On September 20, 2023 Meg Donelly, an actress who has starred on Disney Channel and is most known from her part in “Zombies” and “American Housewife”, visited Bedwell elementary school. She talked about her journey as an actress and how Bedwell friends are for life.
Meg Donnelly was a part of the Somerset School District until fifth grade in 2010, when her acting career led her and her family to New York. She lived in Peapack-Gladstone before moving, and even went to lessons at performance art school “Annies Playhouse” in Far Hills.
Meg has not visited Peapack-Gladstone or Bernardsville until she went to do the assembly. She kept in touch with her old teacher at Bedwell, Darcey Brooten— one of the teachers who set up Meg to come to the elementary school— along with Melissa Leonard and other teachers who helped with other details of her visit. This included things like setting up with help from Jeremy Palmieri, Amy Paterno, Allen Thurlow, Megan Dooley and Michelle Dooley.
Megs former teacher, Mrs. Brooten, who helped set up this visit spoke about how she got Meg to come to Bedwell and what it was like for everyone involved: “Meg was in town from LA and she reached out to me to come visit her school and teachers. We then decided it would be really neat to get all of Bedwell’s students together to see her… She talked to the kids about the “Power of Yet” and keeping a growth mindset as you work to achieve your goals. She reminded them that it’s okay to be nervous and to find what you love, work hard, and go for it.”
Even the students at Bedwell whom she talked to went home with a signed autograph from her to remember her coming in, and as a generous gift to all the kids who adore her as an actor.
During the assembly, Meg sang to the students with one of her most known songs in the movie “Zombies” called “Someday” and all the students sang along. Meg also received a Bedwell t-shirt while taking a tour of the school.
Some of the students that attended the assembly even shared their favorite moments of the assembly, “My favorite thing was when she answered our questions that Mrs. Brooten read” said Avery Ferruggia ‘36. Another one said “My favorite thing was the music” says Nick Ferruggia ‘33.
Two years ago, Meg even joined the “Child Mind Institute” for the “Getting Better Campaign” which features celebrities talking about anxiety and how real kids fight with stress, anxiety, and mental health issues and how to deal with that and show that it’s okay and to know that you’re not alone. Meg being a part of this campaign shows how much she cares about kids and how much she wants to help them, because she was a kid once and she knows what it’s like. Meg also talked about this somewhat with the kids, getting over nerves and the rejection you get as an actress.
