‘Abbott Elementary’ Creator Quinta Brunson Is Doing What The Real Public School System Couldn’t
Every kid in the Philadelphia public school system deserves a bite to eat and the opportunity to visit someplace educationally stimulating – even DeShaun O’Neill.
When Abbott Elementary first hit ABC in late 2021, public school teachers in cities across the country were amazed and delighted that series creator Quinta Brunson could make an entire sitcom out of the not-even-remotely-exaggerated struggles of the average educator in an underserved community. Now that Abbott is one of the most popular TV shows on the planet, Brunson has the opportunity to fill some of the gaps in our educational system and help out the real-life schoolchildren of Philadelphia in ways that Janine Teagues could only dream of.
On Giving Tuesday, the Abbott Elementary star/creator announced the launch of The Quinta Brunson Field Trip Fund, which “will raise money to provide free field trips for schools, giving students from underserved communities greater access to out-of-classroom experiences,” according to a press release obtained by The Philadelphia Tribune.
Don't Miss
Presumably, zero dollars will go towards any excursion involving a hot air balloon.
In her statement, Brunson explained that her new fund will pay it forward after she had some of her own most formative childhood experiences on school field trips. “They opened my world, sparked my creativity, and helped me imagine a future beyond what I saw every day,” Brunson said. “Going somewhere new shows you that the world is bigger and more exciting than you believe, and it can shape what you come to see as achievable.”
“I’m proud to support Philadelphia students with experiences that remind them their dreams are valid and their futures are bright,” Brunson proclaimed.
The Quinta Brunson Field Trip Fund “aims to eliminate the costs associated with field trips for more than 117,000 students in Philadelphia’s public schools and will focus on the city’s vast network of museums and landmarks,” according to the release. Bruson's philanthropic goal is certainly an ambitious one – 117,000 is a lot of worksheets.
On top of the field trip fund, Brunson also recently donated $25,000 to the Groceries for Good program, which assists students in West Philadelphia who live in homes with food insecurity issues.
Clearly, the Abbott Elementary mastermind takes the problems that face Philadelphia's public schools and students as seriously as her character does, and she's putting her money where her mouth is when it comes to helping the kids who need it most. On top of a scarcity of diverse educational opportunities, about 25% of Philadelphia's enrollment – or over 100,000 students – struggle with food insecurity, which simply shouldn't happen. Golf courses only come before schools in a country with woefully misplaced priorities.
