EDUCATION

Former tennis great Agassi cuts ribbon on new campus for Newark charter school

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Hall of Fame tennis player Andre Agassi smiles during a visit to University Heights Charter School, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2014, in Newark, N.J. Agassi and Bobby Turner, who have teamed up to build the Turner-Agassi Charter School Facilities Fund to help create schools, were given a tour of the once button factory that now serves as a school for children from kindergarten to eighth grade. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) (The Associated Press)

Hall of Fame tennis player Andre Agassi speaks during an assembly at University Heights Charter School, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2014, in Newark, N.J. Agassi and Bobby Turner, who have teamed up to build the Turner-Agassi Charter School Facilities Fund to help create schools, were given a tour of the once button factory that now serves as a school for children from kindergarten to eighth grade. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) (The Associated Press)

Hall of Fame tennis player Andre Agassi, center rear, looks on as students perform during an assembly at University Heights Charter School, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2014, in Newark, N.J. Agassi and Bobby Turner, who have teamed up to build the Turner-Agassi Charter School Facilities Fund to help create schools, were given a tour of the once button factory that now serves as a school for children from kindergarten to eighth grade. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) (The Associated Press)

Andre Agassi brought some star power to a Newark charter school for its official opening.

The tennis great was on hand Wednesday for the opening of the new campus of University Heights Charter School.

Agassi is a longtime supporter of charter schools and has established an investment fund that helps them acquire and develop facilities. So far, 39 schools have been developed, and the fund aims to develop about 70 to 75 in all.

The University Heights school is the first New Jersey school to work with the Agassi fund. It serves 625 students from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade.

The 44-year-old is a former world No. 1 player who won all four Grand Slam titles at least once, and eight overall.