school students and to expand its offerings for elementary school students. Midway Cos. served as the project developer. The center has classrooms, a multipurpose basketball gymnasium, and a volleyball court. It houses an event center that is used to conduct after-school activities. The developer used refurbished materials in order to reduce negative effects on the environment. Midway donated a reclaimed metal building to Yellowstone, and that building became the community center. The developer purchased a wooden floor from a Michigan school district over eBay, and the floor became the center's basketball floor after the floor had been refurbished. The developer installed an HVAC system that met the most current energy code requirements. The Houston Business Journal gave a "landmark award" to the Blanton Center in 2009. In December 2008 the center's construction was completed. Student body As of 2006, almost all of the students are African American. That year the typical student lived with a family who had an annual income of $9,600 ($ when adjusted for inflation), and almost 80% of Yellowstone students lived in single parent households; over half of the students received public assistance. As of 2010 the median annual household income for the households of the students was $8,000 ($ when adjusted for inflation), and most parents of Yellowstone students did not complete high school. Academics The school's 3-year-old students receive instruction in literacy, mathematics, and social skills. In between instruction times, students take meals and naps. When the school receives preschool students, they are already academically behind other preschool students. In 2002, when the school first started, it was unable to implement a color-coded discipline system because the students did not know the names of the colors. Tuition Yellowstone charges tuition rates which differ depending on each family's income and spending habits. As of 2006 most families pay fewer than 25 dollars per month, per child in tuition. The school says that it charges the fee, described by Jennifer Radcliffe of the Houston Chronicle as "nominal," so students could approach their studies seriously. If a family is having trouble paying tuition, the school may lower that family's tuition to $3 per month per child. Teachers have operated carpools and lent gasoline cards to ensure that students continue to attend Yellowstone while they experience times of financial difficulty. Despite the fact that payments are small sums and a small part of the school budget, school employees