From Brownsville, Brooklyn to the Oval Office
A couple of weeks ago, 13-year-old Vidal ran into Brandon Stanton, the creator of the blog "Humans of New York." When Brandon asked Vidal who had influenced him the most, Vidal said it was his principal, Ms. Lopez.
"One time," he recalled, "she made every student stand up, one at a time, and she told each one of us that we matter."
Brandon met Ms. Nadia Lopez a few days later, and she explained to him why she pushes her students to succeed. "This is a neighborhood that doesn't necessarily expect much from our children," she said, "so at Mott Hall Bridges Academy we set our expectations very high." Their Brownsville neighborhood has one of the highest crime rates in New York City.
After meeting Vidal, Brandon worked with Ms. Lopez to start a fundraiser to support her students. It's already raised more than $1.2 million -- more than 12 times their original goal. The story has captured countless headlines, inspiring people all around the country -- including the President of the United States. And this week, Vidal, Ms. Lopez, and Brandon were all invited to the Oval Office.
Their story is nothing short of inspirational. Watch special behind-the-scenes footage from their visit, and make sure to pass this on.
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