Academy Prep in Tampa Bay is a private school for troubled young boys and girls that opened its doors this past summer. It's modelled after another successful Academy Prep in St. Petersburg.

Ninety-five percent of Academy Prep students who complete the school's programs are still in school, largely because Academy Prep supports graduates throughout their educational careers with academic, social, emotional, and some financial support.

Tampa's Academy Prep opened in August with 30 fifth-graders -- 15 boys and 15 girls -- who study in same-sex classes in two wings. The school hopes to grow by 30 students a year until it reaches a maximum of 120 students.

Academy Prep is part of a national network of private schools created to offer a focused, disciplined environment for students at risk of being passed over in a traditional school.

Students must qualify for the federal free or reduced lunch program to apply, go through interviews and attend a four-week summer program. Tuition money comes from donations, corporate support, like that of the Chrysler Championship, and from foundations.

And due to the organizing skills of Chrysler Championship volunteers in Tampa, the Progress Energy Partner Pro-Am to be held on Wednesday is sold-out, benefitting Academy Prep.

"This is tremendous news for us," said Tournament Director Gerald Goodman. "The Partner Pro-Am is the backbone for all of our operations and the engine that enables us to provide a substantial donation to our charity, Academy Prep. We would like to thank Progress Energy, Chrysler and the substantial number of local residents and businesses that have stepped up to fill our field.

"Our ticket sales, which directly benefit Academy Prep, are also off to a fast start," Goodman added. "Academy Prep also benefits from the sale of our multiple ticket packages that contain premium parking passes."

The Chrysler Championship and Bright House Networks also came to agreement on Bright House Networks becoming the major sponsor of the event's Birdies for Charity program.

Charities participating in the Birdies for Charity program will now split $100,000 from a special Bright House Bonus Pool. The funds in the pool will be divided proportionately among charities that collect more than $3,000 in pledges in the new program.

Participants in the Birdies for Charity program make pledges to their favorite charity based on the total number of birdies made in the Chrysler Championship. Each participating charity will keep 100 percent of the collected pledges, plus be eligible to receive extra funds from the Bright House Bonus Pool if they collect more than $3,000.

In its first two years of existence, Birdies for Charity participants have raised more than $500,000 for their organizations.

"We are very excited to have Bright House Networks join a partnership with the Chrysler Championship," Goodman said. "This relationship will produce a direct benefit to area charities of $100,000, which should represent a bonus of at least 20 percent over the actual amount of pledges they solicit."

"We are pleased to participate in this national-stature event in a way that brings charitable benefit to the Tampa Bay Community," says Mike Robertson, Vice President and General Manager for Bright House Networks.

The Chrysler Championship is another example of how giving back is at the heart of the PGA TOUR.

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