Back to ‘School’ for Cheryl Hines

We love a good makeover show — it’s always inspiring to see how tweaking makeup, clothing and even home décor can lead to inner transformation. Now schools are getting the face-lift treatment, courtesy of the reality show School Pride, an NBC series debuting Friday, Oct. 15, with Curb Your Enthusiasm star Cheryl Hines as its co-producer. With the new documentary Waiting for “Superman” shining a harsh light on the many flaws in public education, it’s refreshing to hear about people doing something to make things better.

“I think the state of education is in dire need, and being a parent I’m more aware of it,” says Hines, the mother of a 6-year-old whom she sends to private school. “You know that we’ve hit rock bottom when you go into a school and the history book only goes up to 1974.” While volunteering for Read Across America, something she’s done for four years, Hines asked how she could help in other ways, which led to the renovation projects featured in the series. Enterprise Middle School in Compton, CA, is the first to get the spruce-up treatment, with the help of a volunteer army of 4,500 parents, kids and community members. Check out the clip below for a preview.

“When kids walk into a school and the school is taken care of, they feel like somebody cares about them, and they start caring about themselves. They start feeling a sense of pride, they want to do better; they want to be at school. It’s a nice place to go, and it’s a safe place,” says Hines, noting that graffiti has decreased dramatically at the renovated schools. “As parents and educators, we all care about our kids, and we’re trying to show people what they can do in their communities.”

Hines, 45, confirms she’ll be part of the eighth season of Curb Your Enthusiasm when it returns to HBO in 2011. In the meantime, she’s enjoying her behind-the-scenes role as a producer of School Pride. “I think it will inspire people to have conversations about the big picture,” she says. “When you start to empower people, you can start getting something done.”

What would you like to change about your community?

Photo credit: Trae Patton/NBC