The College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation, CFP Bowl games, and School Specialty have joined together to pledge a total of $1.5 million towards the restoration of Eliot Arts Magnet School in Altadena, California, which was destroyed by wildfires in January.
The CFP Foundation will pledge a minimum of $1.2 million with the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential, and Allstate Sugar Bowl all contributing to the effort. School Specialty, the CFP Foundation’s partner for its Extra Yard Makeover Project program, will donate an estimated $300,000 to support the needs of the Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD), including Eliot Arts. The initiative will also provide support to McKinley Middle School, where Eliot Arts students are currently relocated.
“We are grateful to have so many generous partners willing to come together to help our friends in Pasadena and at Eliot Arts Magnet School,” said Britton Banowsky, executive director of the CFP Foundation. “It’s a historic moment as all of the CFP Bowls are aligned to support this very important project.”
“The Tournament of Roses is deeply grateful to the College Football Playoff Foundation and our fellow bowl game partners for coming together to support Eliot Arts Magnet School,” said David Eads, CEO, Pasadena Tournament of Roses. “This generous commitment highlights the power of teamwork and the meaningful impact we can make when united by a shared purpose. Eliot Arts holds a special place in our community, and we’re proud to stand with our partners to help restore a space that inspires creativity, learning and hope.”
“It’s a privilege to contribute to the Pasadena Unified School District’s ongoing efforts to empower students and educators. We are proud to support their community as they move forward with strength, unity, and hope,” said Ryan Bohr, CEO of School Specialty.
The historic library at Eliot Arts was initially refurbished in 2023 through a partnership between the CFP Foundation, the Pasadena Tournament of Roses®, the Pasadena Educational Foundation, and School Specialty. While the primary exterior structure of the school remained intact following the fires, the interior was severely damaged. In response, the PUSD board passed a resolution in January to rebuild the school.
The CFP Foundation and the Tournament of Roses have long supported PUSD and the Pasadena Education Foundation (PEF), providing teacher grants and library resources over the years. The CFP Foundation entered into a three-year grant agreement with PEF to ensure sustained investment in the restoration of Eliot Arts.
“We are grateful to the College Football Playoff Foundation and its partners for their extraordinary pledge to help restore Eliot Arts Magnet School,” said PUSD Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Blanco. “This generous support brings hope and momentum to our recovery and reaffirms the power of community partnerships in rebuilding schools that inspire creativity, resilience, and pride.”
“Eliot Arts Magnet School has been an important Altadena landmark since its construction nearly a century ago,” said Patrick Conyers, executive director of the Pasadena Educational Foundation. “I am very grateful to the CFP Foundation and its partners for their extraordinary commitment to supporting Eliot Arts Magnet, the Pasadena Unified School District, and our wider community in this time of need.”
