RZA donates 30 iPads to PS 78: ‘Never stop dreaming’
Updated Feb 28, 2020; Posted Feb 27, 2020

By Annalise Knudson | [email protected]

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- – “Never stop dreaming,” was the advice that RZA -- rapper, record producer, actor and founding member of the legendary hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan -- gave to students at PS 78, Stapleton, on Thursday.

RZA, along with RZA’s sister Sofia Diggs and Lucille Belyayev of the Children’s Literacy Society -- which works to allocate educational resources to children’s in Staten Island schools -- attended an assembly at the school to celebrate their donation of 30 brand new iPad Pros.


The donation came about after teacher Jo Ann Accardi tweeted RZA last May, asking if he could help donate new technology to her students.

“I’m here today because one of your teachers sent me a tweet on my Twitter and she said that there wasn’t enough iPads, just enough to go around…,”RZA said to the students. “I reached out to my Wu-Tang brothers and Apple, and we have some iPads here going to the school and going to your classes so you guys have a better chance for a proper education.”

Accardi recalled that she began a fundraiser for five Google Chromebooks, but RZA and the Children’s Literacy Society said that wasn’t enough for the students, and inquired about how many kids were in need of the technology.

It was decided that 30 iPads would be donated. "So with that, I can reach everybody now,” a grateful Accardi said.

After RZA’s speech, students were able to ask a few questions, such as how long he lived on Staten Island, what his favorite school subjects were, when he made his first song and when he knew he wanted to become a rapper.


The new iPads will help all students at the school, Accardi said.

“I have so many various levels in the room, I have English language learners, students with disabilities, general ed students, so we have all these programs under the DOE [Department of Education], but you need to have technology to use them,” she said. “So now this will be the bridge in order to get these kids reading on grade level, solving math problems on grade level. It kind of gives them tailored education.”

Principal Jodi Contento said it is important that RZA was able to talk with students because he serves as a role model.

“I really want to emphasize that any time somebody who has roots in the community comes back to share their successes, that’s the most priceless thing we could have for our school,” said Contento. “It’s all about bringing in the positive role models. We know how much is out there that is not always positive for us to see. Having those positive models and success stories are tremendous.”

Students even asked if RZA would be willing to create a new school song for PS 78, which he said he would work on.


At the end of the event, Accardi gifted RZA with a box of snacks, and a wooden piece signed by PS 78 students, resembling the Wu-Tang Clan symbol and the number 78.

“I still got dreams to fulfill,” RZA told the students. “Never stop dreaming, all right?”