I want to read you a letter I got from a high school
principal in Florida.
Dear Ellen, my name is Allison Kirby.
I'm the principal at Jones High School in Orlando, Florida.
Our incredible band and choir programs
have been invited to perform at the prestigious Carnegie
Hall in April.
We are one of three high schools in the country to be selected,
which is a huge honor.
Our school is unique, because 100% of our students
come from low-income families.
But you wouldn't know it by their attitudes and dedication
to music.
That's in large part, thanks to their incredible directors,
Jamal and Andrea.
They are so dedicated to these kids.
We are actively fund-raising, but if there's
anything you can do to help, it would mean the world to us.
We love you.
Well, we have the band and choir director from Jones High School
here today.
Come on out Jamal and Andrea.
We just told them 20 minutes ago that they were coming out.
You thought you were here for something else.
A taping, yes.
Yes.
It is a taping.
You're here for a taping.
OK, so tell us about Carnegie Hall.
I mean, come on.
This is amazing that you were chosen to go to Carnegie Hall.
Tell us about the school.
OK, well Jones our school was founded in 1895,
in Orlando, Florida.
And it was at one time the only school
that black students could attend.
And so we, after integration, you know,
we kind of got everybody in the mix.
But we were very proud of our history,
and and so it's really special, because some of our students
come from really difficult situations, broken families,
some--
I mean, parents who are incarcerated
or who are no longer with us.
And our students, they are really incredible.
You'd never know it by the way they
perform in our classroom, the things
that they're going through.
Yes.
And they're wearing the weight of the world
on their shoulders.
And because they are so dedicated and true
to what we ask of them, we have a 95% graduation
and college goal mission.
Yes.
Really, it's really a family.
The kids call me pops, and Papa Nick.
They call her Mama Green.
Mama Green.
She calls them her sugar lumps, and it's really incredible.
So I know they helped you through a really tough time.
Tell us about-- I mean, I know, but tell everybody
what you've gone through.
Well a couple of years ago, I was
diagnosed with breast cancer, and those kids
are so wonderful.
They are my family.
And so after I had the breast cancer surgery,
I then went to go through a series of treatments.
And after I got back to work.
I had to choose what time of day that I wanted
to have my treatments done.
And so I specifically picked in the middle of the day,
because my students were the first person
I had to see before I left, and they
had to be the first person I saw when I got back.
They kept me going.
They kept me wanting to life.
They were my drive.
They were my inspiration, and I'm here today,
a large part because of them.
I love them.
All right.
Well-- And your school is in Orlando, Florida,
and there is another school in Florida in the news today.
Yesterday there was a horrible school
shooting at a school in Parkland, Florida.
So I send my love to the parents,
the students the families who are dealing with this.
We need to be helping our schools
and protecting our children.
So we need to look at this.
This is--
So, it's 6:00 there right now, right?
It's 6:00.
Where you-- What do you think they're doing right now?
Well, let's see.
My kids may be just getting out of rehearsal.
I doubt it.
Jeannie?
Hello.
Oh my god.
Hi, everybody.
Wow.
Hi, everybody.
OK, so first of all, congratulations
on being invited to perform at Carnegie Hall.
Jeannie, who is next to you right now?
I got Mr. Fire himself.
This is one of the choir students, Jonathan.
Say hi to Ellen.
Hi, Ellen, I love you.
Hi, Jonathan.
I love you, too.
Tell us what it means that you and your classmates
have this opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall.
Well, and it really means the world to me and my classmates,
because only the best of the best
get to get to the grand stage at Carnegie Hall,
so it's really been pushing us and just to be
the best version of ourselves.
I know we're going to get there.
And we're going to do our very best.
It's going to be amazing.
It is going to be amazing.
I mean, what an opportunity.
And the principal is there, right Jeannie?
Yeah, yeah.
I have Mrs. Kirby here.
Hi, Ellen.
We love you.
Love you, too.
All right, Alison, first of all, thanks for writing to the show.
What is happening with the fund raising?
How much do you have?
How much do you have to raise?
Well, the fund raising has been hard,
but we are so blessed to be in a community that
has rallied around us, wrapped their arms around us,
and it's a big number.
It's $200,000 to send these kids to Carnegie Hall,
and we are about halfway there.
But, we are not giving up, are we Tigers?
That's right.
That's a How-- that is a lot of money that you've raised, 100,
how have you raised $100,000?
What have you been doing?
We've had car washes, they sing and play
just about every weekend.
They don't rest.
They perform at fundraising dinners.
They go to churches.
Literally, today, we went to the League of Women Voters
and they passed a plate around and we got $2,500 just
from passing the plate.
Wow.
When people see these kids, they're inspired.
All right.
I think that we're raising.
Here's what we want to do.
For the past two seasons, we've been partnering with Walmart
to help bring communities together.
Walmart is committed to supporting people,
and when they step in to make a difference,
they make a big, big difference.
Like a big difference.
So, to help all of you get to Carnegie Hall,
Walmart is giving Jones High School a check for $100,000.
Oh my god.
What!
Oh my god.
$100,000 from Walmart.