Chance the Rapper has always respected and appreciated the work that teachers do, and that respect has only grown during the coronavirus pandemic.
To celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week, Chance the Rapper teamed up with Box Tops For Education to present the inaugural “Twilight Awards,” a special award show that honors and recognizes teachers for their dedication, originality and creativity in helping their students thrive.
The “Twilight Awards” will air from May 6-8 at 7 p.m. CST on Chance the Rapper’s Instagram Live. During the shows, Chance will speak with 10 teachers about their experiences as educators and will donate supplies and a total of $300,000 to them and their respective schools on behalf of Box Tops for Education.
AYYYE!! ITS FINALLY HAPPENING!! In honor of Teacher Appreciation week, I’ll be hosting a virtual version of The Twilight Awards with #BoxTopsforEducation this Wednesday, Thursday and Friday @ 7pm CT on Instagram Live. I’ll be joined live on ig by amazing educators and celebrity.. pic.twitter.com/RZz0g9Yhqd
— Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) May 4, 2020
Chance the Rapper, a Chicago native and a graduate of Chicago Public Schools (CPS), has long been an advocate for educators. In 2017, Chance gave back to his community by donating $1 million to CPS. That year, Chance also worked with his non-profit Social Works to create the New Chance: Arts and Literature Fund, a grant that provides funds to CPS for enrichment programming. He connected with teachers and principals while working in Chicago schools and then came up with the idea for the “Twilight Awards,” a national award show to honor educators for their service to their students, schools and communities.
Since schools nationwide have closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, teachers across the country have had to adapt to teaching their students virtually, combined with raising their own children at their homes. As a father to two daughters, Chance the Rapper recognizes just how vital teachers are to students and parents, especially during this unprecedented pandemic, and will be hosting the “Twilight Awards” to give them the respect and honor they deserve.
“These teachers are really helping us raise our kids,” said Chance. “And they’re doing it times 30 ― a bunch of people’s kids at once. That’s something you understand but don’t fully appreciate until you’re with your kids 24/7.”
“These teachers have had to adapt so fast in terms of remote learning and providing parents with activities and lesson plans for their kids,” continued Chance. “And being one of the most criminally underpaid jobs in America, I feel like they’re going to be some of the people that are hit the hardest by this global crisis. This pandemic is crazy, and I think right now we just need to show appreciation for people and give them financial help.”
