Girl Gives Up Sweet Sixteen To Help Duke Ellington

The deplorable conditions at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts have captured the attention and the heart of an unlikely benefactor.

Alex Tievy, 15, of Rockville is giving up her sweet sixteen party and donating a bunch of money from her savings account to the school.

Add in some donations from family and friends and Tievy?s gift to Duke Ellington tops $15,000.

The teenager is hoping it will jumpstart a new building fund the school has set up to make repairs.

Dancers at the aging school have to practice in the hallway because their dance floor has buckled. Ceilings leak. Toilets don?t flush. The list is long.

Tievy says she?s not doing it for school credit either. She says she saw a need and wanted to help. To make a donation, write to Duke Ellington School of the Arts or call 202-333-2555.