The Michael Jackson Tribute Portrait

Gardner St. Elementary - Help the Kids at Michael's School Get What They Need!

Legacy Files

October 31, 2010 [Updated June 2012]

History was made the day that Michael Jackson’s name was uncovered from the Gardner Street Elementary School auditorium. Renamed after him in 1989, the LAUSD made the decision to cover his name in 2003 after he was arrested on charges of child molestation.

Upon his passing, a group of fans began their quest to get his name uncovered. Taking the stance of “failure is not an option,” they worked tirelessly for more than a year, never giving up. Fans all over the world celebrated as they achieved success on October 15, 2010.

In a press release from the LAUSD, Los Angeles school board member Steven Zimmer said, “It’s important for the District to value the artistic impact and humanitarian contribution that will be the lasting legacy of Michael Jackson.”

The Michael Jackson Tribute Portrait would like to encourage dot members to uphold his humanitarian legacy by supporting the Gardner Street Elementary School in their fundraising efforts. Let’s show them that they made the right decision in uncovering Michael’s name!

The school is in need of supplies and/or cash donations.

Donating Money

If you would like to donate money, please use one of the following methods:

Checks/Cheques made payable to Gardner Street Elementary School, may be sent to the following address.

Gardner Street Elementary School
Attn: Principal Kenneth Urbina
7450 Hawthorne Avenue
Los Angeles, CA90046

Please note: All checks/cheques must be in US Dollars, or the school might not be able to cash them.

Alternatively, you may donate via PayPal through the Uncover MJ’s Name Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/UncoverMJ#!/note.php?note_id=168341806510515

Donating School Supplies

If you would like to donate supplies, send them directly to the address listed above. They are in need of the following supplies:

#2 pencils
Copy paper
Notebooks

Video of the Dedication Ceremony

Robert Wilson was lucky enough to be chosen to present Michael with the key to the school during the ceremony of the auditorium being dedicated to him. In the description of his video posted on YouTube, he writes about what that was like. Admitting that he was nervous but poised, he said, "Luckily prior to presenting him the key to the school I was introduced to him and his entourage backstage, as an icebreaker. I remember him pulling on my duck tail and asking me if I was planning on growing my hair out like his. I took a long pause and was nervous to answer, but I said 'no, sorry.'"

Video posted with permission from Robert K. Wilson.

The Michael Jackson Tribute Portrait would like to congratulate the entire Uncover MJ’s Name Team for your victory in this campaign and we commend you on your dedication and commitment to Michael Jackson.

If you donate to the Gardner Street Elementary School, please remember to come back here and let us know by leaving a comment below, telling us about your donation, so we can assign a special Michael's Angels Gardner St. Elementary badge (like the one at the top of this article) to your profile. [***UPDATE: June 2012 – Our current Michael’s Angels badges, the first of which has been active for more than 2 and a half years, will be retired at the end of this month (badges assigned to members will remain on their profiles). While the badges are being retired, the efforts to carry on Michael Jackson’s humanitarian legacy will not! We encourage you to continue to support the charities, programs and initiatives we’ve highlighted so far in our Michael’s Angels program. We encourage you to keep volunteering and supporting charities that speak to your heart. Keep helping others; keep protecting the planet; keep doing what you do to make the world a better place and being an example to others, encouraging them to help heal the world.]