Students at Chicago's Collins Academy High School got the surprise of their lives last week when rap superstar Nicki Minaj showed up to play Principal of the Day. The visit was part of a reward for the school's victory in the Get MotivatED Challenge, a six-week competition that encourages students to use pop culture, technology and media to stress the importance of regular school attendance.
Minaj came bearing gifts: She presented three top students with $10,000 scholarships from Comcast, in addition to teaching an English class and attending an all-school assembly with MTV's Sway Calloway.
Minaj said, "I am a young, female mogul before I am an artist. As a business woman there isn't a single day where I don't use my education or acquire new knowledge to ensure my success. Regardless of where you are today, with education you can take yourself where you want to be. That's why I'm working with the Get Schooled Foundation. They are finding innovative and exciting ways to bring that message to schools like the Collins Academy."