Sandy Hook Choir to Perform 'America the Beautiful' at Super Bowl
The Sandy Hook Elementary School choir of Newtown, Conn., composed of 26 children, will sing "America the Beautiful" during the pre-game show of Super Bowl XLVII on Sunday in New Orleans.
The choir, which will be composed of 26 children to represent the 20 children and six adults killed as a result of the Sandy Hook mass shooting in December 2012, will be broadcast live as a part of CBS' pre-game show.
As NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy confirmed to USA TODAY, the children and their families will fly down to New Orleans in the upcoming days to prepare for the performance, which will take place shortly before R&B singer Alicia Keys performs the national anthem.
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The chorus is reportedly able to sing at the sporting event due to a massive donation from an anonymous patron, who paid for all of the families' air travel and accommodations.
The same children's choir recently sang "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" with singer/songwriter Ingrid Michaelson in the home studio of two longtime Connecticut residents, Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz of Talking Heads and the Tom Tom Club.
"Having the children come today with their parents, all of them having the idea that this was their gift to the other families of Sandy Hook, it was very enriching for us," Weymouth says in a clip of the recording posted on YouTube.
Proceeds from the track, now available for download, will be given to the Newtown Youth Academy and United Way of Western Connecticut.
Several popular sports icons have donated their time and support to the families and children affected by the Dec. 14 shooting in Newtown, during which shooter Adam Lanza opened fire on students and faculty at Sandy Hook Elementary.
Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson paid tribute to those who lost their lives by writing the names of each victim of the shooting on his cleats before the team's game against the New York Jets in December.
Victor Cruz, star receiver of the New York Giants, also paid tribute to one victim, Jack Pinto, by writing the boy's name on his cleats and visiting with the boy's family, an experience which he described as "emotional" and "tough."
The NFL also created "S.H.E.S." decals for players and coaches to sport on their helmets and earphones to symbolize their reverence for Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Additionally, the NFL observed a moment of silence before each game the week following the Sandy Hook massacre.
Although many anticipate the Sandy Hook choir at this week's game, others argue that it is a method of exploitation on behalf of the NFL, as the comments section reads on ProFootball Talk.
Sunday, Feb. 3 marks Super Bowl XLVII between the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers in New Orleans.
This upcoming game will be the first time in NFL history that two brothers, Jim Harbaugh and John Harbaugh, square off against each other in a Super Bowl game.
