ALICE COOPER and 'American Idol' Winner Dedicate Teen Music Center at Grand Canyon University

Alice Cooper and 2007 "American Idol" winner Jordin Sparks today dedicate the site of a real-life "school of rock" complete with a multi-use concert hall, recording studio and sound rooms.

The dedication ceremony begins with Cooper making a flamboyant entry to the site riding a backhoe to music performed live by local teen garage band THE SILENT CRY. Cooper will be followed by Sparks, ensconced in a Corvette convertible, to commemorate the ground on which a 29,000-square-foot, $7 million teen center titled "The Rock" will be built at Grand Canyon University, one of the nation's fastest-growing Arizona's leading higher education institutions.

It's all an effort led by Cooper and supported by Sparks — both Christians raised in Phoenix — to keep teens on the straight and narrow, away from crime and drugs, and having fun and learning. Both Cooper and Sparks have ties to Grand Canyon University — Cooper, a long-time contributor to Grand Canyon University (GCU),supports scholarships and received an honorary doctorate there. Sparks, whose grandmother is a GCU alumnus, designated The Rock as one of the charities to which she would donate a portion of her winnings.

Grand Canyon University CEO Brent Richardson will join Cooper and Sparks on-stage to ceremoniously dedicate the site to the community. A special "Thank You" banner will then be presented to Cooper by members of local community youth programs.

The Rock will offer a variety of after-school programs and special events for area youth. The facility is designed to provide a safe, fun place for area teens to gather and participate in program activities that will make a difference in their lives.

The Rock will include a coffee house with kitchen and snack bar, indoor basketball courts, rock climbing walls, computer/study rooms and a game room. Concerts from youth bands will be planned and other special events are envisioned in partnership with community and church organizations.

Grand Canyon University also plans to work with Solid Rock Foundation to help coordinate volunteer and educational opportunities, as well as youth activity programming.

"With Grand Canyon University's support, we are fulfilling a vision we've had for several years — to provide teens and children with a central place to learn, have fun, and explore their creativity in a supportive environment," says Alice Cooper, Solid Rock's chairman. "I hope that in years to come, The Rock will be the first of many such teen centers in Arizona and around the country."

"Grand Canyon University welcomes Solid Rock Foundation to our expanding campus," Richardson says. "We look forward to supporting area youth when 'School's Out.' Not only is Alice Cooper a GCU honorary degree holder but our heritage and values-based educational approach fit well with Solid Rock's goals. We look forward to a beautiful facility and fulfilling relationship."

(Thanks: Lord of Noise)