Rihanna might be known less for her altruism than for her tabloid exploits, her stormy relationship with Chris Brown and her penchant for tweeting photos of herself in various stages of undress.
But a video produced by Barrington High School students that highlights the charitable work of their peers has won the school a visit from the pop star.
Hours before she's due to perform at the United Center on Friday, the Barbadian singer is scheduled to spend about 45 minutes at the northwest suburban school meeting students and taking questions.

Besides banning media coverage, Rihanna's people put no restrictions on the visit other than that she wanted the focus to be less on her than on the students' good works, school officials said.
To that end, Barrington junior Catherine Goetze, who was chosen to handle the Q and A with Rihanna, said that "we will avoid ... 100 percent" any questions about Brown, who pleaded guilty to assaulting Rihanna in 2009 before the two reportedly resumed dating.
"We want this to be about her singing, her music career and her work with charity," said Goetze.
Goetze was among several students from the school's BHS-TV video and news production class who assembled the video — a montage of various school charity initiatives set to Rihanna's song "Diamonds."
It was chosen as the winner of a contest Rihanna sponsored seeking the "most creative and inspiring lipdub or video that includes a giving back to your community (and world!) message," according to her website.
School spokesman Jeff Arnett said the visit is essentially free for the school, though the district will pay overtime for three local police officers who will supply extra security, much as they would for a school sporting event.
Friday is a nonattendance day at the school, so the district offered free tickets first to Barrington High students, with any leftovers being offered to local middle school students and those at area private schools.
Rihanna also is apparently sending her personal deejay to play music and entertain students while they await her arrival in her tour bus on Friday.
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