THOUSAND OAKS, CA – Compass Charter Schools (CCS) announced today that Jaden Gray, a senior high school scholar from Los Angeles, appeared on Stand Up to Cancer with his band, 4th Avenue. Stand Up to Cancer is an annual televised fundraiser that aired on CBS, ABC, NBC, and Fox last Friday, September 7.
“It is such an honor to be recognized by CCS. Performing for Stand Up to Cancer among so many inspiring individuals was an amazing experience. It was so humbling to be apart of a fight for such an important cause, to be in the presence of so many fighters and survivors, and it was a special honor to perform alongside Charlie Wilson, a cancer survivor himself,” said Jaden. “I am looking forward to continuing my education with Compass Charter Schools. The flexibility they offer is the perfect fit for my always-on-the-go lifestyle.”
While singing did not always come naturally to Gray, he quickly found success after being cast in a hit TV show called Boy Band, a televised music competition series in which contestants prove their performance skills for a chance at a recording contract with Hollywood Records. Jaden and four other Boy Band finalists now make up 4th Avenue.
“Congratulations to Jaden on his performance and success,” said Susan De La Pena, educational facilitator. “I am very excited to have Jaden as a scholar this year. His passion for music is reflected in his dedication to his education and I look forward to the opportunity of supporting him along the way. It is always a pleasure to see scholars achieving their goals.”
Jaden is one of several scholars at CCS who is successfully pursuing a career in the entertainment industry while continuing to succeed academically. CCS is a virtual independent study charter school serving grades TK-12 with a scholar enrollment of over 1,000. CCS is dedicated to offering scholars like Jaden access to quality online and homeschool educational programs to meet their unique needs. Over the past five years, CCS has educated the highly gifted, the bullied, the athlete, the actor, the academically-challenged, the chronically ill, and many other scholars who seek a personalized educational experience outside traditional classroom walls.
“Congratulations to Jaden on this honor and achievement,” shared J.J. Lewis, superintendent & CEO. “It is truly inspiring to see our scholars succeeding academically while managing a career and their lifelong dream. I am very proud of Jaden’s hard work, and wish him continued success in his singing career.”
4th Avenue is set to start their first tour this Friday, September 14th in Cambridge, MA. Interested in watching Stand Up to Cancer? Catch the recording of the event on CBS.com by clicking here.