Ellen DeGeneres, Wal-Mart give scholarships to school's senior class
LOS ANGELES — Ellen DeGeneres has handed out college scholarships to the entire senior class of a New York City charter school.
DeGeneres surprised the 41 students from Brooklyn’s Summit Academy this week at her California studio during the taping of Thursday’s episode of her chat show . The four-year scholarships paid for by Wal-Mart will cover tuition for any state university in New York. DeGeneres says the entire gift is worth $1.6 million.
The school’s first graduating class was last year. School officials tell DeGeneres that 93 percent of members of the class are enrolled in college.