Kerry Washington poses on the red carpet during the 98th annual White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 28, 2012 in Washington, DC.

Sarah Jessica Parker, Kerry Washington and Forest Whitaker are adopting some of the nation’s worst-performing schools and pledged Monday to help the Obama administration turn them around by integrating arts education.

The President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities announced a new Turnaround Arts initiative as a pilot project for eight schools with officials from the White House and U.S. Department of Education. Organizers said they aim to demonstrate research that shows the arts can help reduce behavioral problems and increase student attendance, engagement and academic success.

The two-year initiative will target eight high-poverty elementary and middle schools. The schools were among the lowest-performing schools in each of their states and had qualified for about $14 million in federal School Improvement Grants from the Obama administration. The public-private arts initiative will bring new training for educators at the Aspen Institute, art supplies, musical instruments and programs totaling about $1 million per year, funded by the Ford Foundation, the Herb Alpert Foundation and other sponsors.

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Kerry Washington attends Google & Hollywood Reporter Host an Evening Celebrating The White House Correspondents’ Weekend on April 27, 2012 in Washington, DC.

New photos from Scandal episode “Crush and Burn” have been uploaded to the gallery for your viewing pleasure. Click on the image below!

Those who caught the premiere of ABC’s ‘Scandal’ last Thursday were treated to a roller coaster ride of events, filled with powerhouse performances, fast-paced dialogue and one of the most shocking first-episode twists in years.

To recap (SPOILER ALERT): In the pilot, a woman threatens to expose an affair she had with the President (Tony Goldwyn). In walks political fixer Olivia Pope (played by the beautiful Kerry Washington), who does her best to cover it up before Washington, D.C., is hit with Monica Lewinsky 2.0. Little do viewers know, however, that Olivia herself has a past with the President — and it’s a steamy one.

Celebuzz recently caught up with Washington, the star of such hit movies as Ray, The Last King of Scotland and Lakeview Terrace, to get the scoop on how that twist will play out in the rest of the season.

We also talked about how she handled Shonda Rhimes’ hyper-speed dialogue, and what it’s been like to work with another famous writer — Oscar winner Quentin Tarantino — on his new movie, Django Unchained. Check out the full interview below

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