Oprah Winfrey Visits Newark School, Makes $500K Donation (VIDEO)

NEWARK, NJ — A Newark high school will get a cool half-million dollars to keep a popular outreach program going thanks to a surprise donation from Oprah Winfrey.

On Friday, the media mogul thrilled the students of West Side High School when she announced that she was making a $500,000 donation to the school’s “Lights On” initiative, which provides a safe haven from violence for local youth with supervised activity nights. (Learn more about the program below)

Winfrey said she decided to make the donation after hearing about Principal Akbar Cook’s ongoing community outreach, which has been inspiring people throughout the nation. In addition to running the Lights On program and being an outspoken voice for anti-violence efforts in Newark, Cook also recently built a free laundromat at the school for low-income students who were being bullied for wearing unwashed clothes.

The school laundromat has earned praise from U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, as well as Ellen DeGeneres, who also organized a large donation in honor of Cook’s work.

• See related article: Senator Praises Newark Principal Who Stopped Bullies With Laundry
• See related article: Newark's Inspiring School Laundromat On 'Ellen Show' (VIDEO)

On Friday, Winfrey told an ebullient crowd of students and school staff that she’s “heard about West Side and all the great things that are happening here.”

In addition to her $500,000 pledge, Winfrey also gave students gift cards to ShopRite and hosted a pizza party, CBS News reported.

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In a series of Twitter posts about the surprise visit, Cook – who has been humble and thankful for the attention towards his school – wrote simply that he felt “blessed” and “humbled.”

He also directed the positive vibes back to the ones who deserve it the most… his students.

“With all the good press going on, please let’s not forget about the students,” Cook wrote. “West Side came in 1st place in science and 3rd place in math. That was an event that featured ALL of the high schools in Newark. Then my track team broke an Essex County record in the 4x400 track event.”

Friday’s visit hasn’t been the first time in recent history that Winfrey has mingled with students from Essex County.

In November 2018, Winfrey – along with former First Lady Michelle Obama – met with a group of four West Orange High School students at the Hearst Tower in New York City, headquarters of "O," the Oprah Magazine.

The students, who spoke with the high-powered duo about the 2018 midterm election, included Marley Dias, the driving force behind the lauded #1000BlackGirlBooks campaign.

• See related article: Oprah, Michelle Obama Surprise West Orange Students

KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON

The Lights On program at West Side High School launched in 2016 after the tragic loss of a young Newark student to gun violence.

With the support of the West Side Alumni Group and the MCJ Amelior Foundation, Cook began the inspiring outreach effort, which provides free activities, food and drinks to as many as 80 students every Friday evening throughout the school year. The program ramps up its efforts in the summer, providing youth a constructive and safe place to meet during the school break.

• See related article: Newark 'Lights On' Program Offers Students Shelter From Violence

Watch a video from a previous year's program below.

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