VIDEO : Common Goes To School

On Thursday, award-winning recording artist Common visits a New York City school as an ambassador for the Adopt-A-Classroom initiative. SF Gate reports the program provides money to school teachers to buy classroom supplies. He made the surprise appearance with his mother, Dr. Mahalia Hines, to present the school with a $10,000 check. According to Adopt-A-Classroom, 96 percent of teachers nationwide bear the cost each year to equip their classrooms with the basic materials students need to learn.