A CBS News report in March spotlighted an after-school high school program in Newark, New Jersey run by Principal Akbar Cook’s “Lights On.” The program at West Side High School in Newark has been in effect for four years and has been a safe haven for youth following the deaths of three students to neighborhood gun violence.

The program offers games and food, as well as washers and dryers for those who can’t wash clothes at home.

After the report aired, one famous media mogul was especially moved by the report.

Oprah Winfrey paid the school a visit Friday to take part in the program and offer free pizza. While this alone was a pleasant surprise for the students, Winfrey also provided the program with a sizable donation.

“I'm gonna leave here tonight, and leave you with half a million dollars,” Winfrey told the attendees.

The $500,000 donation means that the school can keep the program running through the summer.

“Love is powerful; you cannot underestimate the power of love. They've been showing my kids and me and this community that they love them, and it's gone a long way,” Cook told media after Oprah’s announcement.

Other schools from across the country have reached out to Cook to learn more about the “Lights On” program.

Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey speaks onstage during Oprah's SuperSoul Conversations at PlayStation Theater on Feb. 5, 2019, in New York City. Getty Images/Bryan Bedder
RELATED STORIES
Oprah winfrey New Jersey