According to a news release from the Ames Community School District, the donation was approved Monday night. The money will be used to upgrade the gymnasium in a new high school. The upgrades include adding student bleachers, adding a video board, upgrading the scoreboard to include player statistics and lighting enhancements. The money also will be used to add mounted "NBA" baskets, the school board said.
Harrison Barnes is giving back to the high school that began his basketball career with upgrades to the competition gymnasium in the new Ames High School. You can read more about the upgrades and his many philanthropic efforts on our website. #AmesCSDhttps://t.co/DNcPGNhsq5 pic.twitter.com/AKMmD9Gkf6
— Ames Schools (@ACSD_News) May 19, 2020
The new school will be completed in August 2022, the school district said in its release.
Barnes, an eight-year NBA veteran who attended Ames High School, said the school district helped him reach his professional dreams.
"With the opportunity for my wife and I to give back a contribution to the school (and) keep it a top-notch place for kids not only to go to school, but to enjoy their athletic experience, is important to us," Harrison told KCCI.
It is not the first time Harrison has done charitable work. In 2014, he won the inaugural Alvin Attles Community Impact Award, which recognized his efforts to make a positive impact on youth in the San Francisco Bay area when he was a member of the Golden State Warriors.
Barnes has also worked with Make-A-Wish, taking 100 kids and their families out to eat in Sacramento, and donated $40,000 to provide groceries for vulnerable families and senior citizens during the coronavirus crisis.
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