Original 'General Lee' 1969 Dodge Charger Auction to Benefit Jalen Rose Leadership Academy

DETROIT, MI, May 13, 2011 (Press-News.org) Beginning May 22, 2011, one of the world's last surviving 1969 Dodge Chargers from "The Dukes of Hazzard" TV show will be auctioned on eBay Motors with proceeds to benefit the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy (JRLA) in Detroit.

Donated from ESPN/ABC studio analyst and 13-year NBA veteran Jalen Rose's private collection, the vehicle was one of the last four vehicles remaining from the set and was purchased by Rose in 2001. Bids will be accepted for the auction starting at noon on Sunday, May 22, and the auction will run for a 5-day period, concluding at approximately noon on Friday, May 27. It will be a "No Reserve" auction, with a starting bid of $45,000.

The auction can be viewed in advance at the following link:
http://bit.ly/GeneralLeeAuction4JRLA

The iconic "General Lee" vehicle up for auction features a 360ci V-8 crate motor, four-wheel disc brakes, Alpine sound system with trunk mounted sub-woofer, custom embroidered "Charger" floor mats and white letter BFGoodrich Radial T/A tires. The rear decklid is autographed by Rose and John Schneider - who played "Bo Duke" in the original series - with personal messages.

Rose decided to customize this unique vehicle, changing the "01" on the door to his basketball number "05" and replaced the Confederate flag and General text with a nickname given to him by his grandparents, for being so tall at an early age, "Longboy."

"The 'General Lee' is one of the most well known cars in American television history," states Jalen Rose. "I am proud to own such an esteemed car, but it means so much more to benefit the lives of Detroit youth with the launch of the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy this coming September. Funding for schools is essential to their overall success, and I saw the auction of the General Lee as a key way to help raise money and awareness for the school."

Proceeds from the auction are dedicated to benefit JRLA, a new 9-12 college-prep charter high school on the Northwest side of Detroit, established by Rose. Scheduled to open in September 2011, the Academy will enroll 120 ninth grade students this Fall, followed by an additional freshman class each subsequent year, with a total enrollment of 480 students at full capacity after four years.

Students will receive a leadership-focused education and will be engaged through individualized learning, prepared to excel on the ACT and challenged to achieve at the rigorous level necessary to earn a college degree by receiving extensive college exposure and course opportunities through a partnership with the University of Detroit Mercy. JRLA is a recipient of a Michigan Future Schools initiative grant, which comes with the expectation that 85% of students graduate from high school, enroll in college, and earn a college degree. Using a grade 9-16 mentor model, the plan at JRLA is to exceed those standards.

Applications for incoming freshman are now being accepted at JRLA for the 2011-2012 school year during its open enrollment period through May 31, 2011. JRLA will meet all state and federal requirements for open admission and is tuition-free.

Interested families and/or students are encouraged to visit http://www.JRLADetroit.com for additional information or to download an application.

About Jalen Rose Leadership Academy
The Mission of the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy is to provide a leadership-focused experience within a high-performing high school that engages and inspires Detroit area youth to achieve at the rigorous level necessary to ultimately graduate with a college degree and thrive in life.

Such a mission is driven by a critical and timely Vision: Education in Detroit must play a critical role in transforming the community into a more vibrant intellectual and economic landscape. Jalen Rose Leadership Academy will lead that transformation by providing a quality education within the career context of sports and entertainment; ultimately, educating and preparing students to make a substantial contribution to the growth and revitalization of the City of Detroit.