In a recorded video, A-list actor Steve Carell dropped in on several high schools around Los Angeles to give the seniors a very special announcement.
The students probably thought it was a curious prank, or an AI-generated video, but theyâd have been wrong. The announcement was that all the seniorsâ prom tickets had been paid for by a nonprofit that Carell has personally worked alongside before.
They asked him to lend an air of stardust to their announcement video, and Carell was all too happy to ablige.
âAttention. Attention all seniors,â Carell said in the video, which beamed into the assembly halls of six schools in Altadena, California. âThis is Steve Carell, with a very special announcement.â
Even though the Eaton Fire, which burned 14,000 acres of towns and hillsides to cinders, had left all six of the schools standing, many of the students lost their homes in the blaze.
3,000 miles away in Virginia, Aliceâs Kids works anonymously to provide low-income or disadvantaged children something they need. In this case, it was determined that, along with taking away the burden on families of affording a $50-$185 prom ticket, what they needed more than anything was a good time.
âI work with a wonderful charity based out of Virginia called Aliceâs Kids,â Carell said in the video. âAnd Aliceâs Kids wanted me to let you know that they will be paying for all of your prom tickets.â
âThe prom is a party, and more than anything, these kids need a party,â Ron Fitzsimmons, executive director of Aliceâs Kids, told the Washington Post. âThey need something that is uplifting.â
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Steve Carellâs famous protagonist in The Office, Michael Scott, once promised children heâd pay for their college tuition through a program he started called Scottâs Tots, but as is often the case throughout the show, Michael backs out of his commitment to the kids after he realizes he doesnât have the money.
Aliceâs Kids is donating $175,000 to send 800 seniors to proms across Aveson Schools, Blair High School, John Muir High School, Marshall Fundamental Secondary School, Pasadena High School, and Rose City High School.
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âThis means everything to our studentsâŚâ said Lori Touloumian, the principal of Marshall Fundamental Secondary School. âIt brought so much joy this morning, and thatâs something that our students have really been missing.â