In a heartwarming display of support, Alicia Keys and Roc Nation have joined forces to back a determined 12-year-old girl’s mission to preserve her school’s performing arts program.
Tennyson Artigliere, a seventh-grader at the Professional Performing Arts School in New York City, launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise $102,000 in response to looming budget cuts threatening the program’s existence.
When Grammy-winning musician Alicia Keys, herself an alumna of the school, caught wind of Tennyson’s initiative, she wasted no time in offering her assistance. Keys, along with her label Roc Nation, contributed a whopping $60,000 to the cause, as reported by TMZ.
The generous donation from Keys and Roc Nation significantly bolstered the funds already raised by Tennyson and her classmates, who had managed to gather approximately $50,000 prior to the celebrity support. Furthermore, Keys and Roc Nation have pledged ongoing assistance, committing to annual fundraising efforts until the school can secure sustainable funding.
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Tennyson expressed her overwhelming gratitude for the unexpected celebrity backing, particularly from a revered figure like Keys, who once walked the same halls as she does now. Speaking to ABC7, Tennyson marveled at the unexpected turn of events, admitting, “I had no idea that it was going to be this big and blow up this huge.”
The news of Keys and Roc Nation’s involvement has sent waves of excitement through the school community, with Tennyson’s classmates incredulous at the prospect of their beloved program being saved with the help of a music icon.
The Professional Performing Arts School boasts an illustrious list of alumni, including Jeremy Allen White, Claire Danes, Britney Spears, and Jesse Eisenberg, according to Vibe magazine, underscoring the program’s significance in shaping the careers of countless talented individuals.
As Tennyson’s campaign gains momentum with the backing of Alicia Keys and Roc Nation, the future of the school’s performing arts program looks brighter than ever, serving as a testament to the power of grassroots activism and celebrity support in effecting positive change within communities.
