentation of three murals in Cornerstone’s  Lincoln-King Adams-Young Academy cafeteria – one honoring the school’s namesakes and the naming of the Andrew J. Young Cornerstone Center for the Complete Life, one recognizing two men who helped build Cornerstone’s foundation and another honoring Delta’s contributions to Cornerstone.     

To learn more about Cornerstone Schools and their commitment to preparing the next generation of leaders in Delta’s hub city of Detroit, visit the Cornerstone Schools website.