Oprah Donates $500,000 br to New Jersey School Oprah paid a surprise visit to West Side High School br in Newark, NJ, over the weekend. Oprah Winfrey, via NJ.com She donated half a br million dollars to br principal Akbar Cook's br "Lights On" program. Oprah Winfrey, via NJ.com The program, which runs from 6 p.m. br to 11 p.m., provides students with a br safe place to hang out after school. Students also have access br to laundry facilities and meals. Cook has also appeared on br 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' twice, where br he received $50,000 each time for the program. Akbar Cook, via NJ.