You’re about to get weepy at this vid of Ellen DeGeneres giving a whole class of seniors scholarships
Ellen DeGeneres is one of our favorite talk show hosts for a lot of reasons. She’s funny, she loves to dance, and she has a good heart. We know that Ellen DeGeneres has always been charitable, but this time she has truly outdone herself.
In partnership with Walmart, DeGeneres gave the entire senior class of Summit Academy Charter School in Brooklyn four-year scholarships to college. The scholarships are valid for any public New York state university, and will be granted upon their graduation later this year.
The giveaway is one of the biggest in the history of the Ellen DeGeneres show.
One of the most incredible moments I've been a part of. Entire class gets 4yr college scholarship. Thanks, @Walmart. https://t.co/2hX68dUp5x pic.twitter.com/yQ88CxkYLT
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) February 23, 2017
Earlier this month, Ellen brought Summit teachers Cheryl and Natasha on her show to talk about the impact their school has had in the community. As Cheryl explained, Red Hook is one of Brooklyn’s most underserved communities. Only four percent of adults hold a college degree, and furthermore, over 28 percent of children under age 16 live in poverty. They said:
“These kids are just amazing. No matter what is happening at home, no matter what they’ve gone through, they never give up. We want to make certain that our school is like a family. So when you’re here, you’re safe, and we’re going to keep you safe, and that’s really important.”
In 2016, 93 percent of the school’s first graduating class went to college, and this year Cheryl and Natasha are on a mission to reach 100 percent. During an earlier episode, DeGeneres surprised them with a check for $25,000 to help fund the school. Then she asked them to come back later in the month with students.
What happened next was so heartwarming.
What an amazing week it has been.
A post shared by Ellen (@theellenshow) on Feb 24, 2017 at 1:21pm PST
DeGeneres wanted to make sure that there would be no financial barrier for the students to attend college. After chatting with the students about their aspirations, including a student who will be the first in her family to go to college, DeGeneres brought everyone on stage. After everyone was gathered, she made the announcement and the kids go crazy.
In total, the gift is worth $1.6 million. Watch the full video here:
We are dare you to watch this without tears streaming down your face.
