Will Smith to executive produce docu-series highlighting Philadelphia’s Urban Youth Racing School

Will Smith’s Overbrook Entertainment will produce a docu-series about Philadelphia’s Urban Youth Racing School, which has been teaching local youngsters the science of motor sports for more than two decades.

Smith will be an executive producer of the series, dubbed Urban Youth Racing School in honor of the long-running program, along with business partner James Lassiter and brother-in-law Caleeb Pinkett. Overbrook will co-produce the series with MoJo Films.

“When I first learned about this school, my initial reaction was, ‘Why didn’t we know about this?’” Pinkett said. “I think teaching through racing is a brilliant way to reach children who may not excel in a traditional school setting.”

Founded in 1998 by Anthony Martín and his wife, Michelle, the school works to teach students ages 8 to 18 science, math, technology, and engineering skills though motor sports. At the end of the program, students form a racing team.

According to a release, since the program’s inception, more than 5,000 students have graduated — 85 percent of whom come from areas below the poverty line. The Urban Youth Racing School currently has a 99 percent high school graduation rate, and about 90 percent of its students go on to pursue higher education.

A premiere date for the series has not yet been announced, though an IMDB listing indicates it will be available for viewing sometime this year.

Smith is once again a box office leader: Aladdin, in which he plays the genie, has already taken in $275 million.