As part of their Content for Change initiative, Showtime and Paramount Global have donated $300,000 to North Community High School, home of the student football team featured in the new Peter Berg-directed docuseries “Boys in Blue.”
The four-part docuseries “Boys and Blue” sets a spotlight on North Community High and the players on its predominately Black football team during the 2021 season, a year after the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd. With Floyd’s racially-charged murder on their minds, the students try to balance their goal of winning a state championship while searching for common ground with their coaching and mentor staff, which is made up of members of the Minneapolis Police Department.
Through Content for Change, which aims to break down narratives and structural racism, Showtime partnered with Paramount Global to donate $300,000 to the high school, establishing a multi-year scholarship program.
“Through Content for Change, we are committed to supporting powerful content and storytelling to shift narratives and create change like Showtime’s ‘Boys in Blue,’” Crystal Barnes, Paramount’s Senior Vice President, Social Responsibility & Environmental Social and Governance, said. “We are also honored to help support institutions and community organizations like North Community High School and Achieve Twin Cities that have positive impact on future generations.”
Over the course of six years, the scholarships will be awarded to 22 graduating North Community High School seniors, designated for football players and students. Four $10,000 scholarships will be awarded at the beginning of this year, and the school will receive an annual grant of $10,000, which will help fund school resources including school supplies, after-school activities and field trips. The scholarships and grants will be distributed through the nonprofit foundation Achieve Twin Cities.
“On behalf of the Polar Football team and North High School community, we are truly grateful for the financial investment for our young scholars,” Charles Adams III, North Community High School’s head football coach, said. “We know that going to college is a dream for many but not always a reality. Thank you for helping our young Polars get closer to their dreams.”
The finale of “Boys in Blue,” the first designated Content for Change series, airs Friday at 8 p.m. local. All four episodes will be available on demand and on streaming platforms for Showtime subscribers.