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It�鶹APP�s a social media phenomenon. Almost 12 million likes on its . Another 225,000 followers of . And there�鶹APP�s a best-selling book.

The blog is the brainchild of Brandon Stanton, who gives people around the world a glimpse into the lives of ordinary people he meets on the streets.

Now Brandon has helped to raise $1 million for a school in Brooklyn. He spotted 13-year-old Vidal Chastanet, took his picture and asked him who was the most influential person in his life.

He posted this photo with these words from Brandon:���鶹APP�When you live here, you don�鶹APP�t have too many fears. You�鶹APP�ve seen pretty much everything that life can throw at you. When I was nine, I saw a guy get pushed off the roof of that building right there.�鶹APP�

Pictures:

Later on the same day, Brandon posted a second Facebook item. In it, Vidal explained why his teacher is the greatest influence on his life.

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Three days later, Brandon went to visit Vidal�鶹APP�s school principal, Nadia Lopez, at Mott Hall Bridges Academy in the underserved neighbourhood of Brownsville, Brooklyn. She said:���鶹APP�This is a neighbourhood that doesn�鶹APP�t necessarily expect much from our children, so at Mott Hall Bridges Academy we set our expectations very high. We don�鶹APP�t call the children �鶹APP�students,�鶹APP� we call them �鶹APP�scholars�鶹APP�.�鶹APP�

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Brandon discussed with Ms Lopez how the massive Humans of New York family could help the school. They and her programmes director Monique Achu decided to create a fund that would give each incoming sixth grade class �鶹APP�a chance to get out of their neighborhood and visit a new place. And that place is Harvard University.�鶹APP���Ms Lopez told Humans of New York: �鶹APP�I want every child who enters my school to know that they can go anywhere, and that they will belong.�鶹APP���So they with a goal of $100,000 �鶹APP� and within days it had soared past $1 million!

With that amount of money raised, the inspiring Harvard trips will become a permanent part of the school curriculum. What to do with the rest? The answer is a summer programme for students whose neighbourhoods aren�鶹APP�t safe for them to go out. Ms Lopez explained: �鶹APP�We (she and her teachers) wanted to understand how our students live. We went inside the housing projects. The parks and playgrounds were empty because it�鶹APP�s too dangerous. Even the library isn�鶹APP�t a safe zone. Just last Saturday, one of my scholars had two guns pulled on him while he was walking to the community center. In broad daylight.�鶹APP�

�鶹APP�I want to make it out of the hood�鶹APP��鶹APP� Consider donating to send students to visit Harvard: .

�鶹APP� Brandon Stanton (@humansofny)

On January 26, Mott Hall Bridges Academy held an assembly and Ms Lopez explained about the trips to Harvard in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She also told them:���鶹APP�The scholars of MHBA are inspiring the entire world. People have written me letters from New Zealand, England and South Africa, telling me that they care about you.�鶹APP�

On the same day, Brandon announced that so much money had been raised that every sixth grader could visit Harvard University for the next 10 years and the summer programme was also financed for at least a decade. So he revealed a scholarship fund will also be set up. He wrote: �鶹APP�It will be called The Vidal Scholarship Fund. And the first recipient will be Vidal himself.�鶹APP�

Interviewed by the TV chat show host��, Vidal �鶹APP� pictured with his mother �鶹APP� said of his school principal:���鶹APP�Nadia�鶹APP�s unbelievable. She�鶹APP�s like a movie character, she just cares so much and she�鶹APP�s tough. It�鶹APP�s what you need in this area. She�鶹APP�s tough and she�鶹APP�s unbelievably committed and ambitious, but ambitious on part of the kids.�鶹APP�

To find out more about Humans of New York, . You can��.

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