Taylor Swift has gifted New York City’s public schools with $50,000, it was confirmed on Feb. 24. That could buy Big Apple kids a whole lot of pencils!
This is a one-time gift from the pop-singing sensation and Global Welcome Ambassador to New York City. It comes from the proceeds of her “Welcome to New York” song. She spoke about this largess while appearing on the TV show “The View.“?Swift made this promise publicly in that Oct. 2014 braodcast, and on Feb. 24 New York City?Department of Education spokeswoman Devora Kaye made the announcement acknowledging the gift.
Capital New York’s Kelly Weill first broke the news of the present. This is not the first time the performer has been kind to institutions of education: in 2007 when Swift turned 20, she gave away $250,000 to various U.S.?schools where she had been a student or to which she had a connection.
Some people will be thrilled, or at least pleased, that Swift made such a donation. Perhaps she will also donate more money. Her gift may very well encourage other celebrities and lesser-known but still-wealthy people to give to public schools. Other people will be more skeptical of Swift’s move; they will gripe that she could have donated more, based upon her immense wealth.
Among other celebrities who have donated significant sums of money to schools is?Oprah Winfrey. Her Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa is well known. A certain famous pop singer and songwriter from Brooklyn, New York, annually donates money to graduating seniors at his public high school alma mater, and the administration bases the awards upon scholarship and need. (I was asked to keep the singer’s identity and the school secret.)
Other rich individuals give money to their colleges. Many private schools conduct extensive fundraising for their institutions. But public schools are not often the recipients of big gifts, so hopefully Swift’s gift will inspire others to open up their wallets.
New York City has the largest public school system in the U.S. Please donate!
