Sandra Bullock adopted Warren Easton, a New Orleans high school that Hurricane Katrina shut for a full year. She provided band uniforms, athletic equipment and scholarship funds, and helped fund an auditorium renovation and an on-campus medical and dental clinic. In May 2014 she showed up at graduation by surprise and gave the speech to 200 seniors. About 1,150 students go there today.
Sandra Bullock Adopted a High School Katrina Closed
After Hurricane Katrina shut Warren Easton Charter High School in New Orleans for a full year, Sandra Bullock adopted it. She kept helping for years, and in May 2014 she walked into the school's graduation by surprise and gave the commencement speech.
A School Older Than the Storm
Warren Easton opened in 1843 as Boys High School, which Wikipedia describes as the first high school in the State of Louisiana. It was later named for Warren Easton, the first Supervisor of Education of the State of Louisiana and the City of New Orleans.
Before Katrina, the school served as an evacuation point. The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority designated it as a place where people could get transportation to the Louisiana Superdome.
After the storm, the heavily damaged building closed for a full year. It reopened as a charter school in 2006.
The Adoption
According to the school's own account, Bullock adopted Warren Easton less than six months after Katrina closed the building.
The school lists what her support covered: band uniforms, athletic equipment, funds for college scholarships for graduating seniors, and money toward renovating the auditorium.
She also helped fund a school-based health clinic. The school cited this work alongside the People's Choice Award for Favorite Humanitarian she won in 2013.
The Clinic Opens
The full-service medical and dental clinic held its ribbon-cutting on August 29, 2010, the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Bullock was a featured speaker.
She was not the only backer. The school lists the Kellogg Foundation and the San Francisco 49ers Foundation as funders alongside her, with Tulane Medical Center, Louisiana School Health Connection and the Warren Easton Charter High School Foundation as partners.
The Surprise at Graduation
On May 19, 2014, about 200 seniors at Warren Easton sat down for commencement and found Bullock at the podium.
Her advice was practical and light. "Stop worrying so much. Okay? Stop being scared of the unknown," she told them, and "Do not pick your nose in public."
She also said, "Go find your joy. Whatever that is, go find your joy." She told the class that her four-year-old son, who is from New Orleans, had inspired the wisdom she chose to share.
The School Today
Warren Easton is still open as a charter school. In the 2023-24 school year it had 1,152 students.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What did Sandra Bullock do for Warren Easton High School?
Did Sandra Bullock pay for the Warren Easton health clinic by herself?
When did Sandra Bullock speak at Warren Easton graduation?
How long was Warren Easton closed after Hurricane Katrina?
How many students attend Warren Easton today?
Verified Fact
Verified Oct 4, 2026 · 4 sources checked
Source: Warren Easton Charter High SchoolShow verification details
Claims checked
- Katrina closed the school for one year
- Bullock adopted the school and gave band uniforms, athletic equipment and scholarship funds
- She helped fund the auditorium renovation and the on-campus clinic, with other funders
- She gave a surprise commencement speech to about 200 graduates in May 2014
- The school had 1,152 students in 2023-24
Sources: Warren Easton Charter High School, Time, Wikipedia
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