Quicken Loans to Support PTA and Detroit Schools

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DETROIT — Detroit-based Quicken Loans, one of the largest online mortgage lenders, today announced that the No. 39 Quicken Loans Chevrolet SS driven by Ryan Newman will feature a special paint scheme supporting the National Parent Teacher Association at the Pure Michigan 400, held at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday.

In addition to featuring a unique paint scheme on his car, Newman made a special visit to the Detroit Public School’s Burton International Academy. Pulling up to the school in his racecar, Newman, an engineering graduate from Purdue University, spoke with students about the importance of staying in school and how education played an important role on his path to becoming a successful racecar driver.

“It is always fun to spend time with kids and talk with them about the relationship between racing and education,” said Newman. “They see the Quicken Loans Chevrolet and know it’s loud and goes fast, but it is also a great tool to be able to explain the engineering that goes into these machines. It shows the kids that math and science can be fun…and fast.”

Quicken Loans also put Newman to work, moving more than $7,500 in school supplies purchased by the Detroit-based company. Newman traded his racing gloves for work gloves as he carried boxes from his show car trailer into Burton International Academy, a school serving kindergarten through eighth-grade students in Detroit.

“We are excited to be partnering with the National PTA, Detroit Public Schools, and the Burton International Academy on this event,” said Leslie Andrews, director of community relations for Quicken Loans. 

“Today we created memories for these kids that will last well beyond the start of school in a few weeks and showed them that with dedication and hard work they too can achieve their dreams just like Ryan Newman did.”

The school supplies purchased by Quicken Loans for Burton International Academy came from Chalkfly, a sister company of Quicken Loans. Chalkfly, an office and school supply company, also provided each teacher at Burton International Academy a special back-to-school starter kit each containing $100 worth of supplies. Chalkfly’s logo will also be featured on Newman’s racecar at the Pure Michigan 400.

“This is a great example of collaboration between families, schools, and the community to increase student success. We are thrilled about the opportunity to help a local school and give our children the opportunity to learn from a professional racecar driver like Ryan Newman,” said Otha Thornton, national PTA president.