News 12’s Friendship Bracelet Program helps purchase new instruments for Newark schools
The News 12 Friendship Bracelet Program is responsible for an $80,000 donation to music programs around the tri-state.
More Stories
News 12 and Optimum participated in a friendship bracelet program last month. Those bracelets were then turned into money for music programs at Newark schools.
At Roberto Clemente Elementary in Newark, song fills the air and instruments fill the shelves. But make room, because new instruments are coming.
The News 12 Friendship Bracelet Program is responsible for an $80,000 donation to music programs around the tri-state. Seven schools in Newark are sharing some $7,000.
"We had a teacher say to us recently, ‘It feels like pure magic,’” says Jinan O’Connor.
O'Connor is with DonorsChoose - an organization that helps under-resourced teachers request and receive whatever they may need.
In Tim Amalfitano's fifth grade music class, the need was for instruments.
"Here at [Roberto Clemente Elementary], we believe the arts should be introduced as early as possible,” says Amalfitano "We hope to foster a love for it their whole lives."
DonorsChoose has been around for 24 years. In that time, they've helped turn $1.6 billion in donations into classroom possibilities.
DonorsChoose is behind all sorts of classroom wishes being fulfilled. Not just musical instruments, one teacher wanted a rug so she could sit with the kids on the floor during reading time.
More information about DonorsChoose can be found on the organization's website.
