Gary charter school proposes $10 million athletic center: 'Who else is in?' (2024)

Kevin Teasley is willing to put up $1 million to build a $10 million state-of-the-art athletic center in Gary. He’s looking for philanthropic assistance and corporate support to make it a reality.

Teasley, who lives in Indianapolis, is founder and president of GEO Academics, which operates 21st Century Academy schools in Gary, with three locations: 556 Washington St. for kindergarten through second grade; 724 Washington St. for grades third through fifth; and 1440 E. 35th Ave. for grades sixth through 12th.

The proposed athletic center would be located at 1440 E. 35th Ave., the former location of an Ivy Tech Community College at that property.

“We need a new gym not just for school sports, but for the community,” Teasley told me last year. “I hope it becomes a crown jewel in Gary. We have nothing like what other traditional schools have when it comes to athletics facilities. It’s time we upgrade. Our kids deserve it.”

I didn’t take it seriously enough. I had been hearing this since 2019 when GEO Foundation purchased the site, located just off Martin Luther King Drive, north of Ridge Road.

Since then, Teasley and his private company have been working on the ambitious project, including formal architectural design plans to share with potential donors and supporters. (Watch a virtual tour video of the center at NWI.com.)

“The students who want to do more should have access to a high-quality athletic center,” Teasley said. “And parents have been pushing for it.”

Currently, the school’s 1,300 students, kindergarten through 12th grade, share one gym at the 724 Washington St. location.

“It’s a nice gym but it’s a stressed facility and simply not enough,” Teasley said.

It’s not enough to properly house all the school’s daily activities in addition to prep sports such as boys' and girls' basketball for varsity and junior varsity teams, girls' volleyball, workouts for baseball and track and field, among other uses.

Keep in mind that all 21st Century high school students must be transported to that gym. It’s not located at their school on 35th Ave. Nonetheless, the boy’s high school basketball team has been quite successful in the sectional, regional and semi-state competitions. One of its former stars, Johnell Davis, flashed his skills and talents on a national stage last year when Florida Atlantic University played in a Final Four game in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. He recently returned to Gary again to host a clinic.

The proposed new athletic center would feature a brick exterior, exposed steel interior, merchandise store, retractable bleachers, indoor track, weight room, and 1,000-seat gym, among other amenities. GEO is working on securing philanthropic assistance and corporate funding up to $5 million, roughly half of the projected cost. GEO would kick in another $1 million.

“This would allow us to borrow the rest of the money responsibly,” Teasley said, citing the possibility of lower interest rates by a Region bank. “The first thing that would kill a charter school is the finances. We can’t overextend our operating budget.”

GEO is talking behind the scenes to potential donors and supporters. Last week, Teasley traveled to Northwest Indiana to speak with one major corporation in our Region with a history of philanthropic support. Other companies, which I can name if they jump on this project, are on a short list.

“The GEO community is very excited about this project,” Teasley said.

But is the Northwest Indiana community? I’m curious who steps up or tips their hand.

“The story of this school is not limited to Gary, Indiana,” he said.

GEO is wisely playing its ace in the hole: 21st Century school’s academic accolades. The Gary school has made national headlines for students who’ve graduated with a college degree or career credential — paid for by the school, earned by the students.

“We have the 13th best college and career readiness rating in the state of Indiana,” Teasley said.

The school’s slogan is, “Enroll for kindergarten, stay for college.”

“It’s not by happenstance. It’s by design,” Teasley said. “The reason we started this type of program is that we had smart kids in Gary who didn’t think they were college material.”

Last school year, two 21st Century students graduated from its high school with bachelor’s degrees — one from Indiana University Northwest, the other from Purdue University Northwest. The IUN grad, 15-year-old Khaya Njumbe, is the youngest in state history. Five more students are planning a similar achievement this coming school year.

“A lot of these Gary kids have a sense of urgency to help their family financially,” Teasley said. “Their real world circ*mstances of these non-traditional students may not allow them to enjoy the traditional high school experience.”

Part of the traditional high school experience involves athletics and a proper facility to host sports programs, competitive events and a community center.

“Everybody talks about helping kids in Gary. This is an opportunity to do it,” Teasley said, his voice rising. “It would be a game changer for that neighborhood. GEO Foundation is willing to put $1 million on the table. Who else is in?”