Oprah gifts $500,000 to NJ high school

West Side High School principal Akbar Cook has been making headlines this past year. First he installed washing machines and dryers at the school for students who were getting bullied because they didn’t have clean clothes. Then recently he appeared in the news for his “Lights On” program. During the school year, the school is open from 6-10pm on Friday’s so the students have a place to hang out instead of being on the street. They can play board games, dance and get free meals donated by local charities. The school is even open 3 nights a week during the summer.

When Oprah surprised students on Friday, she brought pizza and gave the students $50 gift cards to Shop Rite. Oh and she donated half a million dollars to the school. Principal Cook told CBS news on Monday that he plans on using the $ towards more restorative programs. Lights On is in its fourth year and has saved kids from gun violence. Principals across the US have reached out to him because they would like to do a own lights on program at their school