GOOGLE.ORG DONATES $1M GRANT TO CHANCE THE RAPPER’S NON-PROFIT ‘SOCIALWORKS’ AND $500K TO CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS’

Published

9 years ago

December 8, 2017

Today, 5th grade students at Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Academy in Chicago got a surprise. It was cool enough that they were doing a coding activity with Chicago Googlers as a part of Computer Science Education Week-but then another Chicago native joined the fun. When Chance The Rapper arrived, there were shouts of excitement and delight, and Chance even gave coding a try.

SocialWorks, a non profit cofounded by Chance, is on a mission to ensure that youth from across the city have access to programming and the supports necessary to reach their full potential as citizens – including ensuring that they have access to arts, music, and coding as a means to express themselves.

Today’s visit reinforced that computer science is a part of that mission. Shortly after Chance made his coding debut, Alphabet Senior Vice President of Corporate Development, David Drummond, announced that Google.org is donating $1.5 million to bring computer science education to students in Chicago, with $500,000 going to Chicago Public Schools’ CS4All Initiative and $1 million to SocialWorks.

The grant will help teachers implement computer science and arts curriculum in their classrooms, and it builds on $40 million in Google.org grants that provide opportunities for students underrepresented in computer science to explore the field.

Justin Cunningham, Executive Director of SocialWorks: “Our grant with Google.org helps SocialWorks provide programming that sheds light on another pathway to success for young Chicagoans. While every student doesn’t need to become a computer scientist, understanding the basics empowers them to understand the world they live in. The opportunity to help kids code to share their music, artwork, and distinct point of view is at the core of our mission and an experience we look forward to providing in classrooms across the city.”

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Rocky Kramer’s Rock & Roll Tuesdays Presents “I Need A Hero” On Tuesday, July 14th, 2026 7 PM PT on Twitch

Published

1 week ago

July 12, 2026

Jimmy Star

Rocky Kramer will be hosting “I Need A Hero” on this week’s episode of Rocky Kramer’s Rock & Roll Tuesdays on Twitch. Tune into Twitch on Tuesday, July 14th, 2026 at 7 PM PT for this amazing show.

Rocky Kramer is a guitar virtuoso, often being compared to the greatest guitar players in the world. Rocky has performed on shows with some of the greatest musicians on the planet including Ozzy Osbourne, John Lodge, Steve Vai, Leland Sklar, Kenny Aronoff, Tommy James, Verdeen White, Ten Years After, BuckCherry, Rick Wakeman and more.

Rocky’s first studio album, “Firestorm” is now available worldwide through Allied Artists Music Group, together with an epic music video of his #1 Global DRT Chart topper single, “Rock Star”, that also picked up a Best Rock Performance nod at the 2019 Hollywood Music In Media Awards (“HMMA”).

Rocky Kramer recently returned to the studio to record his sophomore album “Alone In The Rain” which will be released soon!!!

Rocky Kramer was recently cast in The Mutt Productions/ Allied Artists rock n’ roll time travel comedy adventure “Rockin’ In Time” where he will play the film’s lead character, Lars Olsen. The film is being directed by Aaron Lee Lopez (of the “Teenage Girl” franchise) and is being produced by multi-platinum and six-time Grammy Award winning musician turned motion picture producer, Kurt Wipfli.

Rocky Kramer is now the new lead guitarist in Prescott Niles’ new revival of the legendary band The Knack. Known worldwide for their smash hit “My Sharona,” The Knack helped define the sound of late-1970s power pop and rock. Decades later, the band’s influence continues to resonate with fans and musicians across generations. With Rocky Kramer now joining the lineup, the band is poised to introduce that legacy to a new era of audiences while honoring the spirit that made them legendary.

Watch Rocky Kramer’s “Rock Star” Music Video here: